Villa Aurora: A Memorial to German Exile in the US and an Artists' Residence

Photo: Todd Gray

Villa Aurora was established in 1995 as an artists' residence and venue for international encounters in the former exile home of Lion and Marta Feuchtwanger in Pacific Palisades.

Lion Feuchtwanger is considered one of the most widely read authors of the 20th century. His novel Die Geschwister Oppermann was described by Pulitzer Prize winner Joshua Cohen as one of the last masterpieces of German-Jewish culture. Marta Feuchtwanger had a significant part in Lion's literary success, serving as his critic and editor while also being an activist and hosting salons.

Today, as an interdisciplinary residence, Villa Aurora honors the memory and legacy of the artists and intellectuals who sought refuge in California during the Nazi era and profoundly shaped the cultural life of the American West Coast. Since 1995, more than 450 artists have been awarded grants at Villa Aurora. Their work has been inspired by the dynamic U.S. culture, the unique Californian landscape, and the numerous traces of German exiles in Los Angeles and the many other artists who lived and worked with them at Villa Aurora.

Artists' Grants

General information

Every year, Villa Aurora & Thomas Mann House e. V. awards up to twenty grants to artists working in the visual arts, composition, film, and literature for a three-month stay at Villa Aurora in Los Angeles.

  • The grant aims to support work on an artistic project.
  • Two artists may apply for a joint grant to work on a project together. Each artist must complete a separate application form and indicate that the application refers to a joint grant.
  • Grants are tied to the calendar quarter.
  • Due to limited space, the accommodation of family members for extended periods of time cannot be guaranteed.
  • Visits of up to 14 days are possible upon prior consultation.
  • Villa Aurora grant recipients receive support in realizing planned projects and related research and in networking with partners and institutions.
  • Up to six additional grants at Villa Aurora are awarded directly through our partner organizations in separate selection processes.

A Villa Aurora grant entails:

  • a monthly stipend of EUR 2,500 including project funds
  • a round-trip travel allowance of EUR 1,275 and a monthly mobility allowance of EUR 600
  • free accommodation at Villa Aurora: During their stay, each grant recipient has their own furnished room with private bathroom. In addition, grant recipients have access to two shared kitchens, numerous communal areas and quiet spaces, and a garden area for interacting with other grant recipients and guests.
  • child allowances (if applicable): EUR 400 per month for the first accompanying child, EUR 100 for each additional child.

Application Process

Eligibility

  • Eligible are artists who have publicly presented their own works or publications and who work as freelance artists.
  • The applicant's main place of residence and work must be in Germany; German citizenship is not required.
  • Applicants are expected to contribute to creating a social and productive living and working atmosphere at Villa Aurora and the Thomas Mann House.
  • Students are not eligible to apply. Applications from doctoral candidates are possible.
  • Applications may be submitted in the fields of film, literature, and composition.
  • In the field of visual arts, applications are only possible by invitation; unsolicited applications in this area will not be considered.

Please find the application details below:

Film

Requirements

  • Villa Aurora & Thomas Mann House e. V. encourages applications from artists whose work has been presented to the public at a festival, in movie theatres, or on television.
  • Applicants must be freelance artists.

Application

  • The application form can be accessed via the link at the bottom of this page.
  • Applicants must submit a streaming link to a film in which they were involved. The link must be freely accessible (no commercial streaming providers, no registration requirement; password-protected links are okay) and active until at least mid-July 2025.

Literature

Requirements

  • VATMH encourages applications from authors with a minimum of one book publication with an established publisher. Qualifying works include novels, poetry volumes, short story collections, graphic novels, and performed plays, radio plays or film works. The work must be published by a regular publisher. Self-publishing of any kind (including Books on Demand and self-publishing platforms), contributions to anthologies or magazines, online publications, editorships, academic/scientific and non-fiction books are not allowed.
  • Applicants must be freelance artists.

Application

  • The application form can be accessed via the link at the bottom of this page.
  • Applicants must submit a text sample (5–10 pages; in the case of poetry, up to 15 pages) from the planned project as a PDF file. Additionaly, you can include an excerpt from an already published text. The upload link for submitting the work samples (total file size: 200 MB max.) will be sent to you by e-mail after submitting your online application.

Composition

Requirements

  • VATMH encourages applications from professional musicians and composers whose compositions or concert projects have been presented to the public at renowned venues and concert halls.
  • Applicants must be freelance artists.

Application

  • The application form can be accessed via the link at the bottom of this page.
  • Applicants must submit a maximum of three work samples as MP3 or PDF files. Please submit video material as a PDF file with a streaming link. The upload link for submitting the work samples (total file size: 200 MB max, no more than three files) will be sent to you by e-mail after receiving your online application.

Visual Arts

Requirements

  • In the field of visual arts, application is possible by invitation only. Visual artists may not submit unsolicited applications nor can they be recommended for a visual arts grant by curators or institutions. Artists in this category will be invited to apply by curators who are selected by Villa Aurora on an annual basis.

Application

  • The application documents for grants in the visual arts will be sent directly to the nominated artists.
  • Due to the composition of our international jury, which includes English-speaking members, all applications in the field of visual art must be submitted in English.

Selection Process

  • The applications will be checked by the VATMH office for completeness.
  • Category-specific selection committees will review and evaluate the submitted applications and nominate the Villa Aurora grant recipients.
  • The grants are awarded by Villa Aurora & Thomas Mann House e.V. depending on availability and available funds.
  • Applicants have no legal right to the award of a grant.
  • The decision will be communicated to the candidates by e-mail or mail; no explanation will be given for the decision.
  • Upon acceptance, all selected candidates will receive a letter of agreement. The award of the grant is legally valid only upon signature of this letter of agreement by the grant recipient.

Deadline

The application deadline for Villa Aurora grants in 2026 is February 27, 2025. Applicants are expected to be notified in July 2025.

Application

> TO THE APPLICATION FORM

FAQ

How often can I (re)apply?

 

  • There is no limit to the number of times you can (re-)apply. However, we recommend you do not reapply the year following a rejection but wait for a new selection committee composition.
I would like to apply for a different category than the one I normally work in. What do I need to consider?

 

  • Artists may submit applications in a category or artistic genre that is different from the one they have worked in so far. (Example: A journalist or filmmaker wants to apply to work on a novel.)
  • In that case, applicants must submit publication or work samples in the chosen category. (Example: The journalist or filmmaker needs to submit the literary publications specified in the call for applications). Applicants must submit the work samples required for the chosen category.
I am not sure what category to apply to? What should I do?

 

  • The following questions should help you decide in which category to apply: Which category does the project that I want to pursue at Villa Aurora fall into? In which category can I submit the required publications and work samples?
I am not sure which publication or work samples I am supposed to submit. Can you advise?

 

  • You are the expert when it comes to your artistic work. Please make your own decisions about which works you would like to present to the selection committee.
What formats may be used for the work samples? What is the maximum size of the upload?

 

  • The following formats can be used: PDF, mp3, mp4, or mov.
  • The maximum upload size is 200 MB (regardless of whether you are uploading a single file or multiple files).
  • Information about how many work samples are required can be found in the call for applications. The selection committees can only evaluate a limited number of work samples, so please do not upload additional work samples.
I would like to amend or correct my application (e.g., I want to upload different work samples). How do I proceed?

 

  • If you want to make corrections or amendments to your application, please submit a completely new application (including work samples) by the specified application deadline. We will only consider the most recent application.
Can I apply if I am still a student but scheduled to complete my studies in the year of the grant? Can I apply if I am about to graduate?

 

  • Provided that you meet the other criteria and that your studies are completed by the time you start the residency, you are eligible to apply.
May I specify a preferred period of stay?

 

  • It is not necessary to specify a period of stay in your application. If you have been selected, we will ask you about your scheduling preferences.
  • We will make every effort to accommodate all preferences, but with up to 20 grant recipients per year, there may be occasional scheduling conflicts.
  • It is therefore essential that you have the flexibility, if necessary, to take up your residency during another period in the same year.
  • Residency stays are tied to calendar quarters.
  • The scheduling of the residency periods is decided in the summer of the previous year.
Is it possible to accommodate family and/or guests?

 

  • Due to the Conditional Use Permit (CUP), which regulates the land use permit for a specific location, and limited space, long-term stays of family members at Villa Aurora cannot be guaranteed. VATMH will of course be happy to advise on renting additional living space for family members and will always endeavor to find flexible solutions for families within the institution's capacity.
  • Visits by partners and guests at Villa Aurora are possible upon prior arrangement and are limited to a maximum of two weeks within a quarter. As a general rule, visits are limited to one guest and cannot be split.
Does VATMH pay for outside accommodation of family members?

 

  • VATMH provides child allowances: EUR 400 per month for the first accompanying child, EUR 100 for each additional child.
  • We are unfortunately not able to provide additional funding for renting external living space for family members.
Can I apply to both the Thomas Mann House and Villa Aurora at the same time?

 

  • You can only apply to one of the two grant/fellowship programs within the current application period. Please also see the call for applications for information about reapplications.
Still have questions? Feel free to reach out to us!

 

Application Guidelines

241127_Villa Aurora Grant Guidelines.pdf (196.7 KiB)