The European Capital of Culture Salzkammergut starts one week from today. Before the unique large-scale project opens, we asked the 23 local leaders when the Capital of Culture will be a success for their community.
Image: Elfie Semotan
1| Alexander ScheutzHallstatt, SPÖ
“I’m looking forward to our people getting the culture card – I’ve already bought it too – and going to the projects in the other communities so that we can all think outside the box,” says Scheutz, who is happy that the Capital of Culture has already improved its community’s connections to public transport. “It would be a dream if we might keep the increased frequency of trains and buses even following 2024.”
2| Ines SchillerBad Ischl, SPÖ
For Schiller, success is already a given “because so much has been set in motion that the region had not been able to achieve for decades.” But all of this only makes sense if a construct is created that will continue to work from 2025 – when the Kulturhauptstadt GmbH is dissolved. Schiller: “Not for a single city, not for a single community, but for the entire region.”
3| Egon HöllObertraun, SPÖ
“We have great projects that will attract attention far beyond national borders. It’s long past time for the world to become aware of the Salzkammergut not only because of the landscape and tourism, but even more so because of the culture. Finally The region’s cultural associations are networked with each other. In 2024, our region will be presented more dignified than we have managed in the past with our modest means. To date, we have not had the support we needed from the state of Upper Austria, either in terms of tourism or public transport I expect a turnaround.”
4| Fritz FeichtingerLaakirchen, SPÖ
“If we manage to stop parochialism and work with each other instead of once morest each other, we will have won,” says Feichtinger. Laakirchen not only waited for the impetus from the Capital of Culture, but also took the initiative itself, “which we have now integrated into the program as associated projects. I am convinced that we will all win this year.”
5| Markus SchmaranzerGosau, ÖVP
“It’s nice when someone from Gosau attends a casual event in Laakirchen,” says Schmaranzer, adding that it won’t be more important. He is less bothered by cultural voids in the community than by high energy costs and a lack of childcare places for children. “Neither the change in the artistic management of the Capital of Culture nor the mayoral elections in 2021 were beneficial.” Gosau feels next to nothing from the cultural capital, which is also due to the change of mayor in Gosau – “and there probably wasn’t enough money for really sustainable projects.”
6| Franz SteineggerGrundlsee, ÖVP
“It is up to all of us to experience the diversity of what is on offer in 2024 and to benefit from it for the future,” says Steinegger. He hopes to “expand the horizons of young people in the community and the creative industries from outside”, you no longer have to go to the city, in times of fiber optic cables you can also work in the region. “It’s nice when our people see that we can make a living from the creativity that we realize within ourselves.”
Image: Elfie Semotan
7| Johann MitterlehnerVorchdorf, ÖVP
Mitterlehner describes the cultural capital as “huge happiness” – and that “we have great events here, for example in the Tanglberg Gallery and the landscape organ in the Schottergrube”. Mitterlehner inherited the project when he was elected mayor, “but because of the Capital of Culture we have started to exchange ideas better, not only culturally, but at all levels. A success would be if we managed one or two projects together even following 2024. “
8| Leopold SchilcherBad Goisern, SPÖ
“What shouldn’t happen is that following the year you say, okay, it was the Capital of Culture, but nobody noticed it. There will definitely be a few things that challenge your taste in art, the important thing is that you manage to do that to be open to the encounter.”
9| Nicole EderSteinbach/Attersee, ÖVP
“Success would be if we all manage to uphold the traditional through many activities and cultural offerings, on the one hand, and think outside the box on the other. A lot has happened, we have already become friends.”
10| Stefan KrapfGmunden, ÖVP
“In Gmunden you can already see a lot of the new and positive cultural spirit. Everyone has to get involved here, this is the only way the Salzkammergut region can grow together.”
11| George BaumannUnterach/Attersee, ÖVP
“The initial discussions that broke out must come to a positive conclusion so that every community learns for the future. At best, we will succeed in confirming the image of the beautiful Salzkammergut.”
12| Ingo DörflingerKirchham, ÖVP
“I hope that many people who would otherwise never have come to our community come and get to know Kirchham and its people. But the population should also benefit as much as possible from the Capital of Culture.”
Image: Elfie Semotan
13| Gerald LoitzlAltaussee, ÖVP
“The fact that we managed to apply is a huge success,” says Loitzl. Sustainability is important to him, which is why he is doing everything he can to realize the much-discussed event center in the spa park. If all goes well, construction on the six million euro project should begin in the spring and open a year later.
14| Martin PelzerAltmünster, ÖVP
“The Capital of Culture is a success if it has a long-lasting impact and is not a one-off shining star. To be successful, the communities have to overcome parochialism. The supra-regional offering of the Capital of Culture offers an advantage for every single community.”
15| Leopold BimmingerPettenbach, ÖVP
“The Capital of Culture is a great opportunity for us,” says Bimminger, even if he sees the fact that the projects are spread across 23 municipalities as a challenge. Pettenbach wants to use the opportunity twice: on the one hand, the Bartlhaus is being repositioned as a writing museum, and on the other hand, a cultural barn for 120 people is to be built on Magdalenaberg. “Whether we can do that will be decided in March.”
16| Sabine PrombergerEbensee, SPÖ
“The Capital of Culture enables exchange between communities and creates encounters that would otherwise not be possible. We often have to drive for hours to cultural events, and now the Bruckner Orchestra comes and plays in the middle of town.”
17| Christoph SchraglTraunkirchen, ÖVP
“I am confident that the Capital of Culture will bring very positive impulses if people feel welcomed and included. If we manage to also have events in the off-season, that would be a success.”
18| Rudolf RaffelsbergerScharnstein, ÖVP
“The Capital of Culture is already a success. There is a lot of interest in the town, our cultural associations are organizing several great events. This has created new groups that want to advance cultural life even following 2024.” One of the highlights will be the musical theater “Der Hammer” in an empty factory in Scharnstein from the end of May.
Image: Elfie Semotan
19| Thomas AvbeljRoitham/Traunfall, SPÖ
“The great opportunity of the Capital of Culture is that for once it is not the big cities but the rural areas that are the focus of interest. The offering is diverse, a good opportunity for the population to get involved in art up close.”
20| Herbert SchönbergerSt. Konrad, ÖVP
“The fact that 23 communities are networking for the Capital of Culture is already a success,” says Schönberger. In the community of 1,200, culture has so far been mainly carried out by clubs. “Now we have new forms of art here, which means a learning process for us too.”
21| Klaus KramesbergerGrünau, SPÖ
“It will be important for success that all communities move away from parochial thinking and everyone pulls together.”
22| Franz FroschBad Aussee, ÖVP
“I don’t want to be arrogant, but we were the driving force in getting this project over the starting line. We must succeed in realizing this wonderful opportunity, namely to put our cultural heritage in the spotlight of Europe. The ideal aspect is important, as well the commitment to material sustainability.”
23| Veronika GrillBad Mitterndorf, SPÖ
“For the first time, rural areas are becoming cultural capitals, so it would be a success if we might convey how attractive life in the countryside is. This should become firmly established in the minds of Europeans. If we can prevent young people from leaving because of this, then it will “The Capital of Culture made lasting sense.”
(Veronika Grill replaced Klaus Neuper as mayor in May 2023. Neuper (far right) was still in office during the photo shoot with Elfie Semotan, note.)
Image: Elfie Semotan
The countdown begins
As the first of the three European Capitals of Culture, the Salzkammergut in Bad Ischl will open its program next weekend, January 20th and 21st. This was the first time that this honor was bestowed on an entire region consisting of 23 communities from Upper Austria and Styria, with Bad Ischl as the banner city. A week later, on January 26th, Tartu starts in Estonia, and on February 3rd the city of Bodö in Norway celebrates its opening.
Up to 15,000 people are expected in Bad Ischl for the opening festival. On Saturday there will be a program throughout the city from 11 a.m., and the opening ceremony will start at 5:30 p.m. in the Kurpark, including fanfares from brass players from the 23 communities, Hubert von Goisern and the choir of 1000 voices as well as song contest winner Conchita alias Tom Neuwirth.
In the evening there are concerts in the parish hall, in taverns and in open air, such as Yasmo & the Klangkantine (10 p.m., Ö1 stage) or Clara Luzia (8.45 p.m., square in front of the Nestroy School). Oscar Straus’ operetta “A Woman Who Knows What She Wants” can be seen in the Congress and Theater House on Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday there is a hangover breakfast (12 p.m., Kaiservilla), including Nava Ebrahimi.
The central exhibition of the Capital of Culture “Art with Salt and Water” will open on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in the old brewhouse in Bad Ischl. Lyrical and spectacular positions by international contemporary artists on the subject can be seen there. Artistic director Elisabeth Schweeger and finance director Manuela Reichert have 30 million euros at their disposal for the program.
To date, two Austrian cities have held the title of European Capital of Culture: Graz (2003) and Linz (2009).
Infos: salzkammergut-2024.at
Author
Peter Grubmüller
Head of Culture Department
Peter Grubmüller
Author
Herbert Schorn
Editor culture and life
Herbert Schorn
Author
Helmut Atteneder
Culture editor
Helmut Atteneder
