Kunstforum Vienna concludes: demolition of a cultural institution!

Kunstforum Vienna concludes: demolition of a cultural institution!

Wieden, Österreich - The Kunstforum Vienna faces a drastic turn. Today, on June 11, 2025, it was announced that from autumn 2025 new decisions about the future of the house and the exhibition company will be necessary. Due to the economic situation, Unicredit Bank Austria will hire its commitment as a museum operator at the end of 2025. As a result of these developments, the Art Forum will give up its domicile on Freyung on August 31, 2025 and will break into an uncertain future. OTS reported that the last exhibitions at the old location will be shown before the anniversary show "Berlin" from July 9th closes.

The reason for the early closure of the art forum is directly related to the bankruptcy of the former sponsor Signa, which was previously owner of the building. Loss of financial support and the failed effort to find new sponsors have made the situation considerably more difficult for the art forum. The cultural scene has already reacted with protests, with an open letter from well -known artists such as Erwin Wurm and Valie Export. These have campaigned for the preservation of the art forum, but, as it seems, without the desired success. Sn has followed this course with concern.

The future of the art forum

In the middle of these changes, however, there is a ray of hope: Albertina has agreed to present the exhibition of the star performer Marina Abramović in cooperation with the art forum. This will take place in Albertina Modern from October 10, 2025 to March 1, 2026. For the Abramović show, October 2, 2025 was originally planned in the art forum, but these plans had to be adjusted due to the closure to avoid penalty payments. OTS emphasizes that the UNICredit Bank Austria continues to act as a sponsor of Albertina.

As far as the art forum itself is concerned, work is made to find a new concept and an alternative location. Exact plans are to be published in the coming autumn. The employees: Inside and friends of the art forum remain excited in which direction it will go. Part of the cultural scene has already emphasized the need for a stronger networking of cultural offers and the integration of art into city life, as recently also discussed in a cultural discussion in the Wesermarsch Church> Oldenburg .

It remains to be seen how the protagonists of the Viennese cultural scene will now position themselves. With the challenges that are in front of you, there could be an opportunity for fresh impulses and new ideas. In any case, the Kunstforum Vienna will leave an important gap and faces the task of writing a new chapter.