What are the options for staying in Germany after graduation and continuing to work as an artist? Sebastian Hoffmann (touring artists) will provide information on residency options, with a focus on residency as a freelance artist. Other topics will include the paths to a settlement permit and naturalisation. 
Gin Bahc has been working as a freelance artist with an artist residence permit in Baden-Württemberg for nine years. In the Q&A session, she shares practical experiences on the challenges faced by non-EU artists, typical mistakes and sustainable career paths. 

The international circulation of artists and culture professionals is a critical arena where mobility justice reveals deep-seated inequities. While globalisation promises borderless exchange, the reality remains stratified: who gains access, under what conditions, and who faces exclusion reflects historical colonialism, economic inequality, and institutional control.
The 2026 edition of the Forum will explore these systemic inequities, interrogating how mobility within the cultural sector reinforces disparities and imbalances.

What does freelancing mean in Germany? How is your activity classified? Where do you register and sign up? Navigating Germany’s freelancing system can be complex, but the online seminar breaks it down for you. Learn about the key differences between “freelance” activities (Freie Berufe) and other forms of self-employment (Gewerbe). Understand how to differentiate self-employment from employment, and spot pseudo-self-employment (Scheinselbstständigkeit).

The online seminar is part of the event series Get started! First steps in self-employment, organised by Kreativ Kultur Berlin in cooperation with touring artists.

Manage your finances with confidence! Writing invoices, navigating the "Kleinunternehmer" regulation, or understanding value-added tax regulations for artists and teachers — freelancing comes with challenges beyond your actual work. This seminar breaks down Germany’s income tax and value-added tax (VAT) system for self-employed persons and freelancers, focusing on the rules for transactions within Germany only.

This online seminar is part of the event series Get started! First steps in self-employment, organised by Kreativ Kultur Berlin in cooperation with touring artists.

Sebastian Hoffmann from the touring artists team will be a guest at the digital SPRECHSTUNDE on the topic of cultural funding, where he will present our information and advisory services in detail. In addition, the two service centres will present current (project) calls for proposals in the fields of culture and cultural education. Afterwards, there will be an opportunity for questions and discussion.

What is the Künstlersozialkasse (KSK) and how do you become a member? What should you know about the application process and what happens once you are insured? What if you can not join the KSK and what other insurance options should you consider? Felix Sodemann (touring artists) will introduce the KSK and answer basic questions. Afterwards, Felix, Andri Jürgensen (lawyer specialising in KSK), and Kathleen Parker (managing director Red Tape) are available to answer your questions in breakout sessions.

This online seminar is part of the event series Get started! First steps in self-employment, organised by Kreativ Kultur Berlin in cooperation with touring artists.

A one-hour online session on how to set up a Mobility Info Point (MIP). The session aims to encourage organisations in the arts and cultural sector, such as public institutions, national organisations, public funders or independent bodies, to set up an MIP in countries that do not yet have one. Practical steps involved will be explained.

MIPs are information centres and/or websites tackling administrative challenges that artists and culture professionals can face when working across borders. Key issues are visas, social insurance, taxes, and customs.

An informative crash course in cooperation with the IGBK and with touring artists on everything you want to know about “How to become an artist-in-residence”: How and where can you find information on residencies? Are there quality criteria? Can you bring your family? Are material costs reimbursed or maintenance paid, are there any hidden costs? Are travel costs covered? Which residency programmes really make sense and why?

touring artists is part of the MENT Festival programme in Ljubljana.

Touring and working across borders involves navigating a complex web of legal regulations. This presentation will provide an overview of the most pressing issues, including double taxation, VAT, customs, social insurance, and visas. The aim is to help artists and organisers prepare more effectively for future international projects and tours.

Contracts? It's better to have one, especially in the arts and culture sector. What should be included in a contract? What form can a contract have? Does everything in the contract apply? How can questions about the copyright be expressed? What can I do in case of a contract breach? What do I do if there is no contract and the other party won't pay me?

Lawyer Laura Rhotert will provide a detailed introduction to the topic in this workshop, followed by an open question and answer session where your individual concerns can be discussed.

Laura Rhotert has been admitted to the bar since 2011 and initially worked as a solicitor in large and medium-sized law firms in the areas of antitrust law and trademark law before starting her own practice in 2019, focusing on copyright contract law and trademark law. She has been a partner at Laaser & Rhotert PartG mbB since 2025 and mainly advises on contract law, copyright law and trademark law.