VIENNA.- In a year that has been marked by cancellations, some good news has arrived for the art world. The popular Vienna Art Week will go ahead as planned throughout the city of Vienna from 13-20 November when contemporary artists, architects, designers, arts and educational institutions will be endowing art collectors, aficionados and professionals with a unique taste of the ever-growing contemporary art scene in the city of Vienna.

Co-curated by Robert Punkenhofer, Director of Vienna Art Week and Founder of Art & Idea, and Angela Stief, Chief Curator of Albertina Modern, this year’s festival will focus on the theme of Living Rituals where local contemporary artists have been invited to explore how rituals serve the social cohesion and structures of everyday life.
Vienna Art Week will combine the theme of Living Rituals with a talks programme and events from the city's art and educational institutions. Highlights will include Living Rituals Exhibition Parcours - a guided tour to selected artists studios where work related to the theme will be presented and discussed in the context of artist talks and Living Rituals line-up - where lectures, discussions and screenings will explore the the theme artistically and academically.

This year’s line-up will include speakers such as philosopher and artist Elisabeth von Samsonow and South Korean born German philosopher Byung-Chul Han, and artists such as Klaus Mosettig, Robert Schaberl and Borjana Ventzislavova.




“Vienna Art Week remains an important stage for local contemporary artists, and the city of Vienna as a growing contemporary art destination. There is no doubt that this year has been challenging for the creative industries around the globe, so that is why it is more important than ever that Vienna Art Week continues to provide a stage for the city’s artists and institutions.” said Robert Punkenhofer - Director of Vienna Art Week.

On the weekend of November 14-15th Vienna Art Week will be celebrating the artistic and creative community that reside in the city with Open Studio Days - 100 artists, carefully selected by a jury consisting of Robert Punkenhofer (co-curator Vienna Art Week), Angela Stief (co-curator), Thomas Trummer (director Kunsthaus Bregenz), Rita Vitorelli (artist and editor Spike Art Magazine), and Florian Waldvogel (Director of Art History Collections Tyrolean State Museums), will open their studio doors to the public, providing visitors with the opportunity to look behind the scenes of working artist studios, and discover world class-art from some of Vienna’s top contemporary artists.

In keeping with last year’s event there will also be an exceptional programme organised by the city’s leading museums taking place in exhibition halls, art spaces, educational institutions, galleries and alternative spaces.

A detailed programme will be announced in October.

Strict sanitary measures in line with Austrian government recommendations will be in place to ensure everyone's health and security.