Gunter Ullrich – A life for art
Gunter Ullrich (1925-2018), born in Würzburg, was a German graphic artist and painter. His works of art have both artistic and documentary value for the region. In particular, he captured the period from the post-war years to the present day. The winner of several awards for art and culture from the city of Aschaffenburg, he artistically explored the political and socio-cultural events, upheavals and changes in Main-Franconia.
Gunter Ullrich was an active networker and important artistic witness of the 20th and 21st centuries. He actively shaped the cultural landscape of Aschaffenburg through his many years of cultural and political involvement in the BBK Unterfranken.
The art prize is donated by Dr. Andreas Ullrich on the occasion of his father’s 100th birthday and awarded by the BBK Lower Franconia. With the theme “ÜBERFRANKEN”, the prize is aimed at artists from the Lower Franconia region. The neologism opens up room for interpretation: from Franconian nature and urban culture to interpersonal themes and supra-regional or even universal approaches. The reference to the namesake should shine through, but the focus should be on the artist’s own current work.
The €10,000 prize (subject to availability: 1st place €7,000, 2nd place €2,000, 3rd place €1,000) will be awarded to artists who engage in a dialog with Gunter Ullrich’s work. In addition, the prizewinner will have the opportunity to have a solo exhibition at the BBK Gallery in the Kulturspeicher in 2026.
1. conditions of participation
Artists from the visual arts (painting, printmaking, drawing, sculpture, installation, media art, performance) are eligible to apply. Representatives of the applied arts and design are explicitly excluded from participation.
Artists applying must have their primary or secondary residence or focus of work in Lower Franconia. They must prove their artistic profession by having completed a degree at an art academy or be a member of the BBK or have a corresponding CV with an exhibition CV.
2. selection procedure and process
The winners will be selected by an external jury of experts. The names will be announced after the judging. The decision on the fulfillment of the conditions of participation is made by the board of the BBK Unterfranken. The jury’s decision is binding for all participants and cannot be contested. Legal recourse is excluded.
3. application
The application process is exclusively digital. An application is possible from May 31 to June 30, 2025. A processing fee of €20 must be paid upon submission; members of the BBK Unterfranken are exempt from the fee. All complete digital applications will go through the first round of judging. The jury will select 10 finalists who will be invited to the exhibition. The finalists will be informed which works will be included in the exhibition.
The following must be submitted:
– Vita
– Max. three works, list of works, photos (JPGs (300 dpi), work text/concept)
– Completed application form
– Data release form
– Receipt of the processing fee
Closing date: June 30, 2025