30.08.2024 – 01.09.2024
2024 is a super election year in Austria; elections that are characterized by a high degree of polarization. Based on the powerful, humanistically charged term ‘resistance’, the positively characterized counter location ‘Wiednerstand’ is being created on Wieden – a culture and democracy festival that is committed to political art, a constructive culture of debate and the achievements of democracy. Special places in the district invite visitors to discover new spaces and engage in low-threshold dialogue. ‘Wiednerstand’ is a very unagitated format. It deliberately seeks the interplay between discourse, art and cultural contributions,’ says cultural manager and author Fabian Burstein, who conceived “Wiednerstand” together with artist and curator Thomas Andreas Beck. Wiednerstand’ will feature a wide variety of contributors, ranging from publicist and philosopher Isolde Charim and political scientist Natascha Strobl to musicians such as Der Nino aus Wien, who will be performing at the U1 Café (Taubstummengasse 17). In 2023, Thomas Andreas Beck organized the ‘Austria is free’ symposium at the Cselley Mill in Oslip, which featured music, readings and cultural education formats on the topic of democracy. Wiednerstand takes up proven approaches from the symposium and combines them with the cultural needs of Vienna’s 4th district – accordingly, the format was also developed in close cooperation with the district council. There is also an offer for children and young people: In the writing workshop ‘The book of my life’ with the author Brigitta Hoepler, they get to grips with their favourite books. ‘The festival is a cyclical, coherent ritual: with arrival, impulses and a festive conclusion,’ says Thomas Andreas Beck and Fabian Burstein adds: ’We want to help ensure that one or two interesting impulses on the topic of democracy stick in people’s minds and enrich life in the neighbourhood.’
WIEDNERSTAND – Festival for Culture, Democracy and Discourse
30.08.2024 – 01.09.2024
various locations, Vienna
https://bursteinundbeck.com
