We are delighted to announce an open call for artists working in the public space to create temporary site-specific works on the campus of Leuphana University in Lüneburg, Germany, during the university’s Opening Week (October 1-9, 2026). The works will be created as part of Urban ARTotale Re:New, a public art initiative that celebrates the intersection of contemporary urban art, academic life, and community engagement at Leuphana.
We are particularly interested in artistic interventions that challenge conventional views of art and urban spaces, provoke questions about the spaces they inhabit and which voices are represented, and create a space for alternative narratives and perspectives.
The works may take many forms, for example, such as temporary murals or graffiti, water-based paste-ups, textile and fiber installations, digital interventions, multimedia, light and sound installations, sculptures, or performances. Practices that consider and encourage participation and community engagement will be preferred.
Artists are expected to finalize and present their works during the 2026 Opening Week at Leuphana University, primarily on the dates of October 5-7, 2026. During this time incoming students will be invited to exchange with the artist and engage critically and interdisciplinarily with the art unfolding in the public space.
Eligibility Requirement:
The open call is open to emerging and established artists. Artists applying must qualify as independent freelance contractors under German social security and tax law. Applicants must operate as self-employed individuals with entrepreneurial independence and may not be economically dependent or integrated into the organizational structures of the university (the engagement must not constitute dependent employment within the meaning of § 7 Abs. 1 SGB IV). Compliance with the relevant criteria for freelance status will be formally confirmed upon contract signing.
How to apply:
The open call is split into two rounds. In the first round, artists are asked to submit the following by email as a single PDF (max. 20MB) by March 15th, 2026 with the subject line “Application – ARTotale Re:New” to artotale-renew@leuphana.de
– an artistic portfolio containing at least 5 works that represent your practice
– CV including contact info
Selected artists will then be invited to submit a short project proposal. From this second and final round, a jury will select 4 artists.
Each selected artist will be eligible to receive:
– The opportunity to realize an artistic work in public space on campus at Leuphana University in Lüneburg, Germany.
– A gross amount € 5,000 (including artist fee, travel expenses and production costs).
There is a planned publication in which projects invited to the second round will be included. More details to follow.
Team:
The jury consists of the project team:
Prof. Dr. Jordan Troeller, Junior Professor of Contemporary Art History and Aesthetic Practices
Dr. Veronica Bremer, Research Associate and Lecturer at Studium Individuale
Steph Joyce, Research Assistant (WhK)
Arndis Algea Oeynhausen, Student Assistant (ShK)
Till Lange, Student Assistant (ShK)
Further Information:
A 360° virtual tour of the campus can be found here: https://www.leuphana.de/universitaet/campus.html
Contact:
Please feel free to reach out with any questions: artotale-renew@leuphana.de