documenta 16 (2027)

documenta is one of the most important exhibitions of contemporary art in the world, held in Kassel, Germany, roughly every five years. Its 16th edition, documenta 16, runs for 100 days from 12 June to 19 September 2027. The artistic director is Naomi Beckwith, deputy director and chief curator of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, who works with an all-women artistic team: Carla Acevedo-Yates, Romi Crawford, Mayra A. Rodríguez Castro and Xiaoyu Weng.

Each edition is curated from scratch by a new artistic director, so no two are alike. documenta is less a fair or a biennial than a statement about where art and society stand, and its exhibitions spread across museums, public buildings, parks and unexpected spaces throughout the city.

About documenta

The first documenta opened in Kassel on 15 July 1955, founded by the artist and curator Arnold Bode. Ten years after the Second World War, it set out to reconnect Germany with the modern art that the Nazi regime had banned, and drew around 130,000 visitors. Since then fifteen editions have taken place, and documenta has become a landmark in the international art calendar, with artistic directors such as Harald Szeemann, Catherine David, Okwui Enwezor and the Indonesian collective ruangrupa.

The exhibition is organised by documenta und Museum Fridericianum, the institution that also runs the Fridericianum, one of the oldest public museum buildings in Europe and a traditional centre of the exhibition.

What to Expect

• A new curatorial vision: the theme, title and artist list of documenta 16 are developed by Naomi Beckwith and her team and announced in the run-up to the opening
• Art across the city: documenta traditionally occupies museums, halls, parks and public spaces throughout Kassel
• Contemporary art in every medium: painting, sculpture, installation, film, performance and work that goes beyond the gallery
• Programmes and publications: talks, education programmes and a learning programme are part of every edition
• Long opening hours over 100 days, making it possible to visit more than once

documenta 16 Programme

The exhibition opens on Saturday 12 June 2027 and closes on Sunday 19 September 2027. Details of the venues, participating artists and programme are released by documenta in stages; the official documenta 16 website publishes news, ticket information and a learning section as they become available.

Who Is It For?

• Artists and art students who want to see where contemporary art is heading
• Curators, critics and collectors from around the world
• Teachers and students, for whom documenta offers education programmes
• Anyone interested in how art responds to politics and society
• Visitors to Germany in summer 2027

Tickets

Tickets are sold through the official website. Previous editions offered day tickets, two-day tickets and season passes, with reductions for students and groups, but prices and ticket types for 2027 are announced by the organisers before the opening.

Tips for Artists and Students

documenta is big, and its exhibitions are spread out, so treat your visit as a project. Read about the artistic team and the curatorial ideas before you go: knowing the questions the exhibition asks makes the works easier to approach. Many visitors plan at least two days, one for the main venues and one for the works scattered across the city and its parks.

For art students, the exhibition is a chance to see how a large exhibition is built: how works are placed in buildings with their own history, how the city itself becomes part of the show, and how education and public programmes extend the exhibition beyond the galleries. Keep a sketchbook or notebook; many of the strongest experiences are works you stumble on between venues.

Planning Your Visit

Kassel is a mid-sized city in the centre of Germany, well connected by rail. The Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe station has direct ICE trains from Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. During the exhibition, hotels fill up early, so book as soon as your dates are fixed, or stay in nearby Göttingen or Fulda and commute.

Things to Know

• Duration: 100 days, from 12 June to 19 September 2027.
• Getting around: most venues are reachable on foot or by tram from the city centre.
• Time: plan at least two days for a thorough visit.
• Summer weather: Kassel can be hot in July and August; bring water for walks between venues.
• Updates: follow the official website and newsletter for venue and artist announcements.

Attend documenta 16

Planning a visit?

Visit documenta 16

Tickets, news and visitor information are on the official documenta 16 website.

Looking for more to see? Browse all events, festivals and exhibitions on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: October 26, 2026