art for public – aschaffenburg

The annual FUTURE FESTIVALS serve as both analogue and digital platforms for the EU project DIALOG CITY, aiming to reach a broad and diverse audience. The participating European cities included Mondoví (IT) in 2023 and Graz (AT) in 2024. The artistic projects developed during these residencies were showcased on-site at the FUTURE FESTIVALS as well as presented online. The next FUTURE FESTIVAL will take place in 2025, organized by Aschaffenburg (DE) and Montpellier (FR). Each city will host its own artist residency.

The DIALOG CITY ART FOR PUBLIC RESIDENCY PROGRAMME invites artists from all disciplines —ranging from painting, photography, and sculpture to design and architecture— to apply for the residency in Aschaffenburg. The residency takes place under the theme Society in Transition. We particularly welcome project proposals that highlight aspects of sustainability and/or cultural heritage. Aschaffenburg is a city with a rich and diverse cultural heritage. For years, conscious sustainability has been a focus of the city, alongside a human-centred and dialogue-oriented digital transformation with DIALOG CITY as the digital strategy of the City of Aschaffenburg.

Notably, the city has a diverse and influential history in the paper industry: since the mid-19th century, Aschaffenburg has been known as the “City of Coloured Papers” due to its many paper factories. Entrepreneurs like Alois Dessauer have pioneered efforts that have made paper production inseparable from the economic prosperity, technological change, and ultimately the cultural identity of the city. Curiosity, courage, and inventiveness exemplify an open and inclusive society.

The project proposal —whether digital or analogue approach— should address various aspects of this theme in a participatory manner and express it artistically. The selected artist will have the opportunity to work in a public FUTURE PAVILION to realize their creative ideas. There are no limits to imagination!

The artist residency begins on May 2, 2025, and ends on July 15, 2025.

Final presentation at the FUTURE FESTIVAL in Aschaffenburg: July 3-5, 2025