Program History

The DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Program was founded in 1963 by the Ford Foundation in West Berlin under the name “Artists-in-Residence” program as a signal against the cultural isolation of the city. The residency program was based on the underlying idea of internationalizing the artistic scene. In the 1960s and 1970s in particular—the DAAD took over the reigns of the program in 1965 under its current name—the selection of invited artists and the activities of the program reflected international political standings. At the local level, the artists’ program took a leading role in the cultural and political reorganization of institutions in West Berlin. The digital archive offers the possibility for the first time to examine key documents related to the program’s history as well as reflect critically on the processes and developments fundamental to the genesis and public perception of the artists’ program.