Bronnbacher Stipendium

Contemporary art is often seen as an indicator for social developments, their values, and change. For future top performers and executives in research and science, a willingness to accept responsibility and a well-grounded understanding of society and culture are indispensable. Working under the motto “Cultural Competence for Future Executives”, from 2017 the Kulturkreis der deutschen Wirtschaft – together with its working group “Cultural Education” –, in cooperation with KIT, supports ten selected students and doctoral candidates. Within the scope of the Bronnbacher Stipendium and for one year, they get the chance to enter into dialogue with renowned personalities from the world of arts and culture and to discover their working methods.

In up to ten evening and weekend events the scholarship holders will be provided with an overview of current art productions and the theory of arts through workshops, lectures, and excursions. In the process, they will meet artists and individuals from the field of culture management. By direct exchange the students learn to develop new approaches and creative solutions.

Autumn 2016 marked the beginning of the first application phase for the Bronnbacher Stipendium at KIT. Its coordination is the responsibility of ZAK.

Programme objectives

Art and culture are basic needs of a free and responsible society. Art and culture as well as economics and science are based on the same conditions: creativity, courage, and the need for renewal. Based on this conviction, the Bronnbacher Stipendium was launched in 2004 by the Kulturkreis der deutschen Wirtschaft. This programme is – in cooperation with the University of Mannheim – primarily offered to students of law and economics. The aim is to deepen their enthusiasm for arts and culture and to support them in developing an understanding for artistic processes. With the new vintage year the scholarship will also be offered to students and doctoral candidates of MINT courses at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). All participants will complete the curriculum under the leadership of a curator.

The idea

Artists are sensitive to changes in their environment, dealing with them in their art and developing visions – contemporary art is often seen as an indicator for social developments. Direct exchange with artists from various sectors has the potential to discover new approaches and creative solutions. In the present scientific and economic world, skills like inspiration, creativity, and intuition are more and more necessary for responsible and successful action and for embarking upon innovative ways. Through contact with the world of art and culture, these competences are particularly perceptible and learnable.

Application and Selection Process

Bronnbacher Stipendium is announced every year in the winter semester and is mainly aimed at committed and outstanding master students, KIT doctoral students, and KIT alumni whose graduation was not more than three years ago. Ideally, applicants should distinguish themselves by special achievements in professional and personal respects and show the will to assume social responsibility as future decision makers. It is also important to have an open personality who is willing to engage in artistic processes.

Admission to the fellowship is based on a two-stage selection process. In the first stage, a written application with a letter of motivation, curriculum vitae, certificates, etc. is submitted. After successful pre-selection on the basis of the submitted documents (important: letter of motivation!) up to 15 applicants from KIT will be invited for a personal interview in small groups consisting of Mannheim and Karlsruhe applicants. The interviews will be conducted by a committee. A maximum of 18 scholarship places per year are awarded. Since the curriculum is taught in German, a very good knowledge of German is required (at least B2). Further information and current events can be found on the German website.

Bronnbacher Stipendium is made possible by the following partners:

Main sponsor: BASF SE

Further sponsors: Daimler AG and Karl Schlecht Foundation

Supporters: Dieter Schwarz Foundation, Peters Beer Foundation and Bronnbach Monastery