Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain

The theme that earned Frankfurt RheinMain the title of World Design Capital, “Design for Democracy. Atmospheres for a better life,” is much more than just a slogan. It is rather an attitude and an invitation to actively participate in shaping our living spaces, our democracy, in short: how we want to live.

The Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain is one of the largest sponsors of World Design Capital 2026 and supports and initiates high-quality art and cultural projects under this umbrella.

The funded projects not only combine design and art with the big questions of our coexistence, they are also implemented in close cooperation with numerous project partners and municipalities throughout the region.

The range of projects is diverse: ten “DemokratieKioske” in as many municipalities are becoming places for participatory cultural work. With “Hooked on a Book,” Rimini Protokoll brings together two people who encounter each other in surprising ways while reading together. Some municipalities are integrating an “unboxing” of iconic design objects by artists into their projects, young people are developing their own “Slam for Democracy” with poetry slammers, the Turbo Pascal group is strengthening social cohesion through artistic participation, and the WAVA collective is designing a virtual exhibition platform that brings new art forms to life via augmented reality at eight locations in the Main-Taunus district.

Further highlights from the joint funding portfolio: An exhibition at the Stadtmuseum Wiesbaden puts industrial designer and Bauhaus master Christian Dell in the spotlight. The Jewish Museum is dedicating itself to the multifaceted concept of family under the title “Mishpocha.” The city of Flörsheim is redesigning its Opel Bridge in collaboration with graffiti artists, and the Mathildenhöhe Institute is taking a contemporary look at its hundred-year history with the exhibition “A Step Ahead.”