Basel, Switzerland – September 22, 2025 – VernissageTV (VTV), the Internet’s premier artist-run TV art project, proudly marks its 20th anniversary, celebrating two decades of groundbreaking coverage in contemporary art, design, and architecture. Since its founding in 2005, VernissageTV has redefined how the world engages with art through its innovative video content, amassing a global audience and an archive of over 4,000 films.
From its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, VernissageTV has documented exhibitions, performances, artist talks, and events across the globe, offering an unparalleled window into the art world. The platform has produced films for its acclaimed web series and collaborated with prestigious institutions, including museums, galleries, art fairs, and publications, while providing footage for documentaries such as Taking Venice (2023) about Robert Rauschenberg’s 1964 Biennale win and Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV (2023).
A Legacy of Innovation
VernissageTV’s journey began with a vision to capture the essence of art openings (“vernissages”) and share them with a global audience. Its “No Comment” series, which lets viewers form their own interpretations, has become a hallmark of its approach, earning praise for its professional and elegant coverage. The platform’s archive, a treasure trove of contemporary art history, includes iconic moments like Katharina Grosse’s viral spray-painting performance at Messeplatz Basel in June 2025, or Chinese artists Sun Yuan and Peng Yu’s robot installation “Can’t Help Myself” at the Venice Biennale 2019.
Over the years, VernissageTV has achieved significant milestones:
2005, September: VernissageTV launches with two series “NO COMMENT” and “INTERVIEWS” on iTunes and website.
2007: VernissageTV streams live from Art Basel and hits 1 Million downloads.
2008: VernissageTV broadcasts live and interactive Christian Jankowski’s Kunstmarkt TV (Art Market TV, live auction) from Art Cologne.
2012: VernissageTV starts producing short documentaries for Fondation Beyeler.
2017: VernissageTV hits 60,000 subscribers and more than 3,6 Mio. views per month on YouTube.
2018: Two VernissageTV films featured in the exhibition “Double Lives” at MUMOK, Vienna (Austria).
2022: VernissageTV published its 3,500th episode and reached 115,115 YouTube subscribers.
2025: VernissageTV hits 130,000 subscribers on YouTube.
A Commitment to Accessibility and Collaboration
VernissageTV’s artist-driven ethos ensures authentic storytelling, blending intuition and serendipity in its coverage. “Chance is our best friend,” says founder Heinrich Schmidt, reflecting on the platform’s organic approach to curating content. Beyond its web series, VTV offers commissioned video production and archive footage for institutions like Art Cologne, Kunsthalle Zürich, Zaha Hadid Design and the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, reinforcing its role as a vital resource for the art community.
“Vernissage TV produce some of the best videos covering contemporary art on the web. Period.”
(Ceci Moss, Rhizome Senior Editor and Blogger, Art Fag City: Best of the Web 2008)
About VernissageTV
Founded in 2005, VernissageTV (VTV) is the Internet’s unique TV art project, producing films and videos that cover contemporary art, design, and architecture. With a vast archive and a commitment to high-quality storytelling, VTV serves as a global platform for artists, institutions, and art lovers.
