Karlsruhe launches 2026 Schlosslichtspiele and media art exhibition

The Schlosslichtspiele 2026 festival begins in Karlsruhe, running from August 13 to September 13. This year’s event follows the theme ‘Lightyard Stories: Visions of Urban Living Spaces,’ honoring architect Friedrich Weinbrenner on the 200th anniversary of his death. The festival features projection mapping shows by winners of the BBBank Award, including Henry Hu from Singapore, Studio Moebius X Three Oscillators from India, and Metanoia from the Czech Republic.

In conjunction with the festival, the city is hosting an open-air media art exhibition titled ‘Media art is here.’ As a UNESCO City of Media Arts, Karlsruhe has transformed its city center into a public gallery featuring 15 pieces. One notable installation is ‘Urban Flowers’ by South Korean artist SangDoo Nam, located at Stephansplatz. The piece functions as a trading station where visitors can exchange images for personal stories, a concept inspired by blockchain technology to illustrate the value of human interaction.