n.b.k. is a site of contemporary art and discourse production. It was founded in 1969 with the goal of presenting contemporary fine art to a broader public, and to invite that public to actively participate in cultural processes. The promotion of recent artistic developments and the need to underline the social importance of current contemporary art are important to both n.b.k. and its partners. With its its exhibition program, events, cooperation projects, and publication series, NBK sees itself as a workshop of ideas, and as a lively place for Berlin’s art world.

n.b.k. shows exhibitions about contemporary art that are complemented by other events. ‘visuality’, ‘transculturalism’, ‘publicity’, and ‘Berlin’ are the thematic emphases. Solo shows and group shows, also in cooperation with guest curators and other institutions, open up aesthetic realms of experience for the public. The exhibitions and projects at n.b.k. contribute to discovering and actively helping to shape new European cultural landscapes in a global context in order to sensitize society for the phenomena of transculturalism.

n.b.k. with its Artothek (collection of art works available for loan) and Video–Forum is a place of aesthetic experience, of engagement with contemporary art, and open discussion on social topics. In 1970, n.b.k. founded one of Germany’s first ‘arthotheks’ from which art enthusiasts can borrow from over 4,000 works of international art from twentieth and twenty first century. With the Video-Forum, n.b.k. possesess a collection of over 1,300 international art videos that has constantly been expanding its founding in 1971. Presentations and screenings relevant to the collection explore current and historical developments of video art.

The residency program of n.b.k. with its studio apartment offers fellows the opportunity to explore Berlin and develop projects.

Video Forum;Collection, Research, Information, Debate:

Founded in 1971 as an artists initiative, the Video-Forum with its over 1,000 works of video art is the oldest collection of video art in Germany. The focal points of the collection are Fluxus, feminist video, historical and contemporary video art of Berlin, as well as approaches reflecting on the media. Key works by Marina Abramovih, Rebecca Horn, Bruce Nauman, Nam June Paik, Ulrike Rosenbach, Bill Viola or Wolf Vostell dating back to the early phase of video art are represented on an equal footing with contemporary productions by Reynold Reynolds, Corinna Schnitt, Hito Steyerl or Hague Yang. Over the last few years, a particular emphasis on art from Eastern Europe has developed, with pieces by artists such as Olga Chernysheva, Clin Dan, Oleg Kulik, Zoran Naskovski or Tanja Ostoji. The Video-Forum regularly co-produces new works and organises regular screenings and projects relating to video art.

Artothek; collection, loan, art education, artist support programme:
Set up in 1970, the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein’s lending library for artworks, the Artothek–the largest such institution in Germany–comprises 4,000 works from the 20th and 21st century, which private individuals and public institutions may borrow. The Artothek notches up around 11,000 loans a year. The program Artothek mobil creats exhibitions for public institutions, schools, and businesses. With the new design of the usage zones, n.b.k. will be presenting the Artothek collection with changing thematic emphases and in various forms of presentation. The collection is made up of paintings, sculptures, watercolours, collages, gouaches, drawings, prints and photographs. It serves as a useful instrument to support Berlin-based artists thanks to the new works the n.b.k. acquires for the Artothek every year.

Neuer Berliner Kunstverein presents approximately 10 exhibitions each year.

Most outstanding projects in recent years:

“Silke Wagner”, “German Angst”, “Art and Publicity”, “Thomas Kilpper”, “Hito Steyerl”, “Sounds. Radio-Art-New Music”, “Ciprian Muresan”, “Hartmut Bitomsky”, “Gruppenbild”, “Freedom Of Speech.”

Discourse: The event series n.b.k. Discourse began in the summer of 2008. n.b.k. conceives its discourse program as a conversation among the institution, the public, and members, from which ideas for the ongoing institutional work and its content grows.

Workshops, seminars, interventions, screenings, and symposia over several days are planned, inviting visitors to participate actively. Artists whose works are exhibited, guests of our residency program, and speakers develop outreach formats in cooperation with n.b.k., that can make different artistic and curatorial approaches and thematic issues productive.

NBK presents video screenings, lectures, guided tours; video art history, documentality and performativity.

Artothek: The art education programme helps to make art and artists accessible to private users as well as to institutions and schools. In re-inventing the Artothek and extending its educational activities, the n.b.k. is pursuing the democratic notion of cultural education for all.

Students from UniversitŠt der KŸnste design temporary projects together with n.b.k. With this practical element, artists can gain a sense of how institutional spaces operate and collect their first professional experiences. n.b.k. understands itself as a platform for the young art scene in Berlin. The residency program of n.b.k. with its studio apartment in the renovated garden city Atlantic, Berlin-Gesundbrunnen offers fellows the opportunity to explore Berlin and develop projects. In 2009, n.b.k. began participating as a site of contemporary art and discourse production in the eipcp network (europan institute for progressive cultural policies), an organization of European art and cultural institutions.

Together with Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König, n.b.k. publishes a book series to correlate with each of the three programming strands; ‘n.b.k. Exhibitions’, ‘n.b.k. Discourse’, and ‘n.b.k. Berlin’. Approximately 10-12 ‘n.b.k. Concert’ (DVD series) are also produced each year.

Exhibition space 400 qm / Showroom 24 qm.