KIEL.- The Kunsthalle zu Kiel of Kiel University announced the appointment of Stefanie Böttcher as its new director. She will take up her post in September 2026.

The Kunsthalle zu Kiel is a unique institution in northern Germany, a role reinforced by its setting on the Baltic Sea. Since 1971, it has been an independent institution of Kiel University and is also home to the Schleswig-Holstein Art Association that was founded in 1843. The collection is characterized by its focus on 19th century art, expressionism and international contemporary art.

"We are very proud of this cultural flagship, which combines research and teaching with social transfer and at the same time enriches the cultural life of the city of Kiel and the state of Schleswig-Holstein. I am very pleased that, with Ms Böttcher, we are entering and shaping an exciting new phase for this special institution." says Claudia Ricarda Meyer, Chancellor of Kiel University.

Böttcher's appointment is of great significance for Kiel University, the city of Kiel and the state of Schleswig-Holstein: during the current renovation-related closure, the Kunsthalle will remain accessible as a museum institution at external locations. Upon reopening, it will emerge as a vibrant venue for art, research and the public, meeting current requirements while securing its regional and national significance.

"We are leaving our traditional walls behind in order to breathe new life into our connection with the city and its residents. I am very much looking forward to the challenges and opportunities this period will bring, and the many artistic voices that will resound in public spaces and in society. Furthermore, I am thrilled about the location of an art museum by the sea, which is unique in Germany. The sea is a space for meditation, communication and transit, and a place where geological and climatic upheavals are evident. It forms a microcosm in which contemporary changes are taking place and which is not isolated but connected to the whole world. A location on the periphery suddenly transforms into a hub where the questions and conflicts of our time converge. I am excited to discover and utilise the effects of this location – both in terms of content and structure." says Böttcher.

Stefanie Böttcher (born 1978) is an art historian and curator. She has been director of the Kunsthalle Mainz since 2015. Here she has curated solo exhibitions with Rabih Mroué, Lara Favaretto, Joachim Koester, Latifa Echakhch and Walid Raad, among others. Another focus has been on thematic group exhibitions dedicated to airspace, human and natural rights, and digital spaces. In 2017, she was curator of the Icelandic Pavilion at the Biennale Arte di Venezia. From 2007 to 2013, she worked as artistic director at the Künstler:innenhaus Bremen, where she presented young international artists such as Lara Almarcegui, Ahmet Öğüt and Kateřina Šedá for the first time in solo exhibitions in Germany. She has been a guest curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgrade and the Museum of Contemporary Art Novi Sad, among others. Stefanie Böttcher regularly publishes on artists and topics related to contemporary art.