AFA Support

Final Report 

No, unfortunately, students cannot be funded under the AFA Support program.

The complete list of eligible and ineligible costs is included in the funding guidelines.

In principle, yes. AFA Support aims at continuous funding chains, and applications can be made multiple times. However, automatic funding is not guaranteed. The one-time support of a project through AFA SUPPORT does not guarantee eligibility for further funding.

The AFA Support grants are awarded based on the recommendation of an independent expert jury, each including a representative of the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Civil Service, and Sport (BMKÖS). This jury changes annually and consists of representatives from various sectors of the fashion industry including design, media, commerce, art, education, research, and outreach. The expert jury is appointed by AFA. To ensure the independence of the jury, the final confirmation of the jury is provided by the BMKÖS and the Cultural Department of the City of Vienna (MA 7).

The justifications for grant recommendations by the jury are documented. In the event of a rejection of the application, AFA can provide, upon request, oral feedback to the applicant regarding the jury’s decision. However, due to the large number of submissions received, providing detailed feedback may not be possible. Separate consultation appointments with the AFA team can be scheduled throughout the year.

There are no specific guidelines regarding the scope of the portfolio. However, it’s important to ensure that the maximum file size of 25 MB is not exceeded and that the portfolio provides a cohesive and convincing impression of the applicant’s previous work.

The project portfolio serves as a visual complement to the project description and should consist of research materials, mood boards, initial design sketches, sketches, etc. The purpose of the project portfolio is to provide the jury with a better understanding of the artistic development.

• Portfolio or collection of previous works
• Possibly, already partially completed application documents
• Specific questions (e.g., about various funding programs, application and award processes, project planning, distribution and marketing measures, etc.)

The jury meeting typically takes place in the first week of July. The results will be announced by email no later than one week thereafter. The jury provides funding recommendations, which are confirmed by the funding providers, the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Civil Service, and Sport, and the Cultural Department of the City of Vienna. Applicants will be notified immediately of acceptance or rejection.

Yes, AFA SUPPORT funding is subject to taxation and considered as business income. According to the Arts Funding Act (Federal Act of 25 February 1988 on the Promotion of the Arts from Federal Funds) § 3 para. 3, only scholarships within the meaning of para. 1 Z 5 and prizes within the meaning of para. 1 Z 7 are exempt from income tax. https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=Bundesnormen&Gesetzesnummer=10009667

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2. Download the forms – save the required forms to your computer.
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6. Submit your application – follow the application instructions to upload the completed forms.