About us

The Kunstverein

Founded in late 1984 as a grassroots initiative and non-profit organization dedicated to contemporary visual art, Dortmunder Kunstverein has grown into a vital presence within the city’s cultural landscape. Since 2022, it has been located in new premises just steps away from the Dortmunder U – Center for Art and Creativity.

Through three solo and group exhibitions each year, showcasing both national and international positions, the Kunstverein fosters artistic exchange and social reflection. A wide-ranging public program—featuring conversations with artists and experts, performances, guided tours, film screenings, lectures, and publications—offers an open forum for exploring relevant ideas in contemporary art and society.

In 2023, Dortmunder Kunstverein received the ADKV–ART COLOGNE Preis für Kunstvereine (Prize for art associations). Presented annually since 2006, the prize honors one of over 300 Kunstvereine across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland for its innovative programn. In 2025, Dortmunder Kunstverein received the *WESTSTERN Award in the category "Outstanding Exhibition" for Latefa Wiersch – Hannibal .