European Culture Month 1998

More than 30 projects developed and realized by over 2000 artists: from 28 August to 4 October 1998 the European Culture Month drew over 400,000 visitors to unusual venues in Linz with contemporary art and culture work.

European Culture Month

It offers a city an opportunity to present itself within this concentrated period of time with its own special cultural self-understanding. The title "European Culture Month" was initiated in 1992 and is awarded by the European Council of Ministers of Culture. In 1998 there were two cities that presented the European Culture Month: Valetta, the capital of Malta, and Linz.

A City's Transformation Process

Linz focused on the rapid transformation of work, information technology, science and society during the European Culture Month. With the key words "job.net.gen.fun", Linz became a stage from 28 August to 4 October for (local) contemporary art and culture work – at the same time, this was a live demonstration of the urban transformation process from an industrial city to a modern city of culture. In addition, existing international cooperations were specifically used for the European Culture Month, and new artistic networks were established at an international level.

Conquering New Art and Performance Venues

The closed leather factory, the area in front of the "Open House of Culture" OK, the Generali building, the harbor and Danube area became backdrops for a multifaceted cultural event during the European Culture Month. Over 15,000 visitors admired the "Danube Rain", the staging of a gigantic waterfall from the Nibelungen Bridge. The Stadtwerkstatt project "Clickscape" made it possible to arrange urban space with a mouse click. In "Cistern. Linz Underworld" Ursula Witzany opened up the water reservoir to visitors, which was made in 1944 under the the square Pfarrplatz in Linz. In "Naturally Artificial" eleven artists made an artificial garden grow in front of the "Open House of Culture" OK. Mikis Theodorakis conducted a concert in the flame scarfing hall of the Voest. More than 50 works by Hermann Nitsch were exhibited in a hangar at the Linz airport…

An Event with a Future

The European Culture Month, which took place during the Austrian presidency of the European Council, was the occasion for holding an informal meeting of the EU ministers of culture at the Design Center Linz from 10 to 12 September. Linz also invited the ministers of culture from central and eastern European countries to this meeting. The conference participants were guests of honor at the Visualized Linz "Cloud of Sound" "jobOpera" on 11 September. During the European Culture Month the course was also set for the Linz bid for European Capital of Culture. September 1998 marked the start of the discussion process about the future orientation of the city's cultural policies, which finally led to the formulation of the Cultural Development Plan (KEP) and its guidelines in 2000.