Fixing what’s broken: Our funding projects 2024
Twelve new projects in this year’s funding program – 'Fixing what's broken. Together!' – started in September. This season we are specifically supporting cooperation projects that address social divisions and ecological crises. Their work stands for solidarity, community spirit, and respect. Get to know the funded projects here.
The Call
Sometimes the most precious things are also the most fragile: our planet’s thin atmosphere, for example, which allows us to breathe and live – or the networks of relationships we have with one another, within and in between societies as well as with our environment.
There is an enormous political, technological, and social pressure on these networks, which are based on trust and care, empathy and respect. Authoritarianism, the formation of ideological factions, discrimination and exclusion, the insistence on destructive economies, the exploitation of planetary resources, a polarizing media environment: all of these are cause for concern that we are moving past tipping points – both social and ecological. Recently, an increasing number of cracks have become visible between former allies and within progressive communities.
And yet there is cause for hope. Despite increasing pressure, networks have asserted themselves, and new alliances based on trust have emerged. This is exactly where the Allianz Foundation’s grant program comes in. With our call – “Fixing what's broken. Together!” – we support committed actors from the fields of European civil society, art and culture as well as climate and environment to build and protect resilient structures, fighting for a just future within the limits of our planet. Because what seems fragile is sometimes surprisingly sturdy.
“We support initiatives that prevent divisions in our minds from becoming divisions in our hearts. We want to support those who have the skills to bring back together what has drifted apart.”
The projects
Belgium, Germany, Greece, Europe
Rethinking Europe’s migration approach
In today's Europe, migration decisions are too often made for, rather than with, migrant-led movements and racialized groups. This results in either toxic criminalization politics or a paternalistic approach that treats communities as powerless. In response to growing challenges in EU migration policy—such as the rise of fascist politics and increasingly violent border controls—our project partners, Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice, the Greek Forum of Migrants, and International Women* Space, are forming a translocal coalition. Based in Athens and Berlin, with lawyers in Brussels, this coalition aims to shift migration policy from punitive control to one centered on care, protection, and social support. More about Equinox.
Europe
CORRECTIV.Europe: Collaborative journalism, local empowerment
Local journalism is a cornerstone of democratic societies. It is closely connected to people's everyday lives, making abstract crises more tangible and shedding light on potential courses of action. CORRECTIV.Europe strengthens this type of journalism by supporting collaborative, data-driven investigations, networking, and training. The goal is to establish a sustainable network for local media and journalists, promoting and implementing data-based reporting across Europe. The project also fills a gap in covering cross-border issues with concrete local impact. More about CORRECTIV.
Italy, Malta
IRPI: Investigative journalism in the Mediterranean
Marginalized communities in Italy and Malta face a lack of access to high-quality and innovative reporting, while also being vulnerable to the influence and harm of organized crime. Unaware of their rights, these individuals often become victims of exploitation. Our funding project, led by the Investigative Reporting Project Italy (IRPI) and the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, seeks to enhance the presence, quality, and inclusivity of investigative journalism across the Mediterranean by establishing a formal news network between Italy and Malta. More about IRPI.
“We strengthen quality journalism and uncover common themes among diverse local communities across Europe and beyond, contributing to an enlightened and strong civil society of informed and engaged citizens.”
Italy
Teatringestazione: Theater education for prisoners and their children
Naples (Italy) struggles with the worst prison conditions in Southern Europe, where marginalization and social neglect contribute to criminal behavior and high suicide rates. Prisons offer a unique perspective for understanding society at any point in history. Currently, the system prioritizes 'securitarian' justice, which dominates political focus, while neglecting 'social justice' issues like economic and social inequality. Our partner project from Teatringestazione addresses these challenges through theatre education and production for adult prisoners and their teenage children, involving international artists, students, and citizens. It restores the transformative power of art, rebuilding relationships between parents and children, society and prisoners. More about Teatringestazione.
Belgium, Netherlands, Europe
Navigating digital dangers in the age of Big Tech
Independent journalism and media pluralism are increasingly shaped by digital technologies. Big Tech business models impact the digital public sphere, amplifying harmful content and disinformation, while threatening the financial sustainability of quality journalism. Journalists face invasive surveillance, such as spyware, and attacks on privacy-enhancing technologies that protect their work and sources. The project, led by European Digital Rights (EDRi), the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL), and Lighthouse Reports, seeks to protect journalists and their sources from unjustified surveillance by strengthening partnerships between civil society organizations focused on media pluralism, digital rights, and civic space. More about EDRi.
Palestinian Territories
Wonder Cabinet: From private land to public park
The Palestinian Territories suffer from a severe lack of public spaces and limited access to environmentally sustainable practices and resources. The population faces among others social and territorial fragmentation, resource appropriation, mobility restrictions, and military occupation. In response Wonder Cabinet, in collaboration with Sakiya, has launched a one-year cycle of residencies and educational programs. These initiatives explore how cultural organizations can drive sustainable artistic and social development within these challenging conditions, culminating in the creation of a large-scale public sculpture park in the Palestinian Territories. More about Wonder Cabinet.
Germany, UK
Quarantine: Intergenerational exchange to counteract social divison
In Chemnitz (Germany) and Manchester (UK), twin cities since 1983, economic, political, and cultural differences have led to social divisions, particularly across generations. This fragmentation stems from a lack of opportunities for intergenerational communities to engage meaningfully, deepening misunderstandings and entrenching ideologies. Through performance, dialogue, and cultural exchange, the Quarantine's project The Questions, in collaboration with ASA-FF, aims to address these divisions both locally and internationally. This three-part project fosters intergenerational encounters in both cities as part of the Chemnitz 2025: European Capital of Culture program. More about Quarantine.
Poland, Europe
ClientEarth: Tackling Greenwashing and Plastic Waste
The world is drowning in plastic – it is everywhere, harming both the environment and our health. From production to disposal, plastic has a huge impact on our planet. While recycling is often viewed as the solution to plastic pollution, it is far from sufficient. Only 9% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled. So our funding project ClientEarth is taking legal action to stop the misleading narrative about plastic recycling. By doing so, they raise awareness of the fact that plastic is not sustainable and empower consumers to make more informed choices. This is crucial to combating greenwashing and holding companies accountable for their recycling claims, ultimately protecting both consumers and the environment. More about ClientEarth.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Western Balkans
Heartefact: Post-conflict memoralization
Given the failure of international justice to connect international courts and Western Balkans societies on established facts, our funding project with the Foundation Heartefact Fund explores new ways to address the legacies of the past, relying on factual findings from the courts. The goal is to create a framework that supports responsible discourse on war crimes, offering more suitable approaches. The project builds a community of theater workers, audiences, and the public across the Western Balkans, fostering dialogue through theater productions, community engagement, and artistic research. It is exploring post-conflict memorialization, addressing how we remember those “who are gone” 30 years after the end of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. More about Heartefact.
“We empower communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia to address and deal with the painful legacies of the past, fostering dialogue and understanding.”
Belgium, Germany, European Union
ARCH+: Renegotiating the Future of Our Urban Space
The construction industry is one of the key contributors to the climate crisis. At the same time, spaces for living and culture are no longer affordable for many. Against this backdrop, we are funding the project Tomorrow Is Already Built which highlights the social and ecological potential that lies in the conversion and reuse of existing buildings and the renegotiation of public spaces. The performative event series is a cooperation by ARCH+, HouseEurope!, CIVA, JustizzentrumErhalten/ AbbrechenAbbrechen, and PATHOS theater. Another cooperation partner is the Hans Sauer Stiftung. More about ARCH+.
Europe
The European Climate Helpdesk: Empowering Climate Activism through Transparency
What did gas lobbyists discuss with the European Commission? What did the Brandenburg government promise Tesla? How much water does the Jänschwalde coal mine consume? Access to government information on environmental policies is key to addressing the climate and biodiversity crises. However, many European governments lack transparency. FragDenStaat and Green Legal Impact have launched the European Climate Helpdesk to change this, offering support in filing information requests, strategic litigation, and providing resources for activists to use information rights in their climate campaigns. More about FragDenStaat.
