The annual exhibition showcases works from all departments and degree programs at the university—Communication Design, Product Design, Media Art, Exhibition Design & Scenography, and Art History & Media Philosophy. Around 100 works are on display in the atriums and numerous other locations throughout the university. These include installations, performances, films, objects, publications, and artistic interventions that offer insights into current issues and working processes at the HfG.

The visual design of the exhibition tour also addresses current social and cultural movements. The starting point for this year’s design is the sense of a “vibe shift”—an atmospheric and social transformation that calls on cultural institutions to constantly reorient and reposition themselves. Graphically, the design works with ideas of movement, instability, balance, acceleration, and moments of tipping, thereby visualizing a field of tension that also preoccupies many of the exhibited works.

The exhibition is complemented by a diverse supporting program featuring guided tours, screenings, discussions, and other public events, organized in collaboration with the General Student Committee (AStA). The tour offers visitors the opportunity to engage in conversation with students, faculty, and staff of the university and to get to know the HfG as a place of exchange between art, theory, and design.

At the opening of the tour on July 16, 2026, at 7 p.m., the ZKM / HfG Support Association will once again award prizes for outstanding final and semester projects. The winning projects will be selected from nominations across all departments and honored by an independent jury composed of representatives from the arts, science, and culture. The detailed program will be published shortly at hfg-karlsruhe.de.

Admission is free for the entire duration.

Opening Hours
July 16: 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., followed by an opening reception. TBA.
July 17–19: 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Karlsruhe State University of Art and Design
Lorenzstraße 15
76135 Karlsruhe