SCHLOSSLICHTSPIELE Light Festival Karlsruhe 2026

One of Europe's largest audiovisual open-air artworks

Since 2015, the SCHLOSSLICHTSPIELE Light Festival has transformed Karlsruhe Palace into a gigantic screen every summer. From August 13 to September 13, 2026, the 12th edition will run — for four weeks, international artists will project large-scale video mappings onto the approximately 170-meter-long Baroque facade daily from dusk. Over two million visitors have attended the festival since its premiere; it is considered one of the largest audiovisual open-air artworks in Europe. Admission is free.

2026 Theme — Weinbrenner and Urban Spaces

This year's festival is dedicated to the Weinbrenner Year: 2026 marks the 200th anniversary of the death of Friedrich Weinbrenner, Karlsruhe's influential city architect. The theme "Lightyard Stories: Visions of Urban Living Spaces" picks up on his vision of the classical city and extends it into the 21st century. Three international acts have won the BBBank Award 2026 and will each present a newly produced mapping: Henry Hu (Singapore) with "Mirage", Studio Moebius X Three Oscillators (India) with "RE:STRUCT", and Metanoia Creatives (Czech Republic) with "Metabolism". These three pieces will be shown in the daily rotating program.

Special Show "On Fire — 100 Years of the Professional Fire Brigade"

In addition to the competition program, the 2026 festival features a special show for the 100th anniversary of the Karlsruhe Professional Fire Brigade — "On Fire". The show combines archival material, animations, and live-composed music in a tribute to the history of the city's fire department.

Palace District and Free Admission

The venue is the expansive Palace District in the heart of Karlsruhe. The spectator lawn in front of the palace can accommodate thousands — blankets, folding chairs, and picnic baskets are welcome. Complementary catering stands are available in the Palace Garden. Admission to all performances is and remains free — a conscious decision by the City of Karlsruhe to offer the festival as a democratic cultural experience.

Karlsruhe — City of Fans and Media Art

Karlsruhe is the second-largest city in Baden-Württemberg (approx. 305,000 inhabitants) and home to the Federal Constitutional Court and the Federal Court of Justice. The city is famous for its fan-shaped layout — developed by Friedrich Weinbrenner — and for the ZKM | Center for Art and Media, one of the world's leading institutions for media art. SCHLOSSLICHTSPIELE continues this tradition, using the city's most defining building as a stage for digital art.

Organizers and Sponsors

The organizer is KME Karlsruhe Marketing und Event GmbH. The main sponsor is BBBank, which has also endowed the artistic competition prize for years. Further supporters and partners from the city and the state of Baden-Württemberg contribute to the festival.