FAQ

VIENNA ART WEEK is an art festival with a focus on visual arts and aims at bringing Vienna’s art scene into the national and international spotlight. In a unique cooperation, Viennese museums, art universities, galleries, independent art spaces and artists offer a week-long program with free admission under the umbrella of the festival.

VIENNA ART WEEK is an independent non-profit initiative founded 20 years ago by the Art Cluster Vienna association and run under the artistic direction of Robert Punkenhofer. Together with the members of the association and a dedicated team of three people, the festival is developed over the year in both content and organization, from conception to implementation.

The events of the festival take place in participating institutions, galleries, independent spaces, artists’ studios and in public spaces throughout Vienna.

The budget available to realize the festival varies slightly each year, but amounts to around €350,000. The sum is made up of 70% private funds such as sponsoring and donations and 30% public funds.

As a non-profit organization, VIENNA ART WEEK itself is not interested in the commercial sale of art. The art festival is not an art fair and does not pursue any commercial interests.

Nevertheless, in the form of partnerships, VIENNA ART WEEK does certainly offer a stage for participants in the commercial art market, such as renowned Viennese galleries or the Dorotheum.

Almost simultaneously with the end of the festival week, the planning of the new edition begins. During the year, the three-person team not only works on the conception and organization of the festival, but also on a year-round art calendar for the website, a newsletter, blog entries on current Viennese art events and the festival’s social media channels in order to continuously highlight the diverse offerings of Vienna as a city of art.

In principle, VIENNA ART WEEK does not accept applications for participation in the festival.

However, for participation in certain VIENNA ART WEEK formats, such as the Open Studio Days, there are regular targeted calls for applications. Applications are accepted within the framework of these calls in accordance with the stated requirements.

The participation in those formats without a specific call for applications is at the invitation of the program partners or the VIENNA ART WEEK curatorial team.

In the case of calls for applications, a changing, external jury of experts is invited to select participating positions from applications received by VIENNA ART WEEK.

The wide-ranging program of the art week offers events for various groups of people. Professionals working in the field of art as well as those interested in art and beginners are welcome and can get an overview of the content of the events in the program.. The VIENNA ART WEEK for All format offers a growing inclusive program since 2023.

Admission to all VIENNA ART WEEK events is free of charge. Registration is required for specific events, as the number of participants is limited for reasons of space or security. All information on this can always be found in the festival program at the respective event.