Welcome to art and culture in Siegen, the surrounding area and public spaces
Current Exhibitions in and around Siegen
Information on events and exhibitions in German only
Regularly Recurring Events of Fine Art in Siegen
The Rubens Prize
The Rubens Prize of the City of Siegen is a prestigious international art prize awarded every five years. The prize is named after the Flemish Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens, who was born in Siegen. It is one of the most important art prizes in Germany and honors artists who have made outstanding achievements in European painting for their life's work.The Rubens Prize was first awarded in 1957 and has a long tradition since then. It is awarded by the City of Siegen in cooperation with the MGKSiegen Museum of Contemporary Art Siegen. The winner is selected by an independent jury consisting of renowned experts and connoisseurs of the art scene.The prize includes financial recognition as well as an exhibition of the award winner's work in the now internationally renowned Museum of Contemporary Art Siegen. The exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to experience the artist's work up close and to engage with their artistic life's work. In the past, renowned artists have been awarded the Rubens Prize of the City of Siegen, including Hans Hartung in 1957, Giorgio Morandi in 1962, Francis Bacon in 1967, Antoni Tàpies in 1972, Fritz Winter in 1977, Emil Schumacher in 1982, Cy Twombly in 1987, Rupprecht Geiger in 1992, Lucian Freud in 1997, Maria Lassnig in 2002, Sigmar Polke in 2007, Bridget Riley in 2012, Niele Toroni in 2017, Miriam Cahn in 2022. These awards have contributed to the Rubens Prize being internationally recognized and enjoying a high reputation in the art world.
The Rubens Award
The Rubens Award of the City of Siegen is a prestigious art prize awarded as part of the Rubens Prize. Alternating with the Rubens Prize, which is awarded every five years The Rubens Award is awarded. It is aimed at young artists who are at the beginning of their careers and show promising artistic potential. The Rubens Award was created to support young talent and provide them with a platform for their artistic development. It is intended to give the award winners the opportunity to present their works to a broad public and to gain a foothold in the art world. The Rubens Award is awarded by an independent jury consisting of experts and connoisseurs of the art scene. The jury selects the most promising artists from many applicants and honors their artistic achievements. The Rubens Promotional Prize generally includes financial support that enables the prize winners to continue their artistic work and implement new projects. In addition, the works of the award winners are presented in an exhibition to make them accessible to a broad public and increase their visibility. As a rule, works are acquired for the museum's collection. To date, Max Neumann in 1984, Julia Lohmann in 1989, Karin Sander in 1994, Silke Rehberg in 1999, Peter Piller in 2004, Diango Hernández in 2009, Vajiko Chachkhiani in 2014, Lena Henke in 2018, and Sung Tieu in 2024 have received this important award for art in Siegen.
The Art Day
The Art Day in Siegen is an annual event that serves to promote and present art in the region. It offers artists, people interested in art and the general public the opportunity to engage with contemporary art and to get to know different forms of artistic expression. The Art Day usually takes place on one day and offers a diverse program that includes exhibitions, art actions, workshops, lectures, performances, and other artistic events. The events take place at various locations in the city of Siegen, such as galleries, art institutions, public places, and other suitable venues. During the Art Day, works by local artists as well as nationally and internationally known artists will be presented. This provides an insight into different artistic trends, styles, and techniques. Visitors can talk to the artists, view their works, and share their own experiences and impressions with other art lovers. Previous Art Day themes have been: Art Kitchen, Art Living, Art Chaos, Art Body, Art Light, Art Time, Art Boundaries, Art Play, Plastic, Art Net, Art Paths, Art Leap, Art Grip.
The Siegen Art Summer
The Siegen Art Summer is an annual series of events dedicated to art and culture in the region. It takes place during the summer months and offers a diverse range of artistic events and activities coordinated by Kunstverein Siegen since 1998. The Art Summer includes exhibitions, installations, performances, concerts, theater performances, film screenings and much more. The events take place at various locations in Siegen, including museums, galleries, parks, public squares, and other cultural institutions. The content of the Art Summer is often contemporary and experimental. They represent various artistic disciplines such as painting, sculpture, photography, installation, performance, and digital art. This covers a wide range of art forms and provides visitors with a multifaceted artistic experience. The Art Summer in Siegen attracts both local art enthusiasts and visitors from outside the city. It provides a platform for artists to present their works and interact with a broad audience. Visitors could view artworks, participate in discussions, attend workshops, and discover their own creative abilities.
The Rundgang
The Rundgang is an annual spring presentation of art academies, art departments and other places all over Germany, including the Department of Art at the University of Siegen. There are famous Rundgänge, for example, at the art academies in Düsseldorf, Münster or Frankfurt. In 1992, students around Thomas Kellner advocated for a Rundgang at the University of Siegen. The aim was to extend the exhibitions, which had previously only been presented by Prof. Wolfgang Nestler's students, to the entire art department. The first two exhibitions were organized by students who alone took care of printing (at the beginning still in lead type), post and press. After 1994, the spring presentation, the Rundgang, was organized by the art department itself and has grown this event into the largest public event for them. At the Rundgang, students present selected artistic works to the Siegen public Drawings, prints, paintings, sculptures, photographs, and videos created during the past year as part of the studio studies. They provide information about the state of individual developments and about the current artistic practical production methods in the study. In 2022, three students won the Young Artist Award. Simon Hönicke and Charlotte Braun won the study prize of the professional art, which is endowed with 300 euros, and Nicole Schaffmeister received the art prize of the Lions Club Siegen-Rubens with 500 euros. The study prize was created by Prof. Ilse Krahl and was temporarily awarded by the art association and the sponsor Emil Weber as the Kunstsicher Prize.
The Brauhaus-Photography
The Brauhaus-Photography at the University of Siegen is an annual exhibition in which students of the art department take over the artistic, curatorial, and organizational management. They present current works in the field of photography and video. The exhibition has been held in the Brauhaus studio building in Siegen-Weidenau for more than 30 years. In addition, the works are presented online on the website brauhausfotografie.de. Brauhaus-Photography team is currently advised by Professor Uschi Huber. In 1992, Prof. Jürgen Königs and Thomas Kellner started this project as an annual edition of original photographs as portfolio editions of the brewery photography. This initiative was started by Thomas Kellner of the University of Siegen at the beginning of his studies. One of the reasons was to see the work of other students, as they often worked alone in the darkroom and there was little opportunity to view each other's work. Once a year, the students, teachers, former students, and guests met to select one image from each participant for the edition. Each participant received a full portfolio with a complete set of photographs. The entire edition was displayed in the art department and accompanied by an opening reception and press articles. The students continue to be responsible for all aspects of the exhibition, now without an edition.
The Art Association
The Siegen Art Association is a non-profit association founded in 1980 by the citizens' initiative for the promotion of contemporary art. The Kunstverein regularly organizes exhibitions, events, lectures, workshops, and other cultural activities. The artworks range from painting and sculpture to installations, photography, video works and new media. The Kunstverein in Siegen also plays an important role in promoting emerging artists. Through the targeted promotion of young talent and the awarding of grants and working residencies, it offers young talents the opportunity to advance their careers and develop further. In addition, the Kunstverein also organizes educational programs and events for children and young people in order to bring them into contact with contemporary art at an early stage and to promote their creative development. The Kunstverein in Siegen is a place of cultural exchange, networking, and engagement with contemporary art. It creates a platform for artists, art lovers, curators, and experts to discuss art together and to set new impulses. Currently, the Kunstverein’ s business and exhibition venue are the municipal Gallery Foundation House Seel.
The Art Promotion Award
The Art Sponsorship Award of the University of Siegen, Department of Art, is a prestigious award that is presented annually. The prize recognizes outstanding achievements by students in the field of fine arts and supports their further artistic development. The Art Promotion Prize is offered by the Department of Art at the University of Siegen and awarded by an independent jury. The jury consists of experts and renowned artists who carefully evaluate the submitted works and select the most promising talents. The prize usually includes financial support to enable the winners to continue their artistic work and realize new projects. In addition, the prize often includes the opportunity to present the works in an exhibition or to participate in other artistic events. The Art Promotion Award is also an important recognition within the university and contributes to strengthening art education and the artistic profile of the University of Siegen. It promotes exchange and networking among students, faculty, and established artists and contributes to the development of a vibrant art scene at the University. The Promotion Award Subject Art began with the Professor Ilse Krahl Prize, and for a few years the Kunstverein Siegen and the Emil Weber company took over this prize with the Art Safe Title.
Siegen contacts in Fine Arts
Museums
Museum fuer Gegenwartskunst Siegen
Director: Thomas Thiel
Unteres Schloss 1
D-57052 Siegen
Germany
Phone: +49 271 4057710
E-mail: info@mgksiegen.de
Web: www.mgksiegen.de
Siegerlandmuseum im Oberen Schloss
Director: Dr. Karin Kolb
Burgstraße
D-57072 Siegen
Phone: +49 271 23041-0
E-mail: siegerlandmuseum@tiscali.de
Public Galleries
Staedtische Galerie in der Stiftung Haus Seel
Kornmarkt 20 (Haus Seel)
D-57072 Siegen
Phone: +49 271 404-3057
Web: Staedtische Galerie
Commercial Galleries
Art-Galerie Siegen
Helga Kellner
Fuerst-Johann-Moritz-Str. 1
D-57072 Siegen
Germany
Phone: +49 271 339603
E-mail: info@artgalerie-siegen.de
Web: www.artgalerie-siegen.de
Non-For-Profit Galleries
Kunstverein Siegen
Director: Jennifer Cierlitza
Unteres Schloss 1
D-57072 Siegen
Phone: +49 271 21624
E-mail: info@kunstverein-siegen.de
Web: www.kunstverein-siegen.de
University of Siegen
ART
University of Siegen
art & music education
Fachbereich 4
Adolf-Reichwein-Str. 2
D-57068 Siegen
Web: www.kunst.uni-siegen.de
ARCHITECTURE
University of Siegen
Architecture and Town Planning
Fachbereich 9
Paul-Bonatz-Str. 9 - 11
D-57068 Siegen
Web: www.architektur.uni-siegen.de
MEDIA
University of Siegen
Media Sciences
Fachbereich 3
Adolf-Reichwein-Str. 2
D-57068 Siegen
Web: www.medienwissenschaft.uni-siegen.de
Siegen Artists
The city and area of Siegen looks back onto a great history in Fine Art.
Peter Paul Rubens was born in Siegen, as well as Bernhard Becher. August Sander lived very close in Herdorf and Reinhold Koehler created his decollages in Siegen. A great heritage and there are plenty of contemporary artists in the city of Siegen, in Siegerland-Wittgenstein and South-Westphalia, where you also look onto the heritage of Emil Schumacher, connected to very close Hagen.
ASK - Arbeitsgemeinschaft Siegerländer Künstler e.V.
E: info@ask-siegen.de
W: www.ask-siegen.de
3/55 e.V.
kunstwechsel
Kunstraum Siegen
Fröbelstrasse 11
57078 Siegen
Web: http://www.kunstraum-siegen.de/
