Everything stays. Everything changes. The Hartware MedienKunstVerein becomes the Kunsthalle Dortmund.
At the same time, much remains unchanged. Exhibitions will continue to take place on Level 3 of the Dortmunder U, with major special exhibitions additionally presented on Level 6. As Kunsthalle Dortmund, they will continue to present an international programme of exhibitions, events and educational activities dedicated to contemporary art, with a distinctive focus on media art. The programme structure also remains the same: two major exhibitions each year, in spring and autumn, alongside our monthly Video of the Month series.
Dr Inke Arns, who has served as Director of the HMKV for more than 20 years, emphasises that the new name primarily strengthens the institution’s public visibility. The programme itself remains unchanged: Kunsthalle Dortmund will continue to present international artistic positions that engage with the social, political and technological questions of our time. The new name communicates more clearly what the institution stands for and makes it easier for new audiences to connect with our work—without leaving behind our history, identity or curatorial vision.
Until Sunday, 26 July 2026, you can still visit the HMKV exhibition Robotron. Working Class and Intelligentsia. On 26 July at 15:00, the co-curator Inke Arns will give the final public tour of the exhibition.
Afterwards, they will temporarily close for the transformation of the spaces and welcome visitors back as Kunsthalle Dortmund with the major opening exhibition, INDUSTRIAL: Silk Roads 3000, which will be presented across Levels 3 and 6 of the Dortmunder U.
Our interview with Dr. Inke Arns about the group exhibition Robotron. Working Class and Intelligentsia (published on March 14, 2026) can be read here.
Address and contact:
Kunsthalle Dortmund
Dortmunder U, Leonie-Reygers-Terrasse
44137 Dortmund, Germany
www.hmkv.dek
