The Villa Aurora in Los Angeles© Mirko Lux The Villa Aurora & Thomas Mann House e. V. (VATMH) serves as an independent and non-partisan intermediary of the Federal Republic of Germany, fostering intellectual and cultural exchange between Germany and the United States of America.

This non-profit organization awards scholarships at its two residences, Villa Aurora and Thomas Mann House, located in Pacific Palisades, a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It also organizes cultural programs in both the United States and Germany. VATMH plays a crucial role in preserving the memory of European exile history in California, promoting a contemporary and diverse image of Germany, and facilitating discussions on societal, cultural, and political challenges.

Annually, Villa Aurora offers scholarships to artists in the fields of visual arts, composition, film, and literature for a three-month stay in Los Angeles. Additional scholarships are provided in collaboration with partner organizations. The scholarship in Los Angeles supports artists in working on a creative project, networking with cultural professionals and institutions in California, and presenting their work to the public. Over its more than 25-year history, Villa Aurora has enabled around 450 artists to stay in Los Angeles.

The Thomas Mann House, opened in 2018 by the German government, aims to create a vibrant transatlantic forum where distinguished individuals can engage in discussions on fundamental political, societal, and cultural issues of the present and future. By the end of 2023, 45 Thomas Mann Fellows will have completed residencies at the Thomas Mann House.

Additionally, VATMH annually awards the Feuchtwanger Fellowship to writers and journalists advocating for freedom of speech in their home countries, the Michael Ballhaus Scholarship for outstanding cinematographers, and the Berlin Fellowship for artists living in Los Angeles to live and work in Berlin for several weeks.

VATMH is funded by public funds from the German Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, based on a decision by the German Bundestag.