This was VIENNA ART WEEK 2023
Looking back on a week full of passion. By Theresia Nickl.
More than 100 events, 70 program partners, 50 open studios, 20 independent spaces, 1,000m2 for 30 artists in the House of Inciting Passion and, for the first time, a comprehensive inclusive program – that was VIENNA ART WEEK 2023!
The nineteenth edition of the VIENNA ART WEEK has come to a successful close. From November 10 to 17, under the motto Inciting Passion, passion in all its forms – as a driving but also as a potentially destructive and dangerous force – was the focal point of this year’s festival.
The diverse program with more than 100 free events by almost 70 program partners attracted numerous visitors, so that a fifth of the events were already fully booked in advance.
Once again this year, the program partners showed great commitment and contributed significantly to the success of the art week. In addition to the 22 members of the supporting association Art Cluster Vienna, over 20 independent spaces and free program partners as well as 13 partner galleries enriched the program with their own events.
Impressions of VIENNA ART WEEK 2023 © eSeL.at - Lorenz Seidler
The studios of the 50 artists selected by an expert jury for the Open Studio Days on the opening weekend were very popular, with almost 20 guided walks and barrier-free bus tours leading to numerous studios. In addition, many artists offered activities such as workshops, artist talks and performances under the motto “Pass on your passion”, which gave visitors in-depth insights into their artistic practice.
Glimpses of the Open Studio Days 2023 © eSeL.at – Lorenz Seidler
For the first time in the festival history, there was a comprehensive inclusive education program under the title VIENNA ART WEEK for all. With the support of the program partners Albertina, Architekturzentrum Wien, Belvedere, Kunsthalle Wien, Kunsthistorisches Museum and STRABAG Kunstforum, as well as our own barrier-free shuttle tours as part of the Open Studio Days, a total of 13 events for people with disabilities or impairments were offered over the 8 days of the art week. Thanks to the support of numerous interest groups and multipliers in communicating with the target groups, the majority of the events were fully booked.
VIENNA ART WEEK for all © eSeL.at - Lorenz Seidler
The highlights of VIENNA ART WEEK 2023’s own program included an exhibition curated by VIENNA ART WEEK Artistic Director Robert Punkenhofer and Associate Curator Julia Hartmann at the House of INCITING PASSION in Vienna’s 15th district, the collective performance Nocturnal (com)passion at the Jesuitenkirche, and the INCITING PASSION line-up on passion in curating and collecting with top-class international guests, which took place at Dorotheum this year.
You can read more about the exhibition here, and learn more about “Nocturnal (com)passion” here and about the line-up here.
Insights into the House of INCITING PASSION © eSeL.at - Lorenz Seidler
Altogether, VIENNA ART WEEK 2023 attracted around 30,000 visitors and showed once again how lively, diverse and internationally connected the Viennese art scene is.
Would you like to know more? Have a look at what the media had to say about VIENNA ART WEEK 2023:
Clippings VIENNA ART WEEK 2023 – International press
Clippings VIENNA ART WEEK 2023 – Austrian press
