The Potsdam Memorandum of 2007 calls on science and society to tap into all sources of ingenuity and cooperation in an effort to tackle the great sustainability challenges of our time. The arts can provide unique insights beyond the scope of scientific analysis and policy development, challenging our views and opening new avenues to work together towards the common goal of a sustainable world, while fostering dialogue across cultures, epistemologies and territories.

The DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Program, the City of Potsdam, and the Research Institute for Sustainability – Helmholtz Centre Potsdam (RIFS) are issuing a joint call for applications for international artists to explore artistic insights into sustainability during a fellowship in Potsdam, Germany. The programme seeks to foster exchange between the arts, academia, politics, and civil society and to facilitate collaboration around the world. We especially encourage the participation of artists with critical voices and perspectives that are absent in German and Western European discussions on sustainability and sustainable development.

The successful applicant will join the RIFS Fellow Programme, which has hosted a number of artists over the years, alongside scientists and practitioners from business and civil society. Fellowships span a period of three to six months, with the RIFS providing the basic infrastructure as well as a monthly stipend and additional allowances for ancillary costs such as travel expenses, co-financed by the DAAD. In addition, we provide support on various legal requirements such as visa applications, cover travel to Potsdam and back, and provide an apartment for the first three months of the fellowship, allowing fellows ample time to find suitable housing in the Berlin-Brandenburg area, if needed.

Fellows are supported by the RIFS Fellow Unit throughout their stay, with opportunities to engage with other researchers and fellows at the RIFS and cultural institutions in Potsdam and beyond.

This call for applications is open to artists active in any field – from the visual arts to filmmaking, the performing arts, literature, music, and beyond. While we value artistic experience, we recognize that exceptional talent and creativity can often transcend traditional benchmarks. We encourage individuals with a passion for their craft and a strong portfolio showcasing their skills to apply. We welcome joint applications by artistic collectives; however, our funds are limited. Please contact us directly if you wish to submit a joint application.

Diversity and equal opportunities are integral components of our human resources policy. The RIFS actively promotes diversity and explicitly welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of ethnic and social origin, nationality, gender, sexual orientation and identity, religion/belief, age and physical characteristics. Anyone who has been recognized as severely disabled, will be given preferential consideration in the event of equal suitability and qualification in accordance with the provisions of the German Social Code IX.  If you have any questions, please contact our Representative for Disabled Persons at sbv@gfz-potsdam.de, who will be happy to assist you in the further application process. In case of further queries regarding gender equality, please do not hesitate to contact our Equal Opportunities Officer at gba@gfz-potsdam.de.

Applications from single parents with small children or small families are welcomed. Please contact solange.lingnau@rathaus.potsdam.de to inquire about family-friendly accommodation.

Your personal data will be processed for the purpose of conducting the selection procedure on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 b, Art. 88 GDPR in conjunction with Art. 26 of the Data Protection Act for the State of Brandenburg. After completion of the procedure, application documents will be deleted in compliance with data protection regulations. The selection process will involve a committee including external advisors who will receive the applications. Your personal data will, of course, be treated confidentially and will be communicated to the involved person exclusively for the purpose of evaluating your professional suitability within the framework of this selection procedure. Once the procedure has been completed, the personal data will also be deleted there in compliance with data protection regulations.

Please check also our FAQ section. In case of any further queries relating to the field of activity, please contact Achim Maas,  Head of the RIFS Fellow Programme, either via email at achim.maas@rifs-potsdam.de or phone +49 (0)331-6264-22355.

The Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) conducts research with the aim of investigating, identifying, and advancing development pathways for transformation processes towards sustainability in Germany and abroad. The institute was founded in 2009 as the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) and has been affiliated with the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences under its new name since the 1st of January 2023 and is thus part of the Helmholtz Association.