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DTdF

Merck Prize 2026

OPEN CALL
German version here

10th Merck Prize of the Darmstadt Photography Days

  • Open Call until March 15, 2026
  • The Merck Prize is endowed with €10,000 in prize money
  • Shortlist exhibition: 6 nominees will be invited


Call for entries 10th Merck Prize // Open Call

All information and the online application form can be found on this Picter platform Submissions can only be made digitally and are subject to a €25 participation fee. Go directly to the form

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.

Exhibition for the 10th Merck Prize

Six works from the open call will be nominated for the exhibition at the Museum Künstlerkolonie auf der Mathildenhöhe.

April 24 to May 3, 2026 Location: Olbrichweg

One work from this selection will then be awarded the Merck Prize, which is endowed with €10,000.



FAQs

What is the schedule?

  • Submission deadline: March 15, 2026 (until 11:59 p.m. CET)
  • 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 1, 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 p.m.
  • Exhibition of the nominated artists and the Merck Prize winner at Mathildenhöhe: April 24 – May 3, 2026

How much is the participation fee?

  • The fee is €25 per project.

Will you cover travel and production costs?

  • Selected artists who confirm their participation in the exhibition at Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt will receive: - A subsidy of up to €200 for travel expenses - A subsidy 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 will decide where the finalists' artworks will be displayed in the exhibition.
  • Unfortunately, wallpaper may not be affixed to the exhibition walls this time.
  • If the artist's work includes a video or installation: Only self-contained, robust media installations with one-button operation will be accepted.

Who gets the rights to my works?

  • 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 after the announcement and made available with rights of use for DTdF PR measures.

I am a shortlisted artist; is my artwork insured?

  • Yes, but the works are only insured for their replacement or production value.

If I am invited to Darmstadt, will my accommodation costs be covered?

  • Yes, artists who are shortlisted and confirm their participation in the opening ceremony will be accommodated in a hotel selected by the organizers from April 24 to 26, 2026.

Who awards the Merck Prize?

  • The Merck Prize is advertised and awarded by the non-profit organization Kulturprojekte.xyz gUG (limited liability) as part of and under the label of the “Darmstadt Photography Days” (DTdF).

The company Merck KGaA sponsors the prize, but does not act as the awarding body itself.

Why is a fee charged?

  • The actual organization of the festival and 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 overall budget of the festival. At the same time, organizers are always expected to contribute financially themselves. The participation fee is one such 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.

Why do artists contributing to the Merck Prize have to pay a fee?

  • The artists who actually exhibit benefit from the participation fee in several ways, including: - Support with production costs - Contribution to travel and accommodation costs up to a certain maximum amount - PR through various channels - An exhibition with a vernissage - 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 a participation fee underlines the seriousness of the contributors. It should not be underestimated that all submitted portfolios are reviewed by all curators, who can then use their expanded knowledge in other contexts.

Is a participation fee common for open calls for entries?

  • There are both free and paid competitions. We have decided to charge a participation fee for the reasons mentioned above – and look forward to receiving your application!

What is the Mathildenhöhe and where is it located?

  • The Mathildenhöhe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in Darmstadt, Hesse. Further information can be found here: Mathildenhöhe. The exhibition of the finalists and the award ceremony will take place in the sculptors' studios.


With the kind support of – since 2005

MERCK