Art in Public Space Competition - Akbild x Bank Austria

Deadline: Tuesday, Oct 6, 2026, 11:00am

The competition is aimed at graduates from the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna.
The winning project will receive prize money of 20,000 euros and will be installed for a period of about one year at the northwestern corner of Karlsplatz (on the triangular traffic island between Friedrichstraße and Operngasse).

Photo: Werner Skvara

Objective

As part of the project The Sum of the Individual Parts, the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, in cooperation with UniCredit Bank Austria, is launching a competition for the realization of a sculpture in public space. This is to be installed temporarily from 2027 - for a period of about one year - at the northwestern corner of Karlsplatz, next to the area between Friedrichsstraße and Operngasse in line of sight to the academy building. The aim is to give graduates of the academy visibility through sculpture in public space and to activate the urban space as a publicly accessible exhibition space. To accompany the artistic work, a booklet with image and text material will be printed. At the end of the presentation period, the sculpture will be placed on a further temporary basis in Bank Austria Park, which was curated by André Heller, in Vienna's 21st district.

With the project package The Sum of the Individual Parts, the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and UniCredit Bank Austria are creating a joint art and funding platform to strengthen Vienna as an art location. In addition to the awarding of scholarships to students (The Sum), central components are the implementation of a temporary sculpture in public space by a graduate (The parts) and a discourse format on the international positioning of Vienna as a contemporary art location (The Sum of the Individual Parts). The title of the project refers to the question of when and how an art location benefits from synergies, so that the whole becomes more than the mere sum of its individual parts.

Target group

The call for applications is aimed exclusively at graduates of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna.

Individuals, collectives or cooperating working groups can apply. The fee is calculated per submission and not according to the number of submitters.

Subject of project submissions

The aim is to create a representative sculptural work that sets an example for Vienna as an art location.

Projects that pursue commercial, party-political or religious purposes are not considered.

Requirements and conditions

By participating in this tender, all participants agree to these terms and conditions.

Technical requirements

No permits need to be obtained for the project outline submitted, but the following technical requirements must be complied with:

The sculpture is to be erected above ground in a stable manner. The attachment can be loosened with weights.
For maximum dimensions, see defined design space auslobung_11_04_2026_small_1.pdf [PDF, 9.85 MB]
Maximum total weight (incl. substructure and fastening): 1 ton / m2
The structure must withstand wind, dead, and, if necessary, snow loads in accordance with the applicable standards.
The construction must be resistant to rain, frost, UV radiation, heat, and temperature fluctuations for a planned service life of at least two years.
Therefore, only durable, weather-resistant, and corrosion-resistant materials must be used.
Highly reflective or dazzling surfaces are not permitted.
Integrated light sources with a glare effect or moving light signals that disturb the clearance of the road are not permitted.
The installation of sound, noise, or other acoustic elements is not permitted.
The sculpture must be a static element (no movable or easily dismountable parts may be installed).
Damage to existing pavements and pipeline infrastructures must be ruled out.
Surfaces must not have any sharp-edged, pointed or otherwise injury-prone elements.
The sculpture must not be climbable and must not offer any incentives to kick, sit or stay.
There must be no danger from entrapment, falling, tripping or collision.
The artwork should not create a space of fear, i.e. no unobstructed nooks and crannies.
Relevant visual axes should be retained.
The overview/orientation should not be impaired.
All relevant legal regulations, standards and safety regulations must be complied with.
The ongoing maintenance effort must be kept as low as possible.
The sculpture must be able to be dismantled and rebuilt for subsequent use in Bank Austria Park.

Project duration

The winning project will be installed for a period of about one year at the north-western corner of Karlsplatz (on the triangular traffic island between Friedrichstraße and Operngasse) in Vienna's 1st district. Production and implementation are scheduled in spring 2027; a presentation of the sculpture in June 2027.

At the end of the presentation period, the sculpture will be given another temporary installation in the Bank Austria Park in Vienna's 21st district, curated by André Heller. Bank Austria will take care of the subsequent use, including dismantling, transport and installation.

By participating in this competition, applicants expressly declare that they themselves and without restriction own all copyright rights to the work of any kind whatsoever and that no rights of third parties are infringed by the work.

Participants in the competition level II undertake to provide visual material of their work for public relations work in the context of the competition. For public relations work in the context of the competition and the presentation of the winning project in June 2027, the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and Bank Austria reserve the right of use of the images free of charge. Images or works may be used free of charge by the Academy and Bank Austria for the accompanying publication, provided that the copyright holders are named and that full image rights are maintained.

Temporary objects remain the property of the submitter, who is responsible for their maintenance during both periods.

Bank Austria will conclude its own usage agreement with the artist for the subsequent use of the sculpture in Bank Austria Park.

Prize money

The winning project will receive prize money of 20,000 euros (incl. VAT).

All other artists of competition level II will receive an advance fee of 2,000 euros each (including VAT).

Implementation | Production costs

The winning project is to be implemented in spring 2027 on the northwestern corner of Karlsplatz (on the triangular traffic island between Friedrichstraße and Operngasse) in Vienna's 1st district and installed for a period of about one year. The Academy covers the implementation costs (material costs, costs of professionals, etc.) up to a maximum amount of EUR 55,000.

Deviations in the implementation of the winning project are permitted, particularly where technically or economically required. Such variations will be coordinated by the Academy with the awardees. It is understood that implementation of the winning project, including any potential variations, is subject to budget availability. Only costs directly attributable to the project are eligible for reimbursement.

Selection procedure

It is a two-stage competition.

Competition Level I
In the first stage of the competition, the jury will select up to five designs from the submitted projects whose design sketches and artistic practice were convincing. These are then reviewed by a structural engineer and, if approved, proceed to the second stage of the competition, for which participants are commissioned to develop detailed designs.

For this purpose, a development contract is concluded. The payment of the advance fee is linked to the conclusion of the development contract. With the payment of the advance fee, all expenses including ancillary costs are covered.

Competition stage II
The nominated artists will be asked to prepare a more detailed design, which will be presented to the jury on 9 February 2027. It is planned that the nominated artists present their project idea to the jury in person during the jury meeting and thus enter a direct discourse with the jury members (a digital presentation is possible in exceptional cases). During the meeting, the jury will select a winning project for realization and temporary installation.

Any costs for travel to this date cannot be covered.

Jury

Chairmanship
Johan F. Hartle, Rector of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna

Members
Ingeborg Erhart, Vice-Rector for Art and Teaching, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
Sonja Huber, Head of the Fine Arts and New Media Department, City of Vienna Culture (MA7)
Brigitte Huck, Curator
Nora Schultz, Professor of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
Nicole Six, Artist

Sitting without voting rights
Representatives of Bank Austria

Preliminary technical examination
Competition level I: Werner Skvara
Competition level II: Peter Bauer

Submissions | Required documents:

During the conceptual design, attention must be paid to an implementation budget for materials, contractors, etc. of a maximum of EUR 55,000.

Competition stage I (submission deadline: 6.10.2026, 11 a.m.)

Completed application form
Professional CV (max. 3 DIN A4 pages)
artistic portfolio with selected works and projects documenting previous artistic practice. The portfolio should not exceed the size of 15 MB.
Textual description of the project (design idea) including a brief description of the materials, functionality, weather resistance, information on necessary structural precautions and schedule (max. 4 DIN A4 pages).
The following must be submitted bindingly: a visualization of the sculpture and a floor plan with a representation of the placement in the design space in the form of sketches, renderings or model photos (max. 4 DIN A4 pages).
The material provided is to be used for the creation: Download

Competition stage II (submission deadline: 29 January, 11 a.m.)

Note: Please note that this application deadline applies exclusively to those whose designs have been selected and positively assessed in competition level I and who have therefore been invited by the jury to participate in competition level II.

Updated concept description (max. 3 DIN A4 pages)
Presentation of the design and spatial visualization using at least 2 diagrams and/or a model and/or a cinematic visualization (max. 2 min), with everything that seems necessary to clarify the competition entry (max. 8 MB)
Presentation of the details or explanation of the construction and materials and - if available - desired procedure/company for implementation
Cost estimate (gross), including
- Material and production costs
- Fees for external services (contractors, professionals, production assistance on site, etc.)*
- Maintenance and cleaning costs
- Any additional costs incurred (e.g. transport)

* Daily allowance and meal costs cannot be reimbursed.

Decision

The following criteria are essential for the decision of the jury and the advisory board:

Artistic examination of Vienna as an art location
Artistic quality
Precision in concept and planning
Technical feasibility
Economic feasibility and feasibility

After consultation with winner, the Academy reserves the right to demand any changes - necessary for compelling, factual or economic reasons or considerations - in the course of the negotiations or in the course of implementation.

The competition winner undertakes to accept the Academy’s technical parameters and requirements during the technical pre-assessment and implementation. The recommendations of the jury and the advisory board must be followed.

Schedule

6.10.2026, 11h Stage I deadline
25.11.2026, 15:30-16:30 h Online info session (for shortlisted participants)
29.1.2027, 11 h Stage II deadline
9.2.2027, 14-18 h Jury presentations and selection
Spring 2027 Production and Placement of the sculpture
June 2027 Presentation
Until approx. June 2028 Temporary placement at the northwestern corner of Karlsplatz (on the triangular traffic island between Friedrichstraße and Operngasse) in Vienna's 1st district
Afterwards Temporary placement in Bank Austria Park by the Bank Austria

Please note that only submissions that meet all the listed criteria and are received by the deadline will be accepted. Late or incomplete submissions cannot be considered. Any travel or transportation costs incurred during the competition process will not be covered. All applicants will be notified of the outcome of the selection process by email no later than November 2026.

Contact

For further information please contact Barbara Pflanzner (b.pflanzner@akbild.ac.at, +43 1 588 16-1204)

submission form

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