TRAFO - Modelle für Kultur im Wandel

The program "TRAFO – Modelle für Kultur im Wandel" is an initiative of the Federal Cultural Foundation, which has been supporting rural areas and smaller communities in Germany in shaping change processes in regional cultural work since 2015. The program aims to permanently strengthen the significance of culture in public perception and the cultural policy structures in municipalities and districts.

• Support for Cultural Institutions: TRAFO supports cultural institutions, cultural offices, and cultural activists in rural areas to develop new forms of collaboration and co-design.
• Regional Networking: The program promotes the collaboration of various regional actors, including politics, associations, and initiatives, to establish cooperative and co-creative cultural work[2][3][4].
• Conceptual and Implementation Support: Regions receive conceptual funding and can apply for additional funding for the implementation of their transformation projects. Up to 40,000 euros are available for the conceptual phase[1][2].
• Knowledge Transfer and Exchange: TRAFO organizes events such as the Idea Congress, TRAFO Academies, and Idea Journeys to share experiences and promote discourse on culture in rural areas[1][4].

The main mission of TRAFO is to support cultural institutions in rural areas to adapt to societal challenges and develop new understandings and forms of collaboration. The values of the program include:

• Co-Design: Involving the population in cultural processes and promoting citizen participation.
• Networking: Collaboration between different regional actors.
• Long-Term Processes: Focusing on sustainable, long-term change processes rather than short-term individual measures[1][3][4].

TRAFO pursues several sustainable goals:

• Strengthening Cultural Infrastructure: By supporting cultural institutions and establishing regional networking points, the cultural infrastructure in the regions is strengthened.
• Promoting Participation and Co-Design: Through co-creative and participatory formats, residents of the regions are encouraged to actively participate in shaping their living environment.
• Long-Term Change Processes: The program focuses on longer-term processes to achieve lasting changes in the regions.
• Evaluation and Knowledge Transfer: Regular evaluation reports and the transfer of experiences and knowledge help ensure that the insights of the program are widely disseminated and sustainably utilized[1][2][5].

The program has funding of 26.6 million euros for the period from 2015 to 2026. Ten regions in Germany are currently participating in the program, including Oderbruch, Südniedersachsen, Saarpfalz, Schwäbische Alb, Altenburger Land, Köthen, Rendsburg-Eckernförde, Uecker-Randow, Vogelsberg, and Westpfalz[1][2][4].

With TRAFO, the Federal Cultural Foundation makes an important contribution to strengthening culture in rural areas and promotes sustainable and participatory cultural work that actively involves and strengthens local communities.

• 1 - https://www.kulturstiftung-des-bundes.de/de/projekte/transformation_und_zukunft/detail/trafo_modelle_fuer_kultur_im_wandel.html
• 2 - https://www.trafo-programm.de/2415_programm/2558_uber-trafo
• 3 - https://www.kubi-online.de/artikel/modelle-kultur-wandel-ideen-ansaetze-regionale-kulturarbeit
• 4 - https://www.trafo-programm.de
• 5 - https://www.kulturstiftung-des-bundes.de/de/projekte/wort_und_wissen/detail/evaluation_des_programms_trafo_modelle_fuer_kultur_im_wandel.html