Art in Karlsruhe
Where can I experience
art in Karlsruhe?
Karlsruhe has a considerable art scene for its size.
The ZKM | Center for Art and Media is the institutional driving force. Located in a former munitions factory, the ZKM is a unique museum in the world. It not only exhibits artworks from a wide range of genres (space-based arts such as painting, photography and sculpture as well as time-based arts such as film, video, media art, music, dance, theater and performance) and offers interdisciplinary events, but also restores and digitizes media art from all over the world. In 2019, Karlsruhe was awarded the title UNESCO City of Media Arts.
There is also the Staatliche Kunsthalle, the Städtische Galerie and the Museum at the Market Square. The Badischer Kunstverein, which is also located in Karlsruhe, is one of the oldest art associations in Germany and exhibits young contemporary art. As a house founded and run by artists, the Künstlerhaus Karlsruhe also sees itself as an interface between artists and the public.
What does the young and independent art scene in Karlsruhe look like?
With the annual art Karlsruhe, there is even an art fair in Karlsruhe. The city's gallery landscape is characterized by long-established gallery owners. In recent years, however, a lot has happened here too and young graduates of the Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design or the State Academy of Fine Arts have founded their own exhibition spaces. It is worth taking a look at the independent scene in Karlsruhe, as this is where most innovation and exchange takes place. Young artists are trying out new, alternative forms of galleries in self-organized associations.
In project spaces (so-called off-spaces), in studio communities and in public spaces, independent, sometimes young artists are working to make art accessible to a wider section of the population. These include Anstoß e.V., Atelier Nordbecken, Zentrale, Luis Leu, Die Funke, TV-HIVI, wieoftnoch and V8.
So you have to take a closer look in Karlsruhe to find places that experiment with unusual exhibition concepts away from the mainstream.
Contact person for exhibitions in Karlsruhe
Do you have any questions about the Karlsruhe art scene? We at ato, a young art platform, are based in Karlsruhe and are very well connected.
Norina Quinte is the contact person in this area.
ato art exhibitions in Karlsruhe
ato organizes art exhibitions in Karlsruhe. Whether in urban spaces, vacant buildings or converted premises, we promote a lively art scene in Karlsruhe. We show art by artists represented by ato in unusual and constantly changing locations. In the past, we have already been able to realize a large number of exhibitions in Karlsruhe. These include the "WERKstattPALAST 2022", a flying scaffolding structure in the industrial area Rheinhäfen Karlsruhe and the "Seriousness" project sponsored by the UNESCO City of Media Arts, which was shown in shop windows in Karlsruhe city center.
artini 3.0
February 19–23, 2025
Parallel to art Karlsruhe, ato once again opened the art bar artini this year with a site-specific exhibition. artini is a place that welcomes visitors with open arms. This year, the venue of artini differed from previous years, providing artistic insight into spaces that have not been publicly accessible for quite some time. More than 20 artistic positions were presented.
artini 2.0
February 21-24, 2024
The artini Bar entered its second round in February 2024. On the occasion of art Karlsruhe, the temporary bar opened this year in a former three-storey store in the pedestrian zone in Karlsruhe city center.
Once again, the focus was on connecting gallery owners, art fair visitors and Karlsruhe's urban society.
artini Bar
May 03 to May 06, 2023
Parallel to the art fair "art Karlsruhe", ato opened the artini Bar in a two-storey vacant space at Karlsruhe Central Station.
The motto was to take art out of the exhibition halls and exclusive galleries and into a bar atmosphere, thus enabling open access to the artworks. Music, good drinks, performances, an artist talk and an art world bingo created the framework conditions for conveying artistic content and getting people talking about it.
WERKstattPALAST
August 13, 2022 to October 15, 2022
The Werkstattpalast was a 10-week art and science festival in the Rhine harbor of Karlsruhe. A total of 190 guests from the worlds of art, science, music and society dedicated themselves to the theme of "(infra)structure". A specially constructed flying architecture made of scaffolding and containers housed an art exhibition and provided a platform for concerts, performances, discussions and workshops. Over 30 artists took part in the Werkstattpalast.
Artists in Karlsruhe
ato represents a large number of artists who live, work and exhibit in Karlsruhe. The range of artistic forms they express themselves through is broad: From photography and painting to media art and performance. Organising art exhibitions with Karlsruhe-based artists is a key concern for ato. This is the only way to provide artists with a local perspective, enabling a vibrant art scene to flourish. Furthermore, aro promotes networking among artists and facilitates cooperation at municipal and economic levels. Almost all artworks can be exhibited on site.
Art agency in Karlsruhe
The ato agency offers a wide range of services in Karlsruhe. We always include artistic expertise in our services. This makes our services unique and sets us apart from traditional creative agencies. We focus on transformation and strategy consulting, concept development, event management, exhibition and interior design.
Our space in Karlsruhe
The space in Karlsruhe also offers the opportunity to show artworks by artists represented by ato and make them accessible to the public. The photo on the left shows a large-format painting by the artist Von Silberland. If you are interested in buying, we will be happy to show you the artworks and provide advice.