Open Call: dm-Award 2025

About the Open Call

Since 2015, the SCHLOSSLICHTSPIELE Light Festival Karlsruhe inspires artists with projection mapping on the 170-meter-long façade of the Karlsruhe Baroque Palace. Since 2023, the dm-Award _connecting worlds_ honors outstanding projects that connect digital and analogue realms. As a UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts, Karlsruhe, in partnership with dm-drogerie markt, invites international artists to submit innovative projects for the dm-Award _connecting worlds_ 2025. Projects must integrate a digital element on the palace façade (projection mapping) and an analogue element functioning independently, taking place outdoors or in urban public space, freely available and open to the public. Possible formats include interactive elements, installations, media artworks, stagings of public squares, combinations with other art forms (concerts, performances), interactive projects, 3D/immersive formats, integration of new technologies, or inclusion of dm-markets. The winning project will be realized during the SCHLOSSLICHTSPIELE Light Festival and _Media art is here_ exhibition (mid-August to mid-September 2026).

What is Offered

The winning project will be realized as part of the SCHLOSSLICHTSPIELE Light Festival and the exhibition _Media art is here_ (mid‑August to mid‑September 2026). The prize is €10,000, with up to €20,000 additional production costs covered.

Requirements

Projects must consist of a digital element on the palace façade (projection mapping) and an analogue element that can also function independently of the projection, taking place outdoors or accessible in urban public space, freely available, and open to the public. Already implemented projects are excluded. Employees of the organizing institutions, sponsors, awarding partner, and jury members are not eligible. The project must be completed by 11 July 2026. Submissions must meet the specified application requirements.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted as a single document in German or English via download link to cityofmediaarts@kultur.karlsruhe.de. The application must include: details about the artist or group (name, email, address, phone, nationality/residence, short biography); a concise project outline (max. 1,500 characters) including storyboard, presentation ideas, list of required materials, technical equipment, personnel, and usage rights; visual material (up to 5 images, 3 video clips/audio examples (max 5 min each) or up to 5 links). Text information must not be submitted as images. Already implemented projects are excluded. Employees of organizing institutions, sponsors, and jury members are not eligible.