In 2023, Karlsruhe’s art and cultural institutions jointly presented themselves for the first time in their own space at art karlsruhe. With media art at the centre of the room—as the nucleus of Karlsruhe’s identity—various media artworks have been showcased in this space over the past three years. In 2025, the exhibition will explore a new thematic focus: The Shape of Tomorrow.
From February 5 to 8, 2026, art karlsruhe will once again take place in the UNESCO City of Media Arts Karlsruhe. The UNESCO City of Media Arts Office invites artists and artist collectives to submit project proposals for a media artwork that reflects architecture as both an artistic and social vision.
Architecture is more than just construction – it shapes our social interactions, our perception of space, and our vision of the future. How can media art and digital technologies reinterpret architecture? How can they help us design urban and architectural spaces that are sustainable, interactive, and inclusive? We are looking for a visually rich, interactive media artwork that engages with the space, and these questions and fosters a dialogue between architecture, media art, and society. The selected artist will receive a grant of 10,000€ for the realisation of the project. The artist’s fee will be additionally remunerated.
The selected work will be prominently displayed in the designated exhibition space at art karlsruhe 2026. Following the fair, further presentations will take place as part of the Media art is here exhibition by the UNESCO City of Media Arts Karlsruhe.
The call is open to professional media artists from Karlsruhe and the region (Landkreis Karlsruhe). Both individuals and groups of artists can apply. The application deadline is Thursday, July 10, 2025.
The selected project is being realised with the kind support of the Werner-Stober Foundation.
Please review the current call for proposals and guidelines before submitting your application. The guidelines are available here.