The city is a shared habitat. In urban spaces, people, animals, plants, and technical systems come together—whether visible or hidden, tolerated or suppressed, encouraged or opposed. They interact within the context of technical infrastructures, social dynamics, and ecological conditions. As an interface between water, infrastructure, leisure, and ecological dynamics, Klagenfurt’s Lendhafen serves as a unique space for artistic explorations of urban ecologies.
The Lendhauer Association invites you to explore urban spaces as a network of diverse relationships between human and non-human actors. The focus is on questions of coexistence and control: What is considered useful, and what is considered disruptive? Who or what is allowed to stay, and who is excluded? Who is supported, and who is regulated? Is peaceful coexistence possible, or is it merely a utopia? How can we shape a possible future?
The open call is aimed at artists, designers, architects, performers, theorists, and practitioners from interdisciplinary contexts. Applications are open to individuals and collectives from Austria and abroad. Both fully developed artistic positions and experimental, process-oriented, or collaborative approaches are welcome.
We are seeking artistic works to be realized at the Lendhafen in Klagenfurt that engage with the social, ecological, and material conditions of public space. Urban space is understood not merely as a venue for presentation, but as an active component of the work itself. Of interest are works that conceive of urban space as a fabric of coexistence, control, conflict, and interdependence—and that make these relationships visible and tangible on site.
The starting point can be a variety of perspectives: the presence of wild animals in the city and their appropriation of habitats; plants caught between human use and ecological coexistence; constellations of animals, humans, and machines; the material and symbolic forms of urban exclusion—for example, toward certain species such as pigeons, but also toward human bodies.
Implementation Period
The selected projects will be carried out between early June and late September 2027. The exact timing and duration will depend on the nature and requirements of each project and will be determined in consultation with the selected individuals.
The Lendhauer Association assists the selected individuals in coordinating the technical and organizational requirements on site and in obtaining the necessary permits.
Submission
Submissions must be sent by email by November 2, 2026, to
Subject: Open Call 2027
Please submit a PDF file containing the following documents:
- Project outline (max. 3 A4 pages):
- Description of the content: Concept, research question, and relevance to the call’s theme.
- Implementation in public space: Description of the planned format (e.g., installation, intervention, performance, process), as well as considerations regarding the specific location and interaction with the urban environment.
- Materials/Process: Information on the structure, materials (taking environmental considerations into account), duration or timeframe, required infrastructure, and, if applicable, the timeline.
- Audience/Accessibility: Reflections on how the work can be perceived in public spaces and what forms of engagement or participation are possible.
- Preliminary Estimate of Production Costs:
A breakdown of the estimated costs for materials and equipment, as well as any other project-related production costs. - Short Biography/CV:
Information about the individual and the members of the collective. - Portfolio:
Documentation of selected previous work (max. 10 pages).
The total size of the PDF must not exceed 15 MB.
Budget
The following funds are available for each selected project:
- Production equipment valued at up to €4,000 gross
- Fee of up to 2,500 € gross
- plus travel expenses of up to €1,000
The specific amount of production resources required depends on the scope and requirements of the respective project. The fee is charged per selected project, regardless of the number of people involved.
Selection
The submitted projects will be evaluated by a jury appointed by the Lendhauer Association.
The evaluation is based on the following criteria:
- Relevance to the topic – engagement with the theme of the call, “Urban Ecologies: Coexistence and Control”
- Lendhafen Context – Reference to the specific location and its spatial, social, ecological, and material conditions
- Feasibility – The ability to implement the proposed project within the intended time, organizational, and financial constraints
- Development for the Community —Enabling the project’s potential to open up new perspectives, experiences, or discussions regarding the Lendhafen and its surroundings
All applicants will be notified of the results of the selection process by the end of December 2026.
Application deadline: November 2, 2026