Ravensburger Kunstnacht

Ravensburger Kunstnacht — 25 Locations for One Night

The Ravensburger Kunstnacht has been one of Upper Swabia's most important contemporary cultural events for years. On September 18, 2026, the next edition will run from 6 PM to 11 PM throughout Ravensburg's Old Town. 25 art locations open their doors for one night — museums, galleries, studios, shop windows, offices, even private workshops and law firms become exhibition spaces.

The Blue Fluorescent Tubes

A characteristic feature of the Ravensburger Kunstnacht are the blue fluorescent tubes that mark each participating location. The tubes are installed to be visible both at the entrance and in the shop window fronts. This gives the festival a visual signature that extends throughout the Old Town — in the dark, it creates a network of blue dots that makes navigation from one art location to another intuitive. You hardly need a map to navigate the night — the blue tubes will guide you.

What You'll Experience

The program is spread across the 25 locations and varies per venue:

• Museums like the Humpis-Quartier Museum, the Kunstmuseum Ravensburg, and smaller collections open their special exhibitions with guided evening tours
• Galleries present openings, performances, and artist talks
• Studios of Ravensburg artists — many painters, sculptors, photographers, and printmakers open their workspaces, which is otherwise rarely possible
• Shop windows become art spaces — designers, fashion, jewelry, sometimes experimental installations
• Concerts in small venues, often chamber music, jazz, experimental
• Performances and readings throughout the night

The Opening in the Friedenshof

The festival opening typically takes place at 5:30 PM in the newly designed Friedenshof of the St. Jodok Church. Students from the Welfen Gymnasium present works on the theme of "Peace," prepared during art classes — a deliberate educational anchor that publicly bridges the gap between school and the art scene. Afterwards, from 6 PM, all 25 art locations open.

The KAPUZINER Cultural Center as a Program Focus

The socio-cultural center KAPUZINER at Kapuzinerstraße 27a is one of the most important program focuses and one of the co-organizers. During the Kunstnacht, several parallel program points run there — light festivals, DHBW workshop exhibitions, open artist studios, concerts, performances. Visiting KAPUZINER allows you to see more in one hour than elsewhere in two.

Ravensburg — City of Towers and Culture

Ravensburg is one of the most beautiful medieval townscapes in Southern Germany. With the Mehlsack (iconic tower), the Blaserturm, the Frauentor, and the intact city wall, the Old Town preserves an image that must have looked similar in the 16th century. The Kunstnacht uses this substance and places contemporary art within the historical heritage — a tension that characterizes the festival.