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More than 400 artists, 46 venues, and around 50 events: The 29th Aachen Art Route will take place from September 25 to 27, 2026. Museums, galleries, artist-run spaces, artist collectives, and unique cultural venues will open their doors to present a broad spectrum of contemporary art. 170 artists will be present at the exhibition venues at various times. Interaction and dialogue are strongly encouraged. “This is a massive program,” says Heinrich Hübsch, organizer and chairman of Aachener Kunstroute e. V. Admission is free at all venues—including new ones added this year.

The art route will open on Friday, September 25, at 8 p.m. with a vernissage in the historic Aula Carolina, located at Pontstraße 9. On Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27, the venues will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Some locations—marked in blue on the program—will even be open for visitors until 10 p.m. on Saturday.

It’s a concept that continues to inspire Aachen’s Director of Cultural Affairs, Heinrich Brötz, year after year. “For me, the Art Route has become a fixture on my annual calendar. For many people, it’s also a kind of vacation. We have a lot of culture in Aachen, but we don’t have that many offerings in the visual arts. The Art Route is a statement in this regard—a kind of beacon. Rarely has the Art Route been as important as it is now: Art needs to be seen, especially in times like these,” Brötz is convinced.

The Art Route connects established art venues with new galleries and unique spaces that are opening their doors to visitors specifically for this weekend. The event features artists from Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, as well as from beyond our region—including Lithuania, Scotland, the U.S., and the Czech Republic. Creativity, then, is boundless in the best sense of the word.

“I am particularly pleased with the wide range of fellow artists we are able to present this year; the lineup includes both well-known names and young, emerging talents,” says Heinrich Hüsch. The diversity of the participating artists and exhibition venues is what makes the art route so special.

About 50 events round out the exhibition program. Guided tours, concerts, art cafés, and unique events such as a “visual-auditory dragon bath” invite visitors to experience art in a wide variety of ways.

Brita Hoog of the Aachen Art Route association also expects a large turnout: “We’re anticipating more than 25,000 visitors to the stations again.” An additional incentive is the “Artwork of Your Choice” contest: Anyone who visits more than four stops can enter and, with a little luck, win an artwork of their choice worth up to 500 euros.

Heinrich Hüsch recommends starting the visit with the main exhibition and the information desk in the Aula Carolina. There, everyone can get their bearings and plan their own personal route through Aachen’s art scene.

A comprehensive brochure listing all the stops, exhibitions, events, a map, and opening hours will be available at the participating venues during the art tour; at some venues, it will be available even before the tour begins.

For more information and the complete program, visit www.aachenerkunstroute.de.