Organizer Information
The Munich Creative Business Week (mcbw) is Germany's largest design event and the international showcase for the Bavarian creative and design industry. It brings together designers, businesses, and students across design, architecture, and related disciplines for a nine-day programme of exhibitions, talks, and interdisciplinary exchange each May. mcbw is organized by bayern design GmbH, Bavaria's competence center for knowledge transfer and collaboration in design, which supports the implementation of the Free State of Bavaria's design funding programme and is backed by the sponsoring association bayern design forum e.V. (founded 1987). mcbw is a member of World Design Weeks, a global network of more than 40 design events. The 2026 edition of mcbw drew 200+ partners, 300+ speakers, and 60,000+ social media followers, with public space installations forming a recurring, high-visibility part of the programme.
Title & Description
Open Call – mcbw Public Space 2027
This is an open call for design professionals — established studios, brands, and emerging collectives alike — to design and realize a large-scale, interactive public installation for mcbw 2027, staged at a prominent public location in Munich. The commissioned installation must translate mcbw 2027's annual theme, "SIGNAL — NOISE," into a spectacular, immersive, and highly photogenic experience that invites the public to walk into, touch, and engage with it directly. Selection is based on the strength and originality of the concept rather than the applicant's size or track record.
Theme
SIGNAL — NOISE (mcbw 2027 annual theme). The call describes this as an exploration of how to distinguish meaningful signals from the noise of constant information and stimuli — described as "perceptual intelligence" — and asks applicants to consider how design can bring clarity, shape attention, and translate signals into tangible products, spaces, services, or technologies.
Categories
- Public Art
- Design
- Installation
- Interdisciplinary Arts
Eligibility
- Open to design professionals internationally — both established studios/brands and emerging collectives
- No stated restriction by nationality, career stage, or discipline within design
- Selection criteria are based on the strength and relevance of the submitted concept, not organizational size or prior experience
Program Benefits & Awards
- A production budget of €30,000, provided by bayern design, to cover the entire installation across all phases (concept, development, planning, visualization, implementation/assembly, handover, support, and dismantling) — this figure is fixed with no scope for renegotiation
- Coverage of electricity costs for illumination of the installation
- bayern design handles location scouting, permit applications, and applying for the electricity supply
- The installation is covered under Bayern Design's event organizer liability insurance
- bayern design organizes and funds the signage/labelling for the installation
- Promotion via mcbw's social media channels, newsletters, the mcbw magazine, the online programme, press coverage, and a video documentary
- Regular check-ins and collaborative support from the bayern design team throughout development
- A completed, publicly launched exhibition project for the selected partner's portfolio
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 5 October 2026
- Commissioning of Selected Partner: 19 October 2026
- Final Concept & Plans Due for Approval: End of November 2026
- Development Period: December 2026 – March 2027
- Prototype of Installation Due: March 2027
- Completion of Exhibition Pieces: End of April 2027
- Assembly, Presentation & Dismantling: May 10–16, 2027 (or longer, installation intended to run 10 days up to 4 weeks)
- mcbw 2027 Event Dates: May 10–16, 2027
Location
Munich, Germany
Additional Details
- The installation must be exhibited in public space for at least 10 days and up to 4 weeks, ideally accessible around the clock
- The installation must be wind- and weather-resistant, vandal-proof, and require minimal additional security
- It must be clearly labelled/marked as part of mcbw (pillar, plaque, or similar, in consultation with bayern design)
- Storage, assembly, and dismantling should minimize impact on lawn/public space, as restoration costs (borne by bayern design) can be significant
- The selected partner is responsible for the entire project process — concept through implementation, execution, and on-site supervision during mcbw — and must keep all costs, including technical equipment and lighting, within the fixed €30,000 budget
- No explicit commercial use of the installation is permitted; this must be considered in any sponsorship arrangements
- Applicants requiring water for their concept must apply for this themselves