Award for Young Songwriters

The Hanns Seidel Foundation’s Young Songwriters Award is aimed at creatives under the age of 35 who compose their own German-language songs or perform in a duo or band. From nationwide submissions, an independent expert jury selects three awardees. The prize includes performances at the renowned “Lieder auf Banz” festival (including radio and TV recordings by Bayerischer Rundfunk) as well as a funding amount of €5,000 for further artistic development. The goal of the award is to sustainably support talented emerging musicians and provide them with a platform for visibility and networking.

Application requirements include being under 35 years old, independently composing at least five German-language songs, and availability from July 1 to 3, 2027. Applications must include contact information, links to approximately five songs, at least two video recordings (clips or live recordings), and a comprehensive info PDF with photos, CV, and details on previous artistic development. The project start is planned for July 1, 2027. The award is granted annually and offers young artists a unique opportunity to expand their musical profile and gain valuable stage experience.