Funding of existing catalogs

The Ernst von Siemens Art Foundation supports public museums, libraries, and exhibition venues nationwide in the creation of printed or digital catalogues of holdings that are of art-historical significance beyond the regional level. The aim of these straightforward grants is the comprehensive documentation of important works and objects to support scholarly research, exhibition planning, and responsible acquisition policies. Non-profit institutions receive financial resources for the documentation and publication of their collections, which cannot be adequately utilized without elaborate catalogues. By funding major inventory projects, reference works valid for decades are created, sustainably improving collection access, user convenience, and research opportunities.

Funding covers, among other things, personnel costs, material and equipment expenses for documentation and digitization, as well as printing and publication costs. Pure publications without catalogue creation are, however, not eligible for funding. Applications must include a detailed project description, a financing plan, and proof of institution and collection; applications may be submitted on a rolling basis. Evaluation criteria include the art-historical significance of the collection, the quality of the methodological concept, and the professional expertise of the applicants. Through this continuous funding program, the Foundation makes a decisive contribution to the preservation and accessibility of outstanding collections in Germany.