Kunstraum Lakeside Open Call for Curators
Fees: Fixed fee of 30,000.00 EUR net per calendar year (2027, 2028, 2029)
Program period: January 2027 – December 2029 (calendar years)
Deadline for applications: January 9, 2026
Kunstraum Lakeside is a site for the production and presentation of international contemporary art, which aims to provoke
critical reflection on aspects of the economy that concern society as a whole. Given its location at the Lakeside Science &
Technology Park in the immediate vicinity of the University of Klagenfurt, the Kunstraum operates at the interface of economic,
scientific, and cultural research, practices, and discourse and strives to make an enduring contribution to the social and cultural
dynamic at Lakeside Park. The permanent establishment of the Kunstraum reinforces the public character of the artistic
program, expanding and enriching the art-institutional landscape of the region with a unique space for critical artistic-theoretical
debate.
The mission of Kunstraum Lakeside is to convey and challenge divergent perspectives on common social relations. With its
various artistic, discursive, publication, educational, and participative formats and through cooperations with universities and
other institutions, the Kunstraum triggers interdisciplinary debates on the pressing issues of our time among correspondingly
diverse audiences.
Call for Applications
Designed by artist Josef Dabernig as an exhibition, performance, and project space, Kunstraum Lakeside sees itself as a
platform for open communication and discourse and as a laboratory for artistic research. In this spirit, the curator is called upon
to independently develop a program for Kunstraum Lakeside for the 2027–2029 program period, with no restrictions other than
budgetary constraints. The objective is to accentuate the links between science, technology, and art, to foster sustainable
developments at the intersection of research, cultural education, and business at Lakeside Park, and to highlight the overlaps
between contemporary artistic production, scientific methods, and technological innovations.
We are looking for curators with experience in the field of transdisciplinary art and artistic research—that is, artistic-cultural work
that transcends professional disciplines, genres, and fields. Given its location in a science and technology park within direct
proximity to the university, the Kunstraum serves as a direct bridge between university and business institutions. The aim is to
create synergies, enter into an artistic, scientific, and cultural dialogue, and stimulate the creativity and knowledge of young
people in an interplay with the Lakeside Science & Technology Park, the businesses and research facilities on site, and the
Educational Lab.
Tasks
The sustainable and responsible development and implementation of a multifaceted artistic program with an international scope
in the field of transdisciplinary art, which addresses the aforementioned context of Kunstraum Lakeside. The program is realized
in a cooperation with the administrative manager and should take into account the budgetary framework conditions and relevant
criteria of the sponsors.
- Concept, development, and implementation of curatorial formats (exhibitions, events, publications, etc.) with a targeted
combination of art, discourse, education, and participation in the framework of the annual program, coordinated with the
available personnel and financial resources - Acquisition of subsidies, third-party funding, sponsors, or other financial resources
Writing and editing texts for exhibitions, mediation, press, publications, and digital communication formats (especially in the
realm of social media) - Representing Kunstraum Lakeside and promoting its program to the outside world, e.g. public talks, guided tours, and
discussion and educational formats - Establishing, maintaining, and further development of regional, supraregional, and international networks with artists and
cultural workers, funding organizations, cooperation partners, etc. - Enhancing cooperation with the Educational Lab to promote cultural education and develop participative and
interdisciplinary educational formats - Engaging with the location and local context as well as targeted communication with new audiences (outreach, community
engagement) - Involving cooperation partners in the program, in particular, those from university and scientific institutes
- Planning and active participation in the implementation and setup of exhibitions
- Elaboration of the archive and library contents
- Budget planning and responsibility
- Coordination with the management of Lakeside Park on specific issues relating to broader conceptual, organizational, or
resource-related topics - Continuous reflection on the curatorial program in terms of its impact, relevance, and further development
Prerequisites
- Extensive professional experience in curation as well as art and cultural education
- University degree (art history, cultural sciences, curatorial studies, etc.) or comparable practical experience
- Founded knowledge of current discourses and developments in contemporary art and society
- Existing network with national and international protagonists in the arts and culture sector
- Experience in the fields of research, publishing, and project-related funding acquisition
- Proficient in budget planning and control
- Independent, structured, proactive, and solution-oriented working method with a pronounced organizational talent
- Strong communication skills and professionalism in public contexts
- Very articulate in German and English, other foreign languages are an advantage
- Competence in working with digital formats and experience in the use of social media for cultural institutions
- Team-oriented work, flexibility, commitment, and practical assistance with exhibition setup and on-site production
processes - Regular presence in Klagenfurt and flexibly available to participate in e.g. meetings and events scheduled at short notice
on site - An awareness for sustainable curatorial practices as well as fairness, inclusion, and social responsibility
Conditions
The annual budget is financed by the Lakeside Science & Technology Park, sponsors and public funding. The implementation
of the annual program thus depends on the budgetary coverage of the respective year.
The curator is commissioned by Lakeside Science & Technology Park GmbH (owner) on an independent basis (project and
performance-based contract). The target for program implementation is three years (program period: January 2027 – December
2029) and a fixed fee of 30,000.00 EUR net per calendar year (2027, 2028, 2029) is offered. The final commission can only be
awarded after the jury’s decision and is subject to budget approval and secured financing by Lakeside Science & Technology
Park GmbH. From the current perspective, the budget for the 2027 annual program is secured.
For administrative and organizational tasks on site, the curator works closely with the administrative manager, whose activities
comprise 20 hours per week. In addition, the team of the Lakeside Park or external professionals can be called upon for special
project-based needs or requirements. Kunstraum Lakeside is intended to be open to the public for a minimum of 15 hours per
week.
Duration and Time Plan
- Program period: January 2027 – December 2029 (calendar years)
- Begin of activities: spring 2026
- Deadline for submitting grant applications (for the 2027 program year): mid-October 2026
- Begin of programming: January 2027
Application Procedure
Interested individuals can submit their completed documents by January 9, 2026 (midnight) via email to
office@lakeside-kunstraum.at
- Curriculum vitae highlighting qualification
- Letter of motivation (max. 1 page)
- Outline concept for the 2027–2029 program
- Description and documentation of 1 to 3 outstanding projects you have realized (with a brief explanation of their
special aspects)
Selection Process
- The evaluation of the submissions is performed by a jury appointed by the Kunstraum Lakeside association
- Applications will be treated confidentially
- 1st jury session: end January 2026
- Hearings and final jury session: mid-February 2026
Contact and More Information
Additional visual material can also be sent to us by mail:
Kunstraum Lakeside, Lakeside Science & Technology Park GmbH, Lakeside B11b (1st floor), 9020 Klagenfurt am Wörthersee
For any further questions, please contact:
Lea Lugarič (administrative manager & coordination), office@lakeside-kunstraum.at, +43 463 22 88 22-60
Inquiries welcome until: December 19, 2025
