Competition: Art in Public Space - Akbild x Bank Austria

Objective
As part of the project Die Summe der einzelnen Teile, the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, in cooperation with Bank Austria, is launching a competition for the realisation of a sculpture in public space. From 2027, the work will be installed temporarily – for approximately one year – at the "Spitz", on the area between Friedrichstraße and Operngasse, within the visual axis of the Academy building. The aim is to give graduates of the Academy visibility through a sculpture in public space and to activate the urban environment as a publicly accessible exhibition space. Accompanying the artwork, a booklet with images and texts will be published. After the initial presentation period, the sculpture will be given a further temporary placement in the Bank Austria Park (also known as the André-Heller-Kunstpark) in Vienna's 21st district.

With the project package Die Summe der einzelnen Teile, the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and Bank Austria are creating a joint art and support platform to strengthen Vienna as a location for the arts. Its central components include, alongside the awarding of funding scholarships to students (Die Summe), the realisation of a temporary sculpture in public space by a graduate (Die Teile), as well as a discursive format addressing Vienna's international positioning as a contemporary art destination (Die Summe der einzelnen Teile). The project title refers to the question of when and how an arts location benefits from synergies, such that the whole becomes more than the mere sum of its parts.

Eligibility
The open call is addressed exclusively to alumni of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna.
Individual artists, collectives, and cooperative working groups are all eligible to apply. The fee is calculated per submission and not according to the number of applicants involved.

Project Scope
The competition calls for a representative sculptural work that makes a statement about Vienna as a location for the arts.  Projects pursuing commercial, party-political, or religious purposes will not be considered.

Project Duration
The winning project will be installed for approximately one year at the "Spitz" on the area between Friedrichstraße and Operngasse in Vienna's 1st district. Production and realization are planned in spring 2027, with a public presentation of the sculpture scheduled for June 2027. Following the initial presentation period, the sculpture will be given a further temporary placement in the Bank Austria Park (also known as the André-Heller-Kunstpark) in Vienna's 21st district. Bank Austria will be responsible for the subsequent use, including dismantling, transport, and reinstallation.

Prize 
The winning project will receive a prize of 20,000 euros (including VAT).  All other artists advancing to Competition Stage II will receive a participation fee of 2,000 euros each (VAT included).

Selection Process
This is a two-stage competition.

Competition Stage I
In the first stage, the jury will select up to five submissions whose project sketches and artistic practice proved compelling. These will subsequently be reviewed by a structural engineer and, upon positive assessment, advance to the second stage, for which the participating artists will be commissioned to develop detailed proposals. A development contract will be drawn up for this purpose. The payment of the participation fee is conditional upon the conclusion of this development contract. The participation fee covers all work and incidental expenses in full.

Competition Stage II
Nominated artists will be asked to develop a more detailed proposal, which will be presented to the jury on February 9, 2027. It is intended that nominated artists present their project in person to the jury during the jury session, enabling direct dialogue with jury members (digital presentation is possible in exceptional cases).

Any travel costs incurred for this appointment cannot be reimbursed. The jury will select one winning project for realization and temporary installation at the "Spitz".

Jury
Chair
Johan F. Hartle, Rector, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna

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

Non-voting member
Representatives of Bank Austria

Submission Requirements
When developing the concept, a production budget for materials, specialist contractors, etc. of a maximum of EUR 55,000 must be taken into account.

Timeline
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: Installation at the “Spitz”
Afterwards: Installation at Bank Austria Park by Bank Austria