In dialog with cultural actors, initiatives and artist collectives, the Biennale negotiates key issues of our time: sustainability, social responsibility, new forms of housing and living and the creative use of spaces.
Artists are invited to engage with a region that has to redefine itself between post-industrial character, natural development and social transformation processes. Ecological and social challenges also come into focus: the consequences of the climate crisis, questions of environmental and resource protection, but also war, persecution and migration as global forces that shape local realities.
The aim of the Biennale is to make regional identities visible, to bring new cultural impulses to rural areas and to negotiate socially relevant topics using artistic means. Local perspectives and international influences come together in exhibitions, interventions and participatory formats.
Initiators and sponsorship
The initiators of the project are Maysun Kellow and Michaela van den Driesch. The Lausitz Biennale is supported by the art association Atelierhof Werenzhain e.V.
The project is managed by Maysun Kellow, who has also been managing and developing Atelierhof Werenzhain e.V. for several years. Michaela van den Driesch is the artistic director. She co-founded Atelierhof Werenzhain in 1996 and works as a freelance art historian, artist and curator in Berlin and Lusatia.
Period: July 30 to September 20, 2026
We expressly welcome artistic positions:
– that deal with courage, cohesion and empowerment:
– deal with space as a social, symbolic or imaginary structure
– refer to regional conditions, landscapes or people
– enable new forms of perception, participation or design
– are characterized by experimentation and openness to exchange
Invited formats:
– Painting, graphic art, photography, sculpture
– Installations and interventions
– Sound and media art, video works
– Performance
– Collective/participative or collaborative projects
– Hybrid forms, transdisciplinary approaches
Financing:
– Participation fee
– Production cost subsidy
– If required, accommodation and transportation costs
– For invitations from other European countries, we check the assumption of costs on a case-by-case basis
– Technical and logistical support by individual arrangement
Who can apply?
– Individual artists and collectives from all disciplines
– International applicants are welcome
We welcome applications from artists regardless of gender, origin, language or identity. Equality of all genders is guaranteed in accordance with the State Equality Act.
Application & selection:
Submission period: 20.09. – 15.11.2025, 23:59 (CEST)
The following must be submitted:
– a file with a CV/description of the collective (with contact details, website, place of residence) and project description with reference to the topic or Lusatia, details of the planned format and, if applicable, the participants (PDF, max. 5000 characters)
– a file with photos of the work or project or an audio/video file (PDF or link)
Please note: This file must not contain any personal details, as all entries will be evaluated anonymously by the jury.
– In the case of conceptual or participatory works, describe the time required for implementation and the approximate cost of materials.
Selection criteria:
– artistic quality and originality
– reference to the topic and region
– feasibility
– social relevance/potential for participation
Jury:
The jury will be announced during the selection process.
Announcement of the results:Beginning of December 2025. The final judging takes place on site and is not contestable.
Application deadline: November 15, 2025