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DTdF

Merck Prize 2026

OPEN CALL
German version here

10th Merck Prize of the Darmstadt Photography Days

  • The Merck Prize is endowed with €10,000 in prize money
  • The Merck Prize of the Darmstadt Days of Photography has been awarded since 2008
  • Exhibition of the shortlist: 6 nominees will be invited


Call for entries for the 10th Merck Prize closed // Shortlist to be announced from 31 March 2026

The application portal on Picter is now closed. Submissions were accepted until 15 March 2025.

Theme

Present Tense describes the present not as a point in time, but as a state: a tense, unstable present in which perception, reality, and the future are negotiated simultaneously. As such, it is not told as a completed story, but as an open, ongoing process.
The call for entries understands this term as a description of a present in a state of tension: as a restless, fragile moment characterized by uncertainty, condensation, and change. Present Tense also refers to the current state of the medium of photography itself—to a practice that is repositioning itself between documentation, perception, encounter, and social responsibility.
Through its immediate presence, through encounter and exchange with the other, photography opens up a direct and relational access to reality. In this way, it distinguishes itself from generative image systems, which derive a speculative present from mostly foreign data from the past. Photography, on the other hand, arises in dialogue with other people, situations, perspectives, and experiences. Thus, the photographic process not only leads to the image; it becomes an action—a means of sharpening perception, enabling experience, directing attention, and making social realities tangible.
We invite artists and photographers to submit works that are created in direct contact with their environment, incorporate other perspectives, and understand photography as an active instrument of action. Works that not only depict the present, but also make it tangible in all its complexity, fractures, and contradictions. Positions that create proximity, shift perceptions, and reveal the structures and challenges of the present—without providing simple answers to complex questions.

Jury

  • Prof. Robin Hinsch (artist, freelance photographer, professor of artistic photography)
  • Prof. Sara-Lena Maierhofer (artist, professor of artistic photography)
  • Ute Noll (expert in photography and book and exhibition concepts)
  • Marcel Rauschkolb (freelance photographer, artist)
  • Prof. Dr Kris Scholz (freelance photographer, artist)
  • Gregor Schuster (freelance photographer, artist)

Exhibition for the 10th Merck Prize

Six works from the open call will be nominated for the exhibition at the Museum Künstlerkolonie auf der Mathildenhöhe.

April 24 to May 3, 2026 Venue: Olbrichweg 13 A, 64287 Darmstadt

One work from this selection will then be awarded the Merck Prize, which is endowed with €10,000.



FAQs

What is the schedule?

  • Submission deadline: March 15, 2026
  • Notification of selected artists: March 27, 2026
  • Confirmation of selected artists' participation in the exhibition and award ceremony: March 31, 2026
  • Public announcement of the shortlist: April 1, 2026
  • Delivery of selected works to Darmstadt: by April 20, 2026
  • Announcement of the winner: April 24, 2026
  • Award ceremony: April 24, 2026, 6:00 p.m.
  • Exhibition of the nominated artists and the Merck Prize winner at Mathildenhöhe: April 24 – May 3, 2026

Will travel and production costs be covered?

  • Selected artists who confirm their participation in the exhibition at Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt will receive: - a grant of up to €200 towards travel expenses - a grant of up to €500 for the production of artworks in connection with the Merck Prize.

Are there any technical restrictions for the finalists’ exhibition?

  • The jury will decide where the finalists’ artworks will be displayed in the exhibition.
  • Unfortunately, hanging wallpaper on the exhibition walls is not permitted this time.
  • If the artist’s work comprises a video or an installation: Only self-contained, robustly functioning media installations with one-button operation will be accepted.

Must only recent images be submitted?

  • No, it is entirely irrelevant when the works were created. We nevertheless refer to it as an exhibition of contemporary photography.

Who retains the rights to my works?

  • Artists retain full copyright to their works. By submitting their work, participants grant the organisers of the Merck Prize permission – and the right of use – to use images for promotional purposes in connection with the festival. If an artist is shortlisted, the image material must be supplied for PR purposes by 1 April following the announcement and made available with usage rights for DTdF PR activities.

I am a shortlisted artist; is my artwork insured?

  • Yes, but the works are only insured at replacement value or production value.

If I am invited to Darmstadt, will my accommodation costs be covered?

  • Yes, shortlisted artists who confirm their attendance at the opening ceremony will be accommodated from 24 to 26 April 2026 in a hotel selected by the organisers.

Who awards the Merck Prize?

  • The Merck Prize is announced and awarded by the non-profit organisation Kulturprojekte.xyz gUG (limited liability) as part of and under the banner of the “Darmstadt Days of Photography” (DTdF). The company Merck KGaA sponsors the prize but does not itself act as the awarding body.

Why was a fee charged?

  • The actual organisation of the festival, as well as all production and exhibition costs associated with the competition, exceed the amount that can be raised through sponsorship. In addition, funds from foundations and public sponsors contribute to the festival’s overall budget. At the same time, organisers are always expected to contribute financially themselves. The entry fee, for example, is one such contribution. Despite sponsorship and the participation fee, running a contemporary photography competition with an experienced jury and the possibility of a (paid) exhibition with a potential prize is essentially a subsidised activity.
  • The artists actually exhibiting benefit from the entry fee in several ways, including: - Support with production costs - Contribution towards travel and accommodation costs up to a certain maximum amount - PR via various channels - An exhibition with a vernissage - A supporting programme and participation in the symposium - As well as access to a broad network.

What is the added value of a rejected entry for the participant?

  • Every submitted entry is valued. The payment of an entry fee underscores the seriousness of the participants. It should not be underestimated that all submitted portfolios are reviewed by all curators, who can then utilise their expanded knowledge in other contexts.

Is a participation fee common in open calls?

  • There are both free and fee-based competitions. For the reasons mentioned above, we have decided to charge a participation fee – and look forward to receiving your application!

What is the Mathildenhöhe and where is it located?

  • The Mathildenhöhe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in Darmstadt, Hesse. Further information can be found here: Mathildenhöhe. The finalists’ exhibition and the awards ceremony will take place in the sculptors’ studios.

With the kind support of – since 2005


MERCK

www.merck.de/nachbarschaft