Culture

Dortmunder Kunstverein – a place for experiments

With its constantly rotating presentations spanning a wide variety of artistic genres, the Dortmunder Kunstverein e.V. has become an established platform for contemporary art. The Wilo-Foundation has been supporting its exhibition projects for several years now.

Gegenstände der Ausstellung "Schlaraffenland" im Dortmunder Kunstverein

Europe

Germany

Dortmund

Funding period: 2014, 2016-2019, 2021, 2023-2024

Curating four solo and group exhibitions of current national and international positions each year, the Kunstverein distinguishes itself as a place of exchange and social understanding. Complemented by a diverse program of public discussion formats with artists and experts, performances, guided tours, films, lectures, and the publication of publications, the Kunstverein offers an open platform for discussions on relevant ways of thinking and issues of contemporary visual art and society.

Videoinstallation im Foyer des Pioneer Cubes auf dem Wilopark zeigt eine Arbeit des Künstlers Iván Argote — In 2021, the Wilo-Foundation supported the exhibition "Chaflierplatz" by artist Iván Argote, which also included the presentation of a video work in the Pioneer Cube on Wilopark. Photo: Wilo-Foundation

Deutschlandstipendiaten der Wilo-Foundation besuchen die von der Stiftung geförderte Ausstellung „Jannis Marwitz und Matt Welch“ (2019/20). — Germany Scholarship holders of the Wilo-Foundation visit the exhibition "Jannis Marwitz and Matt Welch" (2019/20), which is sponsored by the foundation. Photo: Wilo-Foundation

Ever since the association moved into its new premises in the vicinity of the Dortmunder U, the Wilo-Foundation has been supporting the association’s exhibition projects on a regular basis. The exhibitions (including exhibition catalogues) supported so far were: Stein mit Vollausstattung (Stone, Fully Equipped), ICHTS, Hunger, Bamboo Bar, Jannis Marwitz Matt Welch and Iván Argote, and also the Emerging Artists Dortmund festival for contemporary art. The Wilo-Foundation also made a financial contribution for the modification of the association’s new premises in the run-up to the exhibition by the Egyptian-French artist Hoda Tawakol in 2023.

In 2024, the Dortmunder Kunstverein e.V. celebrated its 40th anniversary with the exhibition “Schlaraffenland” (land of plenty) and a retrospective publication on the development of the Dortmunder Kunstverein, which was published with financial support from the Wilo-Foundation.

The cover of the anniversary catalogue "40 Years of the Dortmunder Kunstverein", design: Ten Ten Team

Performance von Artist Mukbang (Liza Dieckwisch, Julia Gruner) „Windbeutel“ — Performance by artist Mukbang (Liza Dieckwisch, Julia Gruner) "Windbeutel" as part of the celebrations for the 40th anniversary. Photo: Dortmunder Kunstverein e.V., Credit: Roland Baege

The Dortmunder Kunstverein e.V. sees itself as a testing ground for artists to experiment with new artistic concepts and also offers studio visits for guests of the Wilo-Foundation, e.g. scholarship holders, and for interested employees of Wilo.

Photo Header: Exhibition view "Schlaraffenland", Dortmunder Kunstverein (2024). Pictured: Slavs and Tatars, Not Moscow, Not Mecca (2012), Julia Gruner, Schlaraffenland (2024). Credits: Mareike Tocha

Our funding partner

The Dortmunder Kunstverein e.V. was founded in 1984 by a citizens’ initiative. It is a non-profit association that wants to promote contemporary art in Dortmund and also does outreach work. Since 2014, it has been located in the immediate vicinity of the Dortmunder U – Zentrum für Kunst und Kreativität, helping to strengthen this cultural centre for contemporary art in Dortmund.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the Dortmunder Kunstverein presented solo exhibitions by renowned artists such as Hanne Darboven, Joseph Beuys, Roman Signer, Richard Serra, and Dortmund-born Martin Kippenberger at its changing locations. Today, its programme focuses increasingly on young projects in contemporary art that have not yet been firmly established. After four nominations in a row, the Dortmunder Kunstverein has received the 2023 ADKV-ART COLOGNE Prize for Art Associations, which honors a particularly innovative program and educational work.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) forms the global framework for action for socially, economically and ecologically sustainable development. Our funding commitment also supports these sustainability goals. With this project, we are making a contribution to achieving the following SDGs:

What are the SDGs`?