As you look to the sidebar on the right edge of the screen, you’ll see that the keywords in the tag cloud vary in size. Even in comparison with cities like Athens, Buenos Aires, or Tokyo, the tag of the German one-horse town of Büdelsdorf appears quite big.
Interesting, right? But why is that?
Well, in 2025, I’m reporting on the annual North German mega art event NordArt already for the sixth time, and that’s why its venue, Büdelsdorf, appears pretty large as I’m tagging it each time I go, which then pushes it up in the tag cloud.
I’m kinda making Büdelsdorf a clandestine shooting star.
Having this clarified, I’m glad you’re joining me for my sixth NordArt post in which I’ll tell you all there is to know to get the most out of your visit in 2025.
Büdelsdorf
But first, perhaps we should clarify what Büdelsdorf is all about and where the place with the funny name actually is.
Well, Büdelsdorf is a townlet on the outskirts of Rendsburg, which isn’t exactly a bright lights big city place, either. Actually, Rendsburg is located in Germany’s Federal State of Schleswig-Holstein on the train route from Hamburg to Copenhagen. To this date, you find traces of the city’s historical function as the southern border fortress of the Danish Empire in the quite charming old town. Büdelsdorf is located north of Rendsburg and can be reached on walking in about 20 minutes. However, there are also public buses.
The iron foundry Carlshütte was founded in Büdelsdorf in 1827. It was the first industrial plant on the Jutland peninsula. This peninsula consists of the continental part of Denmark, most of the German Federal State of Schleswig-Holstein, and even a part of Hamburg.
While in 1850, the foundry had almost 500 employees, by 1965, the staff quintupled to over 2500. Obviously, the Carlshütte dominated the region’s economy for the longest time. Yet, in 1997, they had to file for bankruptcy and close the plant down.
NordArt
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure: As the iron foundry closed in 1997, Hans-Julius Ahlmann, Managing Partner of the internationally active ACO Group, acquired the grounds with its massive industrial halls and historic housing. He converted them into an outstanding venue for cultural projects. Hence, today, the Carlshütte is not only an impressive industrial monument. The industrial buildings and vast gardens also offer a distinctive setting for cultural events of all kinds.
This year, pictures come in bold colors…
I guess this explains how the provincial town of Büdelsdorf gained a venue where one of Europe’s most important art shows takes place every year.
Photographs Flowers and Hungry by Russian Helsinki-based artist Dasha Pears.
Although the NordArt is by far not as famous as other European art shows, such as the Documenta in Kassel, let alone the Biennale di Arte in Venice, it has found its spot in the art scene and is an internationally acknowledged event.
The first NordArt took place back in 1999. There are three exhibition spaces on the grounds: The former factory building, the old carriage shed, and the spacious park.
Moscow-born artist Timur D’Vatz offers a modern approach to traditional Byzantine and Russian art.
Over the years, most of the statues and installations in the sculpture park remained in their places. That’s understandable since they are mostly made of iron, stone, and marble. Hence, they are a bit heavy to be shuffled around on the garden’s 80,000 square meters.
The exhibitions at the coach house and the industrial hall, however, show a comprehensive selection of works by contemporary artists from all over the world. And although you won’t always find the works of some big art scene players here, you’ll get to see fresh, inspiring art.
White Pigeon by Wiesław Smętek, in the backdrop of his painting Pigeons and Missiles.
Every year, NordArt receives around 3,000 applications from all over the world. The works of 200 selected artists form a kaleidoscope of very different contemporary art.
What’s On in 2025
Although NordArt always opens in early summer, I haven’t always been lucky with the weather. We’re talking northern Germany, after all. But this year, the weather gods were supportive, and I was able to enjoy all the wonderful works of art in bright sunshine.
That’s one of the reasons why I spent a particularly long time in the spacious, magnificent sculpture garden this time. While the former industrial halls already offer enough space for even oversized works of art, outside, the sky’s the limit, obviously.
I saw pieces again that I remember from previous years. But there are also some impressive brand-new works to enjoy, such as LEUNG Hongman’s fun, immersive installation Childhood Block or the equestrian statues Veni Vidi Vici 1–2 by the Polish sculptor Paweł Orłowski.
Eventually, I made my way to the old carriage house, where selected works by 14 Polish artists are being shown this year. They demonstrate the current state of contemporary Polish art.
Special Features
The increase of Polish artists at the NordArt seems to have been the case since 2022, when Poland was the focus country. Since then, some very noteworthy artists have been featured year by year.
Being the country in focus for an edition also seems to come with some kind of rain check for future events. Because since Turkey was the focus country in 2023, more and more Turkish artists have been represented, primarily sculptors. And they are all excellent.
Yes, in addition to the curated exhibition, there are other highlights. As already mentioned, each year a specific country takes center stage and presents a selection of contemporary art. This tradition began in 2012 with art from China. Since then, countries as diverse as Denmark, France, and Ukraine have had the opportunity to compile a selection for their so-called country pavilions.
In 2015, contemporary art from Mongolia was in focus, which was great because most people associate the country with steppes and yurts, and folkloric leatherwork. It’s wonderful when an exhibition like this broadens your horizons and refutes common clichés.
After Mongolia had already performed in the carriage shed in the past, this year, three artists made it into the representative main entrance hall of the industrial building. Under the title Tradition in Transition: The Return of the Ancestors, they demonstrate how art can merge tradition and modernity in an alluring way.
An absolute highlight of the exhibition is a 17-meter-long painting by ZAYASAIKHAN Sambuu, which explores the connection between past and present.
This year, the focus country is Japan and features works by 39 artists.
China
So, in 2012, China was NordArt’s first partner country. Since then, not only has the tradition of partner countries been continued, but artists from the People’s Republic of China are also an integral part of the major Büdelsdorf event.
The current exhibition features works by 22 artists representing the contemporary Chinese art scene. The works are impressive not only for their aesthetics, dimensions, and craftsmanship. They often also reveal a critical view of society and question current values.
That’s all well and good, but I find the Chinese over-representation, especially this year, virtually excessive. I think the growth is certainly also due to the fact that the Chinese sculptures of previous editions, for example, by superstar LIU Ruowang, are so massive that you can’t just push them aside for a bit. And then, year after year, more is added. As I said, this year I found it a bit too much, almost monothematic.
The six-meter-high giant is walking across the lawn of the Sculpture Garden.
Apart from LIU Ruowang, who creates the most amazing installations, you have to give him that, another recurring participant from China is feminist artist XIANG Jing, who denounces social dogmas and repression in her often extremely disturbing sculptures.
After presenting her eerie statues in 2018, she showed two works depicting the superhuman contortions of Chinese acrobats in last year’s edition of the NordArt. Then, she was also awarded the NordArt Prize 2024. This year, she is showing two sculpture installations.
Plan Your Visit
Opening Hours And Tickets
In 2025, the NordArt takes place from June 6 to October 5. It’s open from Tuesday to Sunday between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
The general admission is 20 €uros on weekdays and 23 €uros on weekends. There is also a ticket for 32 €uros which grants access on two consecutive days – no matter if you are visiting during the week or on a weekend. Also, there are discounts for students and families as well as season tickets, so you’d better check out their website. There you can also buy your tickets online.
If you would like to recapitulate the exhibition afterwards, you might want to purchase a comprehensive catalogue in German and English for 25 €uros.
How to Get to Rendsburg and Büdelsdorf
The most convenient way to get to Rendsburg is by train. You get there, for instance, from Hamburg in less than 90 minutes, from Lübeck in 2 hours, and from Berlin – via Hamburg – in about 3,5 hours. Then, it’s a 20-minute walk from the train station to the Kunstwerk Carlshütte. Alternatively, you can also catch a bus.
Here’s a special tip for you Germany travellers: For about 25 €uros, you can travel an entire day by train within every federal state. However, you are only allowed to take regional trains, not IC or ICE. The best part is: each further person pays only 3 to 6 €uros. Up to 5 people can travel on one regional day ticket. The basic fare as well as the supplement per person vary from state to state.
Due to its central position, Hamburg is automatically included in tickets for Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg Western Pomerania, and Lower Saxony, which also includes Bremen.
Büdelsdorf is in Schleswig-Holstein, and the day ticket for one person is 32 €uros. Additional fellow travellers pay 6 €uros per person.
The Germany-Ticket for 58 €uro
Following the fantastic 9 €uro ticket that allowed nationwide travel for an entire month from June to August 2022, there is now the 58 €uro ticket. For good.
With the 58 €uro ticket, you can travel basically the entire country by regional trains. Those train numbers begin, for instance, with RE or MET. But keep in mind, it is not valid in interregional trains such as the Intercity IC or Intercity-Express ICE. However, you can also use regular buses, trams, subways, and suburban trains, as well as regional express trains all over Germany.
While the 58 €uro ticket is valid throughout the country, it is not linked to German citizenship. Non-residents can also purchase it. Although it is an annual subscription, it can be canceled on a monthly basis.
So if you are planning on taking regional trains in Germany as well as intercity public transportation, the Germany Ticket might be your best option.
Just for the record: There is also a Flixbus going to Rendsburg, however, it’s not a valid alternative. It takes as long as the train but is less comfortable and just a couple of €uros cheaper.
Some Extra Tips
After having been to several NordArt editions, I’m happy to share some tips that will make your visit even smoother and more enjoyable:
Wear comfortable, sturdy shoes
There are a couple of reasons why you should refrain from wearing fancy heels. Firstly, you’ll probably have to walk around 20 minutes from the train station in Rendsburg to the venue. Although there are buses. However, on weekends, they are not going very often, hence, you’ll possibly even save time by walking.
Then, if you have time to explore the historic center of Rendsburg, you’ll have to walk on cobblestones. And finally, keep in mind that the venue is an old industrial building with time-worn, uneven floors and simple iron stairs.
Bring some picnic food and water
This is actually optional since there is a small, charming café on the premises. However, it won’t surprise you that they are not exactly cheap. As a matter of fact, the prices aren’t even the main reason for bringing at least water with you.
The café is really very small, and chances are that you won’t find a free spot to enjoy some refreshments. However, coming from Rendsburg, you’ll pass a supermarket where you can stock up on drinks’n’snacks.
The Café Alte Meierei is open from Tuesday to Sunday from noon until 6 p.m. On weekends, there is also a pop-up cafeteria at the Alte Technikum open from 10.30 a.m.
Visit also the Cast Iron Art Museum
Across the street from the NordArt is the so-called Eisenkunstguss Museum, a museum showing a vast collection of cast iron works. After extensive remodeling, the museum was reopened in 2016. A media guide navigates visitors through the exhibition with many interactive features and hands-on stations.
The Eisenkunstguss Museum opens from Tuesday to Sunday between noon and 5 p.m. You can visit it for free with your NordArt ticket. Otherwise, the general admission is 5 €uros.
Make Time for a Stroll Through Rendsburg and the Sculpture Park
Rendsburg is not that big, yet, a stroll through the center is quite enjoyable.
You’ll get to see lots of traditional North German architecture. And if you still have the capacity to relish more art, there is the serene Hans Heinemann Park with 26 intriguing sculptures from different art epochs.
The park was laid out in the 1950s and 1960s and is named after Hans Heinemann, a local painter, patron, and founder of the cultural association.
In Retrospect
If this post made you curious about what was on during former NordArt editions, you can browse here:
Map
On this map, you get an idea of how to get to the NordArt and also of what else to see in Rendsburg. Clicking on the slider symbol at the top left or the full-screen icon at the top right will display the whole map, including the legend.
Pinnable Pictures
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Disclaimer: NordArt granted me free entrance to write about this year’s edition. However, all opinions in this post are mine and were by no means influenced by my cooperation partner.