OPEN CALL

The Threshold – Between Inside and Outside

BB Labor is a space for photography, consisting of an analogue photo lab with a lab community and a shop window as an exhibition space.

You can find more information about BB Labor and our work here.

Starting in autumn 2026, we would like to open the right window of BB Labor regularly as an exhibition space for photographic and photography-based artistic positions.

Dimensions of the window: 244 × 180 × 77 cm
(W × H × D)

For this purpose, we are launching our first OPEN CALL.

Application deadline: September 20, 2026

The theme of the first Open Call is "The Threshold – Between Inside and Outside".

The architectural threshold marks a transition, a zone of uncertainty and potential. The right window of BB Labor acts as a stage for an artistic engagement with this liminal space. It is a place where intimacy meets the public sphere, where the interior pushes outward, and the exterior is mirrored on the inside. A place of subconscious perception in passing or of spontaneous lingering.

We are looking for artistic works and exhibition concepts that do not merely depict this duality, but make it tangible. How does photography present itself in dialogue with the passing glance? How does natural daylight affect the image compared to artificial night lighting?

Particularly welcome are installative approaches that integrate the medium of photography while stepping into the space—whether through a dialogue with other media such as sculpture, architecture, or film, or through light-based installations.


Exhibition Period

The first exhibition cycle runs from October 2026 to March 2027. During this period, three exhibitions will take place, each lasting about two months.

The following timeframes are planned:
October – November 2026
December 2026 – January 2027
February – March 2027

When applying, you can either specify a preferred period or apply without a time preference for the entire exhibition cycle. In the latter case, assignment to one of the remaining available periods will be made by BB Labor.


General Conditions

BB Labor provides the window display to the selected artists free of charge for the duration of the exhibition.

Set-up and dismantling will take place in consultation with the artists. If presence on site is not possible, the set-up can also be carried out by us based on precise instructions and a jointly agreed concept. Attendance in Leipzig is therefore neither mandatory for set-up nor during the exhibition period, but would be appreciated.

When applying, you can either state a preferred period or apply for the entire exhibition cycle without a time preference. In this case, assignment to one of the remaining available periods will be made by BB Labor.

A small opening event will take place at BB Labor for each exhibition. Participation by the artists is welcome, but not a requirement.

Since the exhibition program is organized independently by the BB Labor community, we unfortunately cannot offer an exhibition fee or cover production, printing, or travel costs at this time. Artists are responsible for the production and provision of the works to be exhibited.


Application

For a complete application, we require:
Artistic CV, exhibition concept for the window display of BB Labor, portfolio, work samples, drafts or sketches illustrating the submitted concept.

Please combine all documents into a single PDF in A4 format (maximum 10 MB) and send it to: kontakt@bb-labor.de


Selection

The submitted concepts will be reviewed by members of BB Labor. Decisive criteria for selection are the artistic quality of the work, the engagement with the theme of the Open Call, and the relation to the specific spatial situation of the window display.

Applications that are incomplete or do not meet the formal criteria cannot be considered in the selection process.

All applicants will be informed of the decision within two weeks following the end of the application deadline.

We look forward to your submissions and to utilizing the BB Labor window display together as a venue for photographic experiments, encounters, and new forms of presentation.


An Association for the Promotion of Contemporary Artistic Photography

In the long term, we want to establish an exhibition space in the large room facing the street. We plan to found an association for the promotion of contemporary artistic photography and for teaching analogue darkroom techniques. This would make it possible to turn the storefront into an exhibition space that can be curated year-round. Long-term funding will then be secured through grants.

Anyone who has a passionate interest in contemporary photographic art and would like to get involved on a voluntary basis as well as exchange ideas regularly with like-minded people, please get in touch with us. We aim to assemble such a group by the end of 2024.


Possible Association Activities

Establishment and organization of an exhibition space for contemporary photographic art with regional and international artists

Preserving and expanding non-profit workspaces for artists working in photography / analogue photo lab to promote artistic production in Leipzig

Spaces for conferences, lectures, and small events

Long-term goal:
International networking through exchange programs, three-month residency at BB Labor (conference room / studio with kitchen, bed, shower, and lab facilities)

Professionalization opportunities for postgraduates