KW Institute for Contemporary Art

KW Institute for Contemporary Art on Auguststrasse is one of Europe's most influential off-spaces for contemporary art, founded in July 1991 by Klaus Biesenbach and other artists inside a derelict margarine factory in the then-overgrown Scheunenviertel. The KW spawned the Berlin Biennale in 1998, today one of the most important art events worldwide. The heritage-listed brick complex with its courtyard and vaulted industrial halls is iconic; Dan Graham's glass Cafe Bravo in the courtyard has been part of the inventory since 1999. Under rotating directorships the institution stages around eight major solo and thematic exhibitions per year, focused on younger and often politically engaged positions, alongside performances, film programmes and book launches.