Autumn dedicated to art
Vienna has long been considered a breeding ground for creative and contemporary art. The autumn of art is the time to really enjoy this. Numerous art events take you on an exciting journey of discovery. A chronological overview.
From the Clinic to the Kursalon
The start of this year's autumn of art is marked by an anniversary: Parallel Vienna opens the series of exhibitions on September 6 with its tenth edition. It remains faithful to its motto: An empty building serves as a platform for contemporary art. Like last year, Austrian and international artists will move into the former Semmelweis women's clinic in Vienna's Währing neighborhood. Over 600 items are exhibited in 170 rooms.
viennacontemporary breaks new ground and is hosted in the magnificent Kursalon in the Stadtpark for the first time. The new location makes it possible to involve surrounding museums, galleries, and cafés, and to broaden the autumn of art with a diverse supporting program of concerts, performances, and film screenings. The content of viennacontemporary traditionally focuses on Central and Eastern Europe. The focal point this year: "Statement Ukraine".
The 14th edition of the gallery festival Curated by is also held entirely with the events in Ukraine in mind. The motto "Kelet" (Hungarian for "east") sets the direction and invites the curators to look east. The 24 participating galleries offer a broad program for a whole month: Openings, panel talks, performances, and guided tours.
Design and architecture highlights
If you're looking to enjoy even more art in the autumn of art, you should definitely take in art-related events in Vienna as well. Vienna Design Week pulls the crowds for ten whole days with a concentrated bunch of events. This year's focal district is the 6th, Mariahilf. Two more design highlights in October: Design District 1010 transforms Vienna's Imperial Palace into a design world of experience. And international furniture, fashion, and jewelry designs take up residence in the MAK – Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna, for Blickfang Wien.
If you want to experience exciting architecture that isn't normally accessible to the public then the Open House Wien weekend is highly recommended. On September 10 and 11, volunteers offer free guided tours of around 50 fascinating Viennese buildings that cannot usually be viewed. And during the Long Night of Museums, night-owls with an interest in culture can go round the houses again: Numerous participating museums and galleries open their doors until 1.00 am for the 22nd time on October 1.
But there's so much more, with many other art fairs taking place at exciting locations during the autumn of art: Art Vienna is hosted in the Schönbrunn Orangery for the first time. Exhibits of Austrian and international art from the 19th century onwards – in particular of Classical Modernism and contemporary art – are presented in one of Europe's largest orangery buildings. The Art Austria Highlights event is also being held for the third time. The venue is the Wiener Eislaufverein ice-sports club. Selected exhibitors transform the area into a large fair, presenting their art highlights and covering many epochs and genres.
A fixed place in the autumn of art is the Fair For Art Vienna, the art and antiquities fair held in the Aula der Wissenschaften and organized by the Association of Austrian Antique and Art Dealers. Around 40 national and international art dealers and galleries will be participating in Art&Antique this autumn. The fair for art, antiques, and design, will be held at the Imperial Palace in Vienna again this year.
All of Vienna is art
The traditional end to the autumn of art is Vienna Art Week. Numerous events with free admission are held scattered right across the city. Large museums participate alongside newly discovered artists' studios. The shared motto – "Challenging Orders" – invites you to question existing norms from an art perspective. A new online app lets you discover highlights and put together an agenda. And don't miss this: Artists open the doors to their studios for the "Open Studio Days" on November 19 and 20.
Following the successful first editions of Art at the Park established in 2021, the event continues this autumn at the Park Hyatt Vienna: At the end of November, prestigious galleries and art dealers present their top-class artworks – surrounded by the unique ambience of the Viennese luxury hotel in the Goldenes Quartier.
Discover even more contemporary art in Vienna
An overview of the Vienna autumn of art:
- Parallel Vienna, September 6-11, 2022, former Semmelweis Clinic, www.parallelvienna.com
- viennacontemporary, September 8-11, 2022, Kursalon, www.viennacontemporary.at
- curated by, September 9 - October 8, 2022, various locations, www.curatedby.at
- Open House Vienna, September 10 and 11, 2022, various locations, www.openhouse-wien.at
- Vienna Design Week, September 16-25, 2022, various locations, www.viennadesignweek.at
- Art Vienna, September 16-18, 2022, Orangery and Plant Orangery Schönbrunn, www.artvienna.org
- Long Night of Museums, October 1, 2022, various locations, langenacht.orf.at
- Design District 1010, October 7-9, 2022, Imperial Palace, www.design-district.at
- Art Austria Highlights, October 6-9, 2022, Wiener Eislaufverein, www.art-austria.info
- Fair For Art Vienna, October 8-16, 2022, Aula der Wissenschaften, www.fairforart-vienna.at
- blickfang Vienna, October 21-23, 2022, MAK – Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna, www.blickfang.com
- Art&Antique, November 10-14, 2022, Imperial Palace, www.artantique-hofburg.at
- Vienna Art Week, November 18-25, 2022, various locations, www.viennaartweek.at
- Art at the Park, November 24-27, 2022, Park Hyatt Vienna, www.parkvienna.com
