Short Description
The Giga-Hertz Prize for electronic music and sound art has been awarded by ZKM | Karlsruhe and the SWR Experimentalstudio since 2007. With entries from over 40 countries per call, it is one of the most prestigious awards internationally. This year, ZKM | Karlsruhe offers a total prize fund of €25,000. The award ceremony will happen during the Giga-Hertz Festival 2025, happening from the 20th to 22nd of November.
Eligibility
Applicants (individuals or collectives) must submit one composition (maximum five years old) and a proposal for a not-yet-realized work lasting up to 20 minutes. Excerpts of the two prize-winning compositions will be performed by composers during the award ceremony.
– Theme: We encourage work proposals aligning with our theme of »Fellow Futures«, critically engaging with listening politics and amplifying voices that challenge linear, exclusionary narratives.
Submission Requirements
- Short biography in English (max. 1,000 characters, including spaces)
- Description of the submitted work in English (max. 1,500 characters, including spaces)
- Audio file (.mp3, .wav) or video file (1920×1080 px, h264 codec, 50 fps; .mov or .mp4) including technical details and, optionally, score and images.
- Professional portrait photo (minimum 300 dpi, landscape, with free usage for press)
How to Apply
Online Application
Program Benefits & Awards
Two Production Awards, each with a prize of €5,000, are available for composers, sound artists, and artist-researchers working in electronic and electroacoustic music.
The awarded project will be produced at ZKM I Hertzlab or SWR Experimentalstudio and will premiere at ZKM I KUBUS in 2026. Learn more about the production facilities at ZKM I Hertzlab and SWR Experimentalstudio here: ZKM I Hertzlab, SWR Experimentalstudio. The production residency lasts three weeks at the SWR Experimentalstudio and four weeks at ZKM I Hertzlab. The production award of €5,000 is intended to fully compensate for travel, accomodation, artist fees, material costs and performance costs.
Entry Fee
None
Location
Karlsruhe, Germany
Timeline
- Application Deadline: 1 July 2025
Website Link: https://zkm.de/en/open-call-giga-hertz-award-2025
