Performance application

Cultural projects

Annual application call for next year's festival

Who can apply?

Cultural organisers, artists and institutions with a good idea for a cultural or art project that relates to the festival's central concepts and that can be a driving force in the implementation of the project.

Notice: The call for applications for 2025 is now closed. Next opportunity to apply will be during Fall 2025, when the call for applications for 2026 opens.

What can I apply for funding for?

Funding is available for all types of projects and associated expenses, with the exception of marketing, transport, catering and accommodation. For projects carried out under established cultural institutions, the H.C. Andersen Festivals cannot be expected to provide financial support for employees' salaries and operating costs. The projects must be carried out within the festival area in the centre of Odense during the festival period. In 2025, H.C. Andersen Festivals will open on 14 August with the main focus of activities in the period 17-24 August.

In addition to the general criteria, the Cultural Committee will focus on projects that are new to H.C Andersen Festivals. If you have previously been a part of the H.C. Andersen Festivals, we encourage you to come up with new content.

The Education and Learning Committee - which selects among the applications that target schools/institutions - will prioritise projects that fit into Hans Christian Andersen's world, and the festival's values with activities where children/young people through physical, cognitive or relational activities can achieve new/greater realisations about Hans Christian Andersen.

Specific to 2025

In 2025, the city of Odense will mark the 150th anniversary of Hans Christian Andersen's death with the theme ‘Andersen forever - Andersen is dead, his works live!’ The celebration will focus on death, life, loss, memory and immortality. The H.C. Andersen Festivals also takes part in this celebration and welcomes projects that relate to the theme.
However, the festival is also in 2025 open to applications that work with the festival's central concepts in a broader sense.

What should the application contain?

• Short project description (5-10 lines). In addition to the written presentation, you can link to a short video presentation (max. 3 minutes) if you like.
• Detailed project description.
• Description of the project's relation to the festival's central concepts.
• Target audience.
• Budget. You must use the festival's budget form and state prices in EURO.

In addition, please answer a number of other questions in the form.

When you fill out the application form, we suggest that you write your answers in e.g. Word first and then copy the text into the form. Please note that italics, underlining and bold disappear when copied into the form.

Terms and conditions

By submitting your application form, you acknowledge that you have read and accepted the festival's conditions for projects in the Official Program 2025.

The conditions are available for download here.

How are applications assessed?

All applications are evaluated by the festival's expert committees, which consist of professionals and experts in the relevant fields (theatre and dance, music, art, cultural communication and subculture). The judging committee evaluates each application on the basis of the project's:

• Quality
• Relation to the central concepts of the festival's H.C. Andersen universe
• Content that is new in the context of the festival
• Relevance to the festival
• Budget

Budget

There is no fixed limit to the amounts that can be applied for. It depends on the individual project and the total pool of applications. However, the amounts granted are typically between approximately DKK 5,000-60,000.
Applicants with very large projects should contact the festival secretariat directly.
Application form
You must use the festival's official application form.

Budget form

You must use the festival's budget form for either existing productions or new productions, depending on your project.
Please specify any costs for transportation, accommodation or catering in the budget.

Application deadline

The application deadline for projects for the H.C. Andersen Festival 2025 was 1 November 2024.

Next opportunity to apply will be for H.C. Andersen Festivals 2026. The call for applications will open in September 2025 and the application deadline is 1 November 2025.

Do you have any questions?

Contact the festival's Program and Fundraising Manager Birgit Christiansen at birgit@hcafestivals.dk or tel. +45 25 70 08 85.