Dear Artists,
Submissions for our new art contest are now open until Sunday 30 November at 6pm CET! There is no theme, we don’t want to limit your creativity! We are looking for two artists to present in our second ART MATTERS group show in Cologne in December 2026. Please note: Two additional artists for our physical ART MATTERS exhibition will be selected via open call in March/April 2026. Whether figurative or abstract, regardless of the medium: we do not specify any formal or content-related subject matter! Surprise us!!
SELECTION PROCESS:
As part of our 15th ART MATTERS Open Call, we will select 9 international artists whose submitted works will be shown in our carefully curated online group exhibition ‘ART MATTERS 15’ from 8 to 16 December 2025 on our website and Instagram account. A further 27 artists will be selected and receive an ‘Honourable Mention’ in our Instagram stories for the duration of the ART MATTERS 15 exhibition. On Wednesday 17 December, we will announce the two winners from the 9 finalists and invite them both to participate in the second physical ART MATTERS group show at our gallery in Cologne in December 2026. (Note: The first physical ART MATTERS exhibition will open at our gallery on 5 December 2025!)
PLEASE NOTE: In order to be able to continue this project, we have once again made the well-considered decision to charge a registration/processing fee of €20 (see below). This fee covers part of our administrative costs and is non-refundable. To apply, please read the following FAQ carefully and then fill out the application form below. By registering for ART MATTERS 15, you agree to the terms and conditions of participation.
FAQ / Conditions of participation
Who can apply?
- Our Open Call is international: all visual artists aged 18 and over and from all artistic disciplines are invited to apply.
- All applicants will be considered as part of our selection/evaluation process. Please note that a submitted application does not automatically mean participation in ART MATTERS 15.
What can you apply with?
- 1 image of one of your artworks that is available for sale and can be offered by us in our online shop! You must own the copyright.
- Medium, technique or size: All art forms, techniques and formats are permitted. Whether figurative or abstract… we do not specify a topic!
- File size: max. 2MB
- CV including list of exhibitions
- Text (e.g. artist statement, article…)
The artwork you upload must not contain pornographic, sexually explicit, violent or racist material.
Is there a participation fee?
Yes, there is a non-refundable processing fee of €20 per artist for an application with one work. You can apply multiple times.
How can you submit an application?
Please only use the following form, fill in the application form and complete the application by paying the participation fee via PayPal or credit/debit card (in each case via the SUBMIT button). If neither is available to you, please let us know and we will find a solution! (You do not need to be registered with PayPal!) Once payment has been completed, your application is automatically sent and received by us. The confirmation of payment on your PayPal page is also the confirmation of registration. And if anything is missing, we will get in touch with you! You will receive a receipt (= official registration confirmation) for the payment made from us by e-mail within the following 24 hours.
If you need help (sometimes there may be browser-related problems with the form or similar), please do not hesitate to contact us at – we will respond as soon as possible!
And now good luck to you all!
Bewerbungsschluss: 30. November 2025