Call for Entries to Participate in an Exhibition Featuring Porcelain in Public Spaces in the City of Meissen and at the Kunstverein Meissen e.V., as Part of the Meissen Cultural Summer 2027
Project period: August 28 – November 6, 2027
Opening on August 28 | 3:00 p.m.
Closing event with catalog presentation on November 6 | 3:00 p.m.
Curators: Johanna Bettle & Matthias Lehmann
Application deadline: July 31, 2026, 11:59 p.m.
The Meissen Art Association, based in the city that has been regarded for centuries as the cradle of European porcelain, is planning EX_MATERIA, an exhibition in public spaces that, in cooperation with the City of Meissen, will present artistic works at various locations in the Old Town.
For a long time, porcelain was a luxury item and served as a status symbol: Owning porcelain signaled wealth and social standing. It was often reserved for special occasions—such as family celebrations or entertaining guests—and was therefore associated with fragility, elegance, and festive significance.
The planned exhibition challenges these traditional notions and explores the potential that porcelain can unleash today when it is no longer merely a vessel for decoration and function, but instead takes center stage as a medium in its own right. In doing so, EX_MATERIA deliberately plays with the expectations we automatically attribute to the material—fragility, elegance, or luxury—and surprises visitors by allowing them to experience porcelain in new, unexpected contexts.
This is particularly significant in Meissen, where the local State Porcelain Manufactory of Meissen attracts large numbers of visitors each year, and many people are familiar with the material primarily in its traditional, museum-based, or commercial roles. EX_MATERIA addresses precisely this point and asks what artistic potential porcelain can still unleash when it is removed from its institutional and museum setting and transferred into the city’s public space.
What we are looking for: site-specific artistic projects that engage with porcelain as a medium, a cultural object, or a vehicle of historical significance—whether material-based, conceptual, or discursive. The specific location within Meissen’s urban space is not merely a neutral backdrop, but rather an integral part of the artistic work.
Call for Proposals Professional artists with a college degree are invited from across Germany to submit a project proposal addressing the theme and materiality described above by July 31, 2026, for one of the proposed locations in the urban space of the city of Meissen. From all submissions, a jury of experts will select 5 projects for realization. In addition to the exhibition in public space, all selected participants will have the opportunity to present their artistic works concurrently in the exhibition spaces of the Kunstverein Meißen. As part of the project, an exhibition catalog will be produced featuring texts and images of all the works on display.
Submission:
1. Project Outline
- Max. 2 A4 pages, including a title page, a rough sketch of the project, a brief description of the content, the materials to be used (porcelain should make up the majority of the work), fasteners, etc., and the location (possibly an alternative location)
2. About the person:
- Brief resume and description of your work approach, max. 1 A4 page
- 2 images of recent work with descriptions (title, medium, year), max. 2 A4 pages
Please send your applications (compiled into a single PDF, max. 5 pages) by July 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. to: File name: LastName_FirstName_Ex_Materia.pdf
For locations in public spaces with photos, see the call for proposals
Dates
Setup days: August 25–27, 2027
Opening Saturday, August 28 | 3:00 p.m., featuring a welcome address, an introduction, and a guided city tour
Event Weeks
August 28 – November 6, 2027
featuring workshops and guided city tours
Closing Event Saturday, November 6, 2027 | 3:00 p.m. with a catalog presentation and a guided city tour
Take-down: November 7–8, 2027
The following program of events is planned:
– Guided tours of the art venues with curators and artists
– Accompanying workshops utilizing the artistic practices and techniques employed in the works
– Artist talks
General Conditions
Target Fee: €2,500 per artist (depending on the funding approved by that time). In addition, a maximum of €1,000 per position may be billed for materials and incidental expenses necessary for the project’s implementation. These include expenses for materials, mounting materials, installation, dismantling, etc. Transportation and travel costs may be claimed up to a maximum of 500 € per artist.
For artists who do not come from Dresden and the surrounding area, the Kunstverein Meißen provides overnight accommodations during the setup week and for dismantling. None of the submitted works may pose a hazard to people, such as through sharp edges or other potential injury risks. All works must be securely anchored to the floor or safely hung and fastened. Works installed in public spaces cannot be insured. Works displayed in the exhibition spaces of the Kunstverein Meißen e.V. are insured upon arrival on site. An exhibition contract will be concluded based on the submitted project proposal. Each artist is personally responsible for the installation and dismantling of their own work. The Kunstverein Meißen will provide support, within the limits of its capabilities and subject to prior agreement, for installation and implementation during the installation week.
By submitting their application materials, applicants agree to the terms and conditions outlined above.
The Kunstverein Meißen e.V. looks forward to receiving your applications and exciting project proposals for BEYOND THE WHITE, Porcelain in Public Spaces.
Application deadline: July 31, 2026