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Press Release | As of: June 22, 2026

GERMAN ART PRIZE 2025/26:

The GERMANY ART PRIZE 2025/26 goes to Hamburg, Göttingen, Obernzell, and Krefeld. Kari A. Kalthoff (Hamburg) with the digital art piece “Masc fatale,” Wolfgang Hiltscher (Göttingen) with the sculpture “Die Überführung des heiligen Hauses” (The Transfer of the Holy House), and Michael Gerstl (Obernzell) with the painting “Gefesselte Europa” (Bound Europa) have succeeded. Among 174 applicants (475 submitted works) from 23 nations, these artists – based in Hamburg, Lower Saxony, and Bavaria – prevailed and may now call themselves prize winners of the GERMANY ART PRIZE 2025/26. The Audience Award went to Sascha Holzmann from Krefeld for the digital art piece “The collaps machine.” The award ceremony took place on June 20, 2026, in Goslar at the Hotel “DER ACHTERMANN.”

Serving as members of the art prize jury were Abayomi Bankole (Hannover, official), Bettina Breidbach (Bremen, author and artist), Prof. Erich Kruse (Braunschweig, formerly HBK), Ivan Milenkovic (Belgrade/Hannover, artist), Eckhard Siemer (Goslar, social scientist), Dr. Georg Trivisas (Athens/Hannover; former gallerist and artist), Thomas Velte (Goslar; graphic designer, artist, BBK-Harz), and Dr. Carsten Voss (Hannover; art historian). Spokesperson for the expert jury: Thomas Velte. Winners in the categories of Painting, Sculpture/Object, and Photography/Digital Art receive “Gold Awards,” as does the winner of the Public Choice Award.

“Art powers future” is the slogan of this supra-regional art prize, reflecting art’s role as a catalyst for communication. Dr. Prince Asfa-Wossen Asserate – a bestselling author from Frankfurt and patron of the KUNSTPREIS DEUTSCHLAND (Germany Art Prize) 2023/24 – articulated this sentiment: “There is an exchange that transcends borders – free from diplomacy or economic interests – driven solely by curiosity about a shared intellectual world. A work of art is an open letter, a stimulus for the exchange of ideas.”

The GERMANY ART AWARD provides financial support to emerging artists up to the age of 35, waiving the processing fee for one submitted work.

Previous press articles about nominated artists

GERMANY ART PRIZE 2025/2026

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