art prize 2026

Preserving, shaping, and passing on artistic legacies

Artists' legacies develop over many years – in studios, in archives, in conversations. People who accompany this process are always involved: the artists themselves and those who organize, document, mediate, or make works accessible with new ideas.

Whether during one's lifetime or after an inheritance: the responsibility for a life's work raises many questions. How does one structure an estate?
What is relevant? How does a work remain vibrant for the future?
And what creative solutions can serve as models for others?

It is precisely here that impressive projects and initiatives are emerging today that not only preserve but also rethink legacy work – professionally, artistically, experimentally.

To highlight this work, the KPM Karl Peter Muller Prize for Art Estates was established by the Akademische Werkstätten e. V. (Academic Workshops Association). The prize recognizes individuals, initiatives, and projects that manage artistic estates with exceptional care and creativity, thereby setting inspiring examples.

The juried prize recognizes commitment, innovative strength and the significance of artistic lifetime achievements – and sets an example for their sustainable preservation and continued impact.