Merck Prize 2026

German version here

10th Merck Prize of the Darmstadt Days of Photography

• Opening and award ceremony on April 24 at 6 p.m.
• Exhibition of the nominees at the Museum Künstlerkolonie, Mathildenhöhe
• The Merck Prize is endowed with €10,000 in prize money
  

Exhibition for the 10th Merck Prize

Six works from the open call have been nominated for the exhibition at the Museum Künstlerkolonie on Mathildenhöhe.

Exhibition opening and award ceremony: April 24 at 6 p.m.
Exhibition from April 25 to May 3, 2026
Location: Olbrichweg 13 A, 64287 Darmstadt
Hours: Tue – Sun, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

The nominees are ...

Rhiannon Adam – Rhi-Entry
Mohamed Hassan – Our Hidden Room
Alexandra Rose Howland – A Slow Violence
Sophia Kesting & Dana Lorenz – Asphalt, Stones, Shards
Sasha Kurmaz – Red Horse
Jay Ritchie – transcestors

From this selection, one work will be awarded the Merck Prize, which comes with a prize of €10,000. Press release

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)

About the Merck Prize

• The Merck Prize has been awarded at the Darmstadt Days of Photography since 2008
• 688 entries from 47 countries were submitted on the theme Present Tense

FAQs

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

What is the timeline?
- Submission deadline has passed (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 10, 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 PM - Exhibition of the nominated artists and the Merck Prize winner at Mathildenhöhe: April 24 – May 3, 2026

Are travel and production costs covered? - Selected artists who confirm their participation in the exhibition at Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt will receive: - a grant of up to €200 for travel expenses - a grant of up to €500 for the production of artworks related to the Merck Prize.

Are there any technical restrictions for the finalists’ exhibition? - The jury decides 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 includes a video or installation: Only self-contained, robustly functioning media installations with one-button operation will be accepted.

Can only recent images be submitted? - No, it is completely irrelevant when the works were created. We still call it an exhibition of contemporary photography.

Who retains the rights to my works? - The artists retain full copyright to their works. By submitting their work, participants grant the organizers 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 delivered for PR purposes by April 1 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 for their replacement value or production value.

If I am invited to Darmstadt, will my accommodation costs be covered? - Yes, shortlisted artists who confirm their participation in the opening ceremony will be accommodated from April 24 to 26, 2026, in a hotel selected by the organizers.

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

Why was a fee charged? - The actual organization 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, organizers are always expected to contribute financially themselves. The participation fee, for example, is such a contribution. Despite sponsorship and the participation fee, organizing a contemporary photography competition with an experienced jury and the possibility of a (paid) exhibition with a potential prize is essentially a subsidized activity. - The artists actually exhibiting benefit from the entry fee in several ways, including: - Support for production costs - Contribution toward travel and accommodation costs up to a certain maximum amount - PR through various channels - An exhibition with an opening reception - A supporting program and participation in the symposium - As well as access to a broad network.

What is the added value of a rejected work for the participant? - Every submitted work 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 apply their expanded knowledge in other contexts.

Is a participation fee common for open calls? - There are both free and paid competitions. For the reasons mentioned above, we have decided to charge a participation fee—and we look forward to your application!

What is Mathildenhöhe and where is it located? - Mathildenhöhe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in Darmstadt, Hesse. Further information can be found here: Mathildenhöhe. The finalists’ exhibition and the award ceremony will take place in the sculpture studios.

With the kind support of – since 2005

www.merck.de/nachbarschaft