Office for Art in Public Space 

Our Tasks

The Office for Art in Public Space initiates and promotes transparent competitions for art in public space and art in architecture.

Initiating art competitions and advising artists, public administrations, clients and architects are the core tasks of the Office for Art in Public Space.

The Office

  • lobbies for artists' professional interests.
  • advocates democratic art competitions and transparent decision-making procedures. 
  • supports and advises the public administrations of the State of Berlin and its districts in the implementation of the Anweisung Bau für Kunst am Bau und im Stadtraum (Construction directive for art in architecture and urban space).
  • is an integral part and initiator of projects being realised by the district committees for art in public space, the Senate Department for Culture and Europe, and the Senate Department for Urban Development.
  • is an expert for procedural questions, and supervises all art competitions.
  • qualifies awarders for the implementation of art competitions.
  • qualifies artists to take part in art competitions and to carry out coordination, preliminary examination and jury work in competitions.
  • advises and supports artists with their projects for art in architecture and urban space.
  • operates the "KiöR artists database" with portfolios/reference materials and an online database of artists currently comprising around 650 artists and teams available for competitions which are not open.
  • is in charge of the specialist commission for art in public space at the bbk berlin, which develops proposals for restricted competitions and artistic projects on the basis of the KiöR artists' database.
  • publishes the specialist journal kunststadt/stadtkunst, which reports on competition procedures, discusses international projects and discourses on art in public space, and deals with cultural policy issues.

Team

Dr. Elfriede Müller, head

Born 1957 in Mainz, Germany, historian, literary scholar, bookseller, publishing house clerk, translator. From 1980 to 1987 she worked in the Paris art book trade, studied in Freiburg/Br. from 1987 to 1993, in Berlin from 1993. Since 1994 working in the office for art in public space.

Leiterin Dr. Elfriede Müller

Martin Schönfeld

Born 1963 in Berlin, studied art history and sociology in Heidelberg, Bonn and Berlin, since 2000 working the office for art in public space.

Martin Schönfeld

Britta Schubert

Born 1970 in Göttingen, studied sociology, political science, folklore and conflict mediation in Göttingen and Potsdam. Since 2005 working in the office for art in public space.

Britta Schubert

Katinka Theis

Born in Freiburg in 1975, studied sculpture from 1996 - 2000 at the Alanus University of Art and Society Bonn. 2007 - 2009 Master's program "Spatial Strategies" at the Art Academy Berlin-Weißensee. Since 2021 working in the office for art in public space.

Büro für Kunst im öffentlichen Raum im Kulturwerk des bbk berlin GmbH
Köthener Straße 44, 10963 Berlin
Stadtplan - Google-Maps (external link)

Team:

Elfriede Müller (head): tel 030 230899-31
e.mueller@bbk-kulturwerk.de

Martin Schönfeld: tel 030 230899-30
kioer@bbk-kulturwerk.de

Britta Schubert:
stadtkunst@bbk-kulturwerk.de

Katinka Theis:
k.theis@bbk-kulturwerk.de

Office Hours:

by telephone agreement