PHOTO / MEDIA ART FAIR 2026: Your Complete Visitor Guide

PHOTO / MEDIA ART FAIR is part of the Contemporary Art Ruhr (C.A.R.) platform, focused on photography, video art, media art, virtual reality, light art, digital installations, and experimental forms. It’s held in the iconic industrial context of the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex (a UNESCO World Heritage site), which provides a unique architectural backdrop for media and visual works.

The fair attracts galleries, media artists, and institutions committed to exploring the boundaries of image, technology, and perception. It serves both as an exhibition space and marketplace for emerging and established artists in media arts.

• By public transport: Tram and bus from Essen Hauptbahnhof → Zollverein
• By car: Parking available at the Zollverein complex
• Address for GPS: Gelsenkirchener Straße 181, 45309 Essen, Germany

🏨 Accommodation: We recommend staying near the Zollverein site or in central Essen for easy access
🛂 Visa: International visitors check requirements early! 🌐

❓ Why Visit?

• To discover cutting-edge photography and media art in one of Europe’s most unique cultural venues
• To experience immersive installations that blend light, sound, and technology
• To meet galleries, institutions, and independent artists from across Europe and beyond
• To explore the Zollverein UNESCO World Heritage Site, a masterpiece of industrial architecture
• To connect with the Ruhr region’s vibrant art scene and its international network

📅 Origins & Launch:

• 2006 – C.A.R. is founded at Zollverein as a new type of art fair with focus on media art
• 2006–2010s – Growth into a two-fair model: :

Spring: PHOTO / MEDIA ART FAIR (focus on photography and media)
Autumn: INNOVATIVE ART FAIR (wider contemporary practices)

• 2010s – International expansion, curated video lounges, film screenings, and collaborations like Directors Lounge
• 2020s – Strong presence of galleries and institutions across Europe, continuous use of multiple Zollverein halls, and addition of talks & workshops
• 2026 – Next edition confirmed: 20–22 March (Photo/Media) and 16–18 October (Innovative)

The PHOTO / MEDIA ART FAIR exists to provide a platform and marketplace for visionary forms of media art.

Its mission is to:

• 🎥 Highlight contemporary photography, video, and digital art
• 🌍 Strengthen the Ruhr art market while staying globally relevant
• 💡 Encourage innovation and experimentation in media arts
• 🏭 Connect the industrial history of Zollverein with the digital future of culture

Here, the past and future collide — the raw material world of coal and steel gives way to flickering pixels, sound waves, and luminous projections.