Linz Cultural Development Plan

Culture and cultural policies provide a crucial contribution in terms of urban development, the quality of life, but also a modern, future-oriented positioning of the urban habitat. With the Cultural Development Plan (KEP), in 2000 Linz was the first Austrian city to present a long-term cultural policies concept. Guidelines for a systematic re-positioning of the City of Linz are anchored in the Cultural Development Plan.

A Vision for Linz as a City of Culture and Technology of a European Dimension

Technology and new media, open spaces, the Independent Art Scene, and culture for all: these are focal points of the Cultural Development Plan, and along with the lively, well developed cultural infrastructure they provided an outstanding basis for the city’s bid to be designated Capital of Culture 2009.

Cultural Policies Expert Paper as Basis

The Linz Cultural Development Plan was unanimously accepted by the Linz City Council in March 2000. This was proceeded by a lively and widespread public discussion. The Cultural Development Plan is based on a cultural policies expert paper. This was developed in cooperation with politicians, artists, cultural producers, experts and citizens interested in culture.

“Work in Progress”

The Cultural Development Plan is intended to stimulate discussions and open up perspectives, for which reason it is to be continued with ongoing additional ideas and suggestions. Among other things, the City Advisory Board for Culture, inaugurated in September 2001, is commissioned with this task as an advisory board for art issues and cultural policies.

Interim Results 2004

Measures from the Linz Cultural Development Plan that have been successfully implemented so far include:
The building of the Art Museum Lentos and the Knowledge Tower
Cooperation between Linz cultural institutions, cooperation between the city and the Federal Province of Upper Austria
Establishment of the City Advisory Board for Culture
Parity: stipulation of the parity of women and men in juries, advisory boards and boards of trustees
“Symmetry of the Sexes”: annual report on art and cultural funding
Repositioning of the LinzFest, development, planning and organization of the festival “4020. More than Music”
Innovation Pool of´EUR 72.000 to promote the Independent Art Scene
Establishment of funding agreements for several years for a major portion of the independent cultural initiatives and cultural associations of Linz
Further development of cultural development in city districts, cultural revitalization of city districts
Expansion of the Institute for Media at the Art University Linz
Project “Linz City History of the 20th Century”

New Edition of the Cultural Development Plan

Under the working title “Cultural Development Plan 2020” the schedule for the new edition of the Linz Cultural Development Plan is to be prepared by 2008 at the latest. The new discussion process is to start before the end of the year 2009.