Open Call for Exhibition Curation 2027 40 Years of transmediale
Position period: October 2025 until March 2027
Time Commitment: The position requires ca. 35% overall commitment across the whole contract period, with selected periods of full-time commitment in August/September and December/January.
Position Type: Freelance
Location: Berlin-based or willingness to relocate for key periods of time, especially in case of bigger time zone differences.
Compensation: 20.000€ net (individual) / 25.000€ net (group)
transmediale e.V. is inviting applications for the Exhibition Curation for transmediale 2027. The exhibition curator’s central responsibility is the development of the upcoming exhibition as part of the festival’s programme. Artistic practice is transmediale’s vital centre, reflected across the festival’s programme in a variety of formats. Building on an evolving exhibition history and practice that has taken different shapes and scales across Berlin venues and online – from installations during the festival week to large-scale exhibitions over several weeks on view – the upcoming edition marks a special milestone: the 40th anniversary of transmediale. The position invites a person or group with previous curatorial experience to critically engage with topics at the intersection of art, technology, science, society, and politics, and to contribute to transmediale’s long history as one of the leading festivals of art and digital culture. While the exhibition and the festival will be presented alongside one another, they will be curated independently, each following its own thematic focus while remaining in dialogue. As the 40th anniversary of transmediale, this edition offers a chance to reflect on the festival’s legacy by connecting past and present as well as possible futures in media art and theory.
transmediale creates a space for critical reflection on art and technology, bringing together transdisciplinary communities and diverse audiences with an interest in digital cultures. The annual festival for art and digital culture has gathered international artists, researchers, activists, and thinkers to develop new outlooks on our technomediated era. transmediale festival takes place annually at the end of January and builds the core of the organisation’s programming. Beyond the yearly event, transmediale is a transversal, dynamic platform with a vibrant community and a strong network that facilitates year-round activities including publications, events, commissions, and artist residencies.
Recent festivals and exhibitions have been hosted at Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW), silent green Kulturquartier, Akademie der Künste and Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien. The German Federal Cultural Foundation has supported transmediale as a cultural institution of excellence since 2004.
On transmediale 2027 – exhibition
When: Opening during the festival week, end of January 2027
Duration: approx. 6 weeks
Venue: Akademie der Künste Berlin (Standort Hanseatenweg)
transmediale calls for exhibition concepts centering on positions in media and net art, technology, and social critique, grounded in a strong thematic and methodological framework. The selected curator(s) will be responsible for conceiving and realising an exhibition to be presented across two halls of the Akademie der Künste in Berlin. The curatorial proposal should also include ideas for an accompanying mediation and public programme. This may involve guided tours for diverse audiences, film screenings, panel discussions, activations, performances, and concerts, both within the exhibition and at other festival venues.
Scope of Work
The position involves conceptualising and curating the exhibition for the 2027 edition of transmediale, including its theme, artistic works, and a related public programme. In addition to a strong curatorial vision, we are looking forward to working with someone with social competence, integrity, and exceptional communication abilities. The person(s) sought for this role will be working closely with the festival curator(s) (selection in fall 2025) and our festival team within the infrastructure provided. They will be responsible for the artistic positions in the exhibition and related programme, represent the festival in the public sphere, and contribute to transmediale’s local and international networks of partners and stakeholders.
Tasks will include: establishing the exhibition concept, theme, title, and developing a related programme in dialogue and cooperation with the festival management, executive and advisory board; selecting participants, projects, and artworks; adhering to budget management policies for transmediale 2027 and contributing to the acquisition of additional financial resources; producing related texts and contributing to all tasks related to public relations and fundraising; cooperating and collaborating with the transmediale team, including participating in selected meetings and following relevant team workflows and procedures; submitting reports throughout the process.
Prerequisites and Requirements
- Possess comprehensive knowledge of international contemporary and media art, with the ability to critically examine topics at the intersection of art, technology, media and science, society, and politics.
- Possess a clear curatorial and thematic vision and develop it in exchange with all stakeholders.
- Have at least 5 years of experience in developing and curating exhibitions. Additional successful experience in leading cultural projects or initiatives is advantageous.
- Candidates should have a pronounced interest in issues that move society and bring with them a supra-regional network in the art and cultural scenes.
- Exhibit excellent communication skills, integrity, a collaborative mindset and have the ability to generate detailed briefings and documentation compatible with the culture of the organisation.
- Applicants must be fluent in either English or German with at least a good command of the English language.
Candidates must be aligned with the values of transmediale and its history, uphold respect for the dignity, safety, and equal treatment of all individuals, and reject sexual harassment and all forms of discrimination.
Conditions of Work
Position period: October 2025 until March 2027
Time Commitment: The position requires ca. 35% overall commitment across the whole contract period, with selected periods of full-time commitment in August/September and December/January.
Position Type: Freelance
Location: Berlin-based or willingness to relocate for key periods of time, especially in case of bigger time zone differences.
The position may be filled by an individual or group.
Compensation: 20.000€ net (individual) / 25.000€ net (group)
Required Documents
- Application Form (to be provided as a download/online form)
- Cover Letter (less than 800 words)
- First outline of the exhibition concept, including a (working) title for the exhibition, an initial articulation of the theme, a first selection of potential artists, an insight into the planned accompanying programme and mediation activities, and how this will engage with and be presented to the audience. The submitted concept should be a maximum of 3 pages in length, with a focus on text and the articulation of the theme and artistic positions involved. Visual elements such as images of artworks, graphics, or other design components are not required.
Please download the application form here.
Additional documents other than the required documents listed above will not be reviewed.
Submit the completed form via email to: apply@transmediale.de.
Email subject line and attachment must include the applicant’s name(s)
Application deadline: 06.08.2025
Evaluation Process
After the submission deadline, a shortlist of candidates will be selected for interviewing and invited to submit and present their exhibition concept for transmediale 2027. The presentation of the concept will be followed by questions from the interview panel consisting of transmediale team and board members Nora Al-Badri, Asia Bazdyrieva, Gabriele Horn, and Jussi Parikka. The interview will be held in English.
Notification of selected candidates for interviews: 23.08.2025 (tentative)
Final interview: 11.09.2025
Interviews will be conducted online.
Future Development
Following a renewed curatorial model developed in 2024 by the transmediale team, transmediale e.V. and its advisory board, the festival will publish yearly calls for its festival curation. The open call for festival curation 2027 will be published in September.
The transmediale team looks forward to working together with the new exhibition curator(s) to realise the exhibition as part of the 2027 festival edition.
transmediale e.V.
Read more about transmediale, it’s organisation, team and history
Image credits: Annex, Entanglement, transmediale 2022, Akademie der Künste Berlin, Photo by Luca Girardini
