Next Steps

Next Steps

A programme designed by Bureau Ritter to support dance practitioners in Hesse. Funded by the Crespo Foundation.

Application

  • The application portal for the third call for proposals for funding strands A and B is now open.

    • Applications must be submitted via the Portal on this website by 6pm on 30 June 2026 at the latest. Registration is now open.

      In principle, eligibility is open to professional dance practitioners regardless of their training background – whether applying as individuals, ensembles, or collectives – as well as graduates of state-recognized dance training institutions. Festivals, venues, universities, production centers, production offices, and collaborative networks within the dance sector are also eligible. Applicants must be based in Hesse (or, in the case of individuals, have their primary residence there). The funding principles for the third call for proposals can be found here.

      Funding decisions are made by an independent expert jury. Further information on the application process is available under Funding and in the FAQs.

About Next Steps

    Extension of the funding programme through 2030

    Funded by the Crespo Foundation, Next Steps has been supporting the professional dance scene in Hesse since 2024. In keeping with the foundation’s guiding principle of “empowering people,” Next Steps provides artists at every stage of their careers with self-directed spaces for development – whether to deepen artistic approaches or to hone professional skills. The funding initiative is also aimed at graduates of state-recognized dance training institutions as well as cultural organizations. Support is provided for both individual projects and initiatives with structural impact that have a lasting impact on working and production conditions.
    With a total budget of 1.128 million euros for the years 2024 to 2026, the programme has already made a significant contribution to strengthening dance artists in Hesse during its pilot phase: A total of 18 projects were recommended for funding by an independent expert jury in the first two open calls.
    In March 2026, the Supervisory Board of the Crespo Foundation decided to continue Next Steps and will fund the programme from 2027 to 2030 with a total of 3.84 million euros. Four additional open calls are planned during this period.
     

    More

    Mentoring, Professional Development, and Networking

    From the outset, Next Steps has combined project-based funding with professional development, individualized mentoring, and targeted networking, thereby complementing existing public funding instruments with a development-oriented approach.
    As early as the application process, the Next Steps team at Bureau Ritter provides comprehensive guidance in a range of formats, working closely with dance practitioners to develop tailored, project-specific concepts.

    Selected projects are invited to take part in a variety of accompanying measures: the annual gathering of all funded projects at Crespo Haus, a monthly online roundtable for exchange and networking, and targeted professional development formats. These are based on the specific needs of the funded participants and are delivered either by external experts or by the Bureau Ritter team.
    In the new funding phase, opportunities for exchange and continuing education will be further expanded and, starting in 2027, complemented by a new format, “Next Steps TanzLokal.” This one-day event will take place annually in different cities across Hesse, offering funded participants a public platform to present insights into their projects while also fostering dialogue between dance practitioners, cultural policymakers, and audiences.

    Next Steps PLUS

    A key future component of the program is the systematic support of Next Steps alumni. Former recipients will continue to have access to all program formats and will be encouraged to actively contribute their experience – remaining informed about current developments and connected with artists from other cities. Their ongoing involvement ensures that knowledge and insights from completed projects are shared, strengthens collaboration across regional scenes, and helps consolidate and expand structures for future cooperation.

    In addition, a newly established fund will support Next Steps alumni in securing further funding. It can be used to cover co-financing requirements often requested by other funders, such as the Hessian Ministry of Science and the Arts or municipal cultural offices. Further information on Next Steps PLUS will be available in autumn 2026.

Initiators

  • Bureau Ritter

    • Funding and support for culture

    • Since 2005, Bureau Ritter and its previous iterations have supported dance in Germany through a wide range of programs and substantial funding initiatives (including Tanzplan Deutschland, Tanzfonds Erbe, Tanzfonds Partner, TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund, and TANZPAKT RECONNECT). As the managing organization of the internationally active Dance On Ensemble and the lead partner in the European research project DanceMap, the non-profit cultural organisation has gained extensive knowledge of the European dance landscape, as well as a large network of partners. This enables us to develop effective programs that support dance professionals and help safeguard Europe’s dance heritage.
      Bureau Ritter also contributes this expertise in building sustainable structures to other cross-disciplinary funding programs, for example, as the program office for Übermorgen – Neue Modelle für Kulturinstitutionen, an initiative of the German Federal Cultural Foundation that supports cultural institutions in shaping processes of structural change.
       
      Founder and Managing Director Madeline Ritter maintains close ties to the cultural landscape of Hesse through her many years of service on the advisory board of the Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain. In 2021/2022, Bureau Ritter also implemented the Hessian open-air funding program INS FREIE!, supporting the state’s incredibly dynamic network of venues in realizing their projects during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    • bureau-ritter.de

  • Crespo Foundation

    • The Crespo Foundation is a private charitable foundation based in Frankfurt am Main. It was established in 2001 by the psychologist and photographer Ulrike Crespo (1950–2019).
      The Crespo Foundation is committed to ensuring that everyone has the chance to determine their own lives and play an active role in shaping society. Through its funding programmes and projects, it creates opportunities for people to develop their potential. It offers its resources and expertise to partner organisations and works collaboratively to achieve structural improvements.
      The foundation’s core focus areas – art, creative learning, personal development and educational opportunities – are directly inspired by the work of its founder Ulrike Crespo. Convinced that joined-up thinking about creativity, education and social issues is key to guaranteeing participation in public life, the Crespo Foundation establishes partnerships with actors and experts from all these areas and makes sure that they are in contact with each other. 

    • www.crespo-foundation.de

Timeline

  • 04.05.2026, 3-4 pm

    QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS REGARDING THE APPLICATION PROCESS (ENGLISH)

    Participation via
    https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82044337752?pwd=2Iw8z7Bx9SFomh8G1zqKH2N75AoO05.1
  • 21.05.2026, 1-2pm

    QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS REGARDING THE APPLICATION PROCESS

    Participation via
    https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82044337752?pwd=2Iw8z7Bx9SFomh8G1zqKH2N75AoO05.1
  • 09.05.2026, 12pm-9pm

    SHIFT Intensive

    Location and details will follow.
    More Link
  • 02.06.2026, 3-4 pm

    QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS REGARDING THE APPLICATION PROCESS

    Participation via
    https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82044337752?pwd=2Iw8z7Bx9SFomh8G1zqKH2N75AoO05.1
  • 12.06.2026, 10-11 am

    QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS REGARDING THE APPLICATION PROCESS

    Participation via
    https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82044337752?pwd=2Iw8z7Bx9SFomh8G1zqKH2N75AoO05.1
  • 30.06.2026, 6 pm

    APPLICATION DEADLINE

  • September 2026

    JURY MEETING

  • 23. - 25.10.2026

    "ROTATIONS" a participatory festival for contemporary dance

    MARBURG: Theater den Turm, Waggonhalle Marburg, Philipps Universität Marburg
    More

News

  • 15.04.2026

    Applications can be submitted again starting now

    Next Steps is entering the next round! The application portal for the third call for proposals for funding lines A and B is now open. Applications can be submitted until 30 June 2026, 6:00 PM.
    More
  • 30.03.2026

    Next Steps will be extended until 2030!

    Exciting news for the dance scene in Hesse: Next Steps will be extended until 2030. The next application round opens on April 15!
    More