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HALLSTATT DISAPPEARS This is a digital multimedia project in partnership with Ars Electronica, Linz (AT). The project’s aim is to challenge tou­rism Disneyfication. Hallstatt, a small village of 750 inhabi­tants, is struggling with over 1.000.000 day tourists yearly, with numbers in­ creasing, mainly from Asian countries. In 2012, an accurate, though mirrored, copy of the town was built in the southern Chinese province of Guang­dong. Because of this popular copy, substantially more tourists from Asia visit the “original” Hallstatt, while becoming increasingly more ignorant about the fact that Hallstatt is anac­tual town with real inhabitants. A po­pular Korean TV soap opera, partly located in Hallstatt, brought even more day-trippers. To challenge this Disneyfication, the real Hallstatt disappear for an eve­ning, replaced by the imitated Chinese Hall­statt. A 7 minute digital sound and light orchestration tells the story of the transformation of the 2.820 years old World Heritage Hallstatt into a new and artificial Chinese Hallstatt. A fee­ling for real-life transformation is crea­­ted by artistic intervention of transforming pictures, light and sound. The audience expe­riences the transformation from real to artificial and is able to under­stand the impact such a transformation has. Approxi­mately, 15 pro­jectors illuminate Hall­statt buildings, using their facades as canvases. The audience watches and listens from boats on lake Hall­statt. The boat fleet of Hallstättersee Schiff­fahrt can carry around 400 guests each round. The 7 minute digital spec­tacle is shown repeatedly from 7 to 10 pm. Next to the boat dock there is a focal stage with displays and back­ground information for the on-shore audiences. Professio­nal, artistic docu­mentation is recorded for all people not able to attend. The aim is to provoke discourse about the issue of artificial being favoured over real, all in order to achieve optimal results – but at what cost? Artistic Idea: Petra Kodym (AT) Partners/Producers/Digital and Multimedia Art: Ars Electronica, Michael Mondria (Senior Manager of Ars Electronica Solutions) and team (AT) Producers: Executive Producers Program Line Estimated Budget: € 165.000.- When: End of March, date dependent on time of sunset Where: Artistic part: Lake Hallstatt and Village of Hallstatt Symposium: Kultur- und Kongresshaus Hallstatt Hallstatt Disappears not only questions the impacts of over-tourism but also provokes a deep reflection on tourism marketing and destination manage­ ment. What kind of tourism does a village and its inhabitants wish for?

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FUTURE IS NOW! is a dialogical street art project with a broad participatory aspect taking place at the interface between edu­cation, arts and politics. It is an interdisciplinary project, sup­por­ting the engagement and partici­pation of citizens in international dis­courses as well as the exchange with international artists. Future is Now! formulates questions, but also seeks answers. It raises the awareness that people have a voice and that art and culture can help to raise it. The project leaves signs in public space, signs of people’s empowerment. In Future is Now! artists and citizens work on a common project, finding ways for collective expression. In groups of approx. 12 people, partici­pants discuss the future of their vil­lages or the entire region. They define given challenges, but also come up with critical or radical ways of how to respond to it. Ways quite in the sense of a utopia, a vision of the future without any borders. At an advanced stage of this bottom-up discussion process, the interna­tional street art artists arrive in the SKGT. During an 8 week residency, they are introduced to the process by the participating people. The artists use these narratives, emotions and ideas to develop pictorial worlds that link with the reflected themes of the local citizens. Finally, in 5 public spaces in the region, graffiti and street art formats are displayed, highlighting international challenges such as gen­trification, hyper­-tourism, climate chan­ge, traffic growth or rural exodus - always detached from the laws of reason, floating centers of a commu­nity action. A catalogue docu­ments the process, a audio guide app is planned, in which the artists talk about their works. Curator: Mario Friedwagner (AT) Producers: Program Line Executive Producers Confirmed Artists: Mafia Tabak (AT), Alice Pasquini (IT), Hera and Akut (DE), Marcos Milewski (PT) Estimated Budget: € 145.000.- When: April - September 2024 Duration: 6 months of participation process, 8 weeks of artists in residence Where: Public spaces in Bad Aussee, Hallstatt, Gosau, Bad Ischl and Ebensee

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STORIES FROM THE EDGES OF DARKNESS is an artistic oral history project about personal stories in times of National Socialism. Despite the fact that large parts of the Austrian society were equally inte­grated in and supportive of the Natio­nal Socialist regime as the German society, the claim that Nazism was a sole German phenomenon and Austria its victim, is widespread, “relieving” Austria of any accountability. Not until the late 1980’s did the Austrian go­vernment officially take respon­sibility. Results of a study conducted in Austria in 2019 report alarming figures: 68% of asked persons still believe the victim myth of Austria and more than 50% do not know that 6 million Jews were murdered by the Nazi regime. Popular notions put the National Socialists’ atrocities behind the walls of con­cen­tration camps, far away from where the general public could see them. Stories from the Edges of Darkness raises awareness that Nazism was deeply rooted in society. Crimes com­mitted because of its ideology hap­pened everywhere, also in the SKGT. Through 24 characters, artistically designed as 3D busts and installed all over the region, stories of perpetrators, victims, by-standers and resistance fighters are told. The locations of the busts are related to the content. In cooperation with Ebensee’s Memorial Museum and the Archive of Maut­hausen Memorial the stories are care­fully researched and edited. Wolfgang Schmutz (AT), curator and consultant for United States Holocaust Museum, Uni­versity of Redlands, Memorial Flossen­bürg, Max-Mannheimer-Studien­zen­trum Dachau a.o., curates the project and gives advise on pedagog­ical offers, which will accompany the exhi­bition of the busts. Particular attention is paid to stories that implicate a Euro­pean dimension and stories which are hardly present in perception. All of the stories are also available online. At each site, alongside the character busts, visitors are able to access more background infor­mation via XiBIT, an infoguide plat­form. This platform acts as an online exhibition and digital audio guide. Curator: Wolfgang Schmutz (AT) Producers: Program Line Executive Producers Partners: Ebensee Memorial Museum, Archive of Mauthausen Memorial, XiBIT (all AT) Estimated Budget: € 170.000.- When: 2024 Duration: all year Where: SKGT-wide

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REAL REELS is a European student filmmakers fe­s­ti­val. The main goal is to offer young, film-interested people the opportunity to present their own films and to screen films that are scarcely found in the Austrian cinematic landscape. Cur­rently there are hardly any possibilities for film students to show their work. Real Reels is their place to be! The festival addresses a young cine­matic audience that is currently un­der­represented. Even at the organi­zational level, the festival involves young people interested in culture, thus expanding possibilities for them to professionally work in the field of culture. The festival starts on a smaller scale in 2021, gathering the necessary expe­rience up to the title year. In the initial implementation phase - as well as after­wards - coworkers from the cul­tu­ral association Kulturverein Kino Ebensee are key players. Close cooperation with regional, natio­n­al and international partners are of central importance for the festival planning and organization. We have al­ready established cooperation agree­ments with Filmakademie Wien (AT), the Black Nights Film Festival (EE) and Ida-Viru Film Fund (EE). The coope­r­ation/exchange with Black Nights Film Festival and Ida-Viru Film Fund isn’t just to support the realization of the Ebensee film festival, but also to contribute to a close connection be­t­ween the 2 ECoC 2024 countries. The festival itself will last for 5 days and will be divided into 3 blocks each day, with one block consisting of several short films, another consisting of 2 to 3 short films and short documentary films, and a final block presenting a feature film/docu­men­tary. Producer: Kulturverein Kino Ebensee (AT) Partners: Filmakademie Wien (AT), Ida-Viru Film Fund (EE), Estonian Black Nights Film Festival (EE) Estimated Budget: € 70.000.- When: 2024 Duration: 5 days in March Where: Kulturverein Kino Ebensee

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WHAT HAPPENED TO ...? This project researches the history of objects in SKGT museums and estab­lishes provenance research in rural regions. Based on historical research, we know that thousands of objects were stolen, so-called arianized, from mostly Je­wish citizens during the era of Na­tio­nal Socialism and that a significant number of these objects are located in our regional museums. In most cases, their origins and paths into the mu­seums are not on display. What hap­pened to ...? is a project with 3 main goals: (1) to explore and raise awareness of the objects’ histories, (2) to modify how these objects are displayed and (3) to strengthen prov­enance research and restitution ac­cor­ding to the Washington Principles in Austria‘s rural regions. Until now, research activities, as well as resti­tution measures, have been focused on urban areas, like Vienna; hardly any systematic research activities occur in rural parts of Austria. The law for Art Restitution only affects federal mu­seums and collections, not local or privately run institutions. The project’s 3 phases serve as a model for other European regions. During the first phase, which takes 3 to 6 months and starts in 2022, 2 historians confer with SKGT mu­se­ums about potential stolen objects or objects of critical origin within their collections. The second phase focuses on researching the provenances of these objects and creates easy to handle-databases for museums which lack the technology/tools to inventory their objects. Parallel to this phase, and linked with the SKGT Culture Schools, capacity building workshops on research, archive management and ways to deal with objects of critical origin are organized for museum staff. Birgit Kirchmayr (AT) from the Johannes Kepler University Linz, experts from the German Lost Art Foundation and the Austrian Commission for Prove­nance Research, pioneers in prove­nance research, are invited to share their knowledge and experiences in these workshops. In the third phase, which happens in 2024, museums implement the re­search results in their exhibitions and restitute objects, if possible and wan­t­ed by the heirs - thus creating a lasting legacy. Show me what you got! is part of the project which is open to the public and aims at raising awareness for prove­nance research among the general pub­lic. The main target groups are owners of objects which were poten­tially arianized. In 2024 experts from the Art History Museum Vienna and Commission for Provenance Research offer free con­sultations. Anyone who owns an object and wants to know more about its ori­gin can come and learn more about their object’s history. Artistic Idea: Monika Löscher (AT) Partners: Austrian Commission for Provenance Research, Art History Museum Vienna, German Lost Art Foundation, Birgit Kirchmayr (AT) Estimated Budget: € 150.000.- Duration: 2022-2024 Where: SKGT-wide

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ROUTES OF RESISTANCE is a cultural hiking project, exploring the routes of anti-Nazi partisans. The SKGT, with its rugged mountain ranges, was one of the regional strongholds of the National Socialism’s resistance movement. Towards the end of WWII, the inaccessible moun­tains between Dachstein and Totes Gebirge served as the last refuge for deserters and politically persecuted. Under the leadership of the legendary Josef „Sepp“ Plieseis, a partisan-type resistance group of about 600 people was formed, which was widely known in the region. Its aim was to fight against the National Socialists. Their cover name was „Willy-Fred“. From May until September 2024 guided hiking tours are offered, retracing resistance routes in the mountains. Professional guides, among them Christian Topf (AT), a sociologist, who did intensive research on the SKGT resis­tance movement, take you on these Routes of Resistance. In addition to experiencing nature, the project opens historical dimensions of the surroun­ding landscape to hikers and encou­rages them to examine political aspects of the SKGT. What could the members of Willy-Fred do against the National Socialists? How did they escape Nazi search ope­rations? Where and how did they sur­vive in the mountains? Grab your hi­king boots and find out! Curator: Christian Topf (AT) Partners: Juliane Leitner (artist /mountain guide, AT), OÖ. Bergführerverband Estimated Budget: € 30.000.- When: May - September 2024 Where: SKGT-wide

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NEW SALT FESTIVAL Electronic & Alternative Music - Performance - Digital Arts The New Salt Festival is a celebration of our New Salt: Culture. For 10 days in September, Bad Ischl is the counter­ culture hub of Austria. The New Salt Festival is a big European electronic and alternative music, performance and digital arts festival. Locally, it is conceived as a counterpart to the “Kai­serfest” (Emperor celebration), which takes place every year in August in Bad Ischl and celebrates Franz Jo­seph and Sisi in a romantizised way. A few weeks later, after the monarchy dust has been removed from the city, the alternative culture scene is given full visibility during the New Salt Festival. The festival creates a frame for con­temporary art forms, but also a fertile ground for exchange with national and international artists, and thereby un­folds the potentials of both SKGT and European counterculture. The 2 week­ ends focus on music-concerts, club- and performance-events, but visitors also see various openings of exhibi­tions and (con)temporary art-spaces. During the week, artists, who are part of a residency program, offer work­shops in digital arts, music and per­formance. Special exhibitions and com­missioned works are shown in galleries and locations around the city of Bad Ischl. A festival lounge, including DJs, pop-up-concerts and performan­ces in the center of the city, serves as an important meeting point of music, art and performance enthusiasts from all over Europe. The mix of formats attracts new audien­ces and creates opportunities to participate. While the concerts on the weekends raise the visibility and capability of counterculture and attract many (also new) people to join and enjoy. During the week, smaller and more intimate concerts and per­formances allow for close exchange of musicians, artists and people interested. The workshops during the week add a more educational approach to the festival. Especially for young people, who do not yet have any oppor­tunities to gain practical knowledge or skills in this field, hands-on and ex­peri­mental music producing, perfor­m­ing and DJing workshops together with European and other international artists are offered. The music program features local ta­l­ents (e.g. The Unused Word, Chango or Pangani) besides national and international acts - both well-known artists, but also uprising newcomers (e.g. Four Tet (UK), Soap & Skin (AT), Caterina Barbieri (IT), Blixa Bargeld (DE), Jenny Hval (NO), Dorian Concept (AT)). It invites awide range of labels and music collectives such as Ventil Records, Disko 404 or Arabstazy Col­lective. Experimental and avant-garde electronic and alternative music (e.g. Lanark Artefax (UK), Maria Minerva (EE) or Jung An Tagen (AT)) are part of the program just as acts with a sub­stantial, but less eccentric approach, which enables us to reach a wider audience (e.g. HVOB (AT) or DJ Koze (DE)). The workshops cover a wide range from “Improvised Music & Digital Arts” with the artist Maja Osojnik (SI/AT) to “Make your Voice Heard - Empowerment through Rap” with Esra and Enes Özmen a.k.a. EsRAP (AT), “Electronic Music Production with Modular Synthesizers” with Patrick Pulsinger (AT) to “DIY Instru­ment Building” with the musical instru­ment inventor Yuri Landman (NL) in cooperation with the HTBLA Hallstatt department of instrument construc­tion. The final line-up and artistic program, including the full workshop program of the New Salt Festival, is selected by the interdisciplinary curatorial team: Ursula Winterauer and Maximilian Zeller for electronic and alternative music, Eva Fischer for digital arts and Daniel Aschwanden for performance. The Ars Electronica Festival is the main cooperation partner in the field of Digital Arts. After their own annual festival, which takes place in the beginning of September, its team hosts and curates one of the main locations of the New Salt Festival. The New Salt Festival also becomes part of a wider European network by joining Yourope, the most important associa­tion of European festivals. This pro­vides the basis for European colla­b­orations, for learning from other’s expertise, but also helps to raise the visibility of the festival. For the music and workshop program we further cooperate with the Elevate Festival, an important Austrian festival located in Graz, which combines contemporary music, art and political discourse. The festival team hosts certain music stages and contributes to the inter­disciplinary format of the New Salt Festival with its international network. Curators: Ursula Winterauer (AT), Maximilian Zeller (AT), Eva Fischer (AT), Daniel Aschwanden (CH/AT) Partners: Ars Electronica Festival (AT), Yourope (EU), Elevate Festival (AT) Estimated Budget: € 750.000.- When: 12. - 21. September 2024 Duration: 10 days Where: Bad Ischl (various locations including Lehartheater, Trinkhalle, historical telegraph office, Cafe Casino/OCC, Old Salt Brewery)

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PASCHEN Paschen 3.0 is an experiment in music and bringing genders together through art. Two counter poles of music meet each other: (1) the traditional Paschen, which is a special kind of interlocking clapping, common in the „Inneres SKGT“ and a male only performed tra­dition, and (2) new music created by female composers. Three female composers Martina Claussen, Katharina Roth and Michaela Schausberger (all AT), in cooperation with a traditional, local ensemble, take the musical tradition of Paschen and place it in a contemporary context. Their lo­cal ensemble - Ebenseer Tirolerhäusl Schützenmusi, with Pascher. Paschen, in the SKGT, is practiced in groups of men. In the „hardcore scene“, no women are allowed to participate in this tradition, as it is the case with many other SKGT traditions. Similarly, almost all famous composers are men. If you look at the statistics of the Mem­bers of AKM (Austrian collecting so­ciety) in 2018, you find that out of 100% copyrights only 16% are held by female while 84% are held by male artists. So we work with female composers to prove that composing music has no­th­ing to do with gender. In 2024, on a quarterly basis, a set of Paschen 3.0 shows take place, each in a different community and area of the SKGT. The shows are interesting to both old and young audiences, for traditionalists as well as for lovers of new music. Planet Paschen is a big international concert in the SKGT mountains. Paschen or rhythmic hand clapping is an archaic form of music. That is why we find Paschen traditions all over the world. As with singing, you do not need an instrument, power or technical equip­ment. All you need is the human body and at least one hand to clap on your thigh. The Cakepung of Eastern Bali, many African clapping and dance traditions, Spanish folk music and Flamenco, clapping traditions in Eastern Indonesia (e.g. Flores, Timor), North- and South America, Mongolia, Southeastern Asia, Micronesia (Mar­shall-Islands) or Papua are some ex­amp­les of this elementary form of expression. Curator Michaela Schausberger orga­n­izes a big concert, involving inter­national forms of rhythmic clapping tra­ditions. Groups from different coun­tries and continents come to­gether for this concert and share their specific clapping traditions. Planet Paschen concert is held in July, high up on the impressive Dachstein moun­tain massif. Curator / Artistic Director: Michaela Schausberger (AT) Artistic Idea: Petra Kodym (AT) Artists: Martina Claussen (AT), Katharina Roth (AT), Michaela Schausberger (AT) Partner Artists: Tirolerhäusl Schützenmusi (Ebensee), Leader: Peter Ahammer (AT) Possible Partner Artists: from Africa, Asia, America Estimated Budget: € 50.000.- When Paschen 3.0: February, May, September, December When Planet Paschen: July Duration Paschen 3.0: Concert duration, quarterly Duration Planet Paschen: once, concert with numerous artists Where Paschen 3.0: Moserei (Scharnstein), Gmunden (Hipp Halle), Bad Ischl (Kurpark Musikpavillon or Casino Keller), Gosau (Kulturzentrum) Where Planet Paschen: up on Dachstein mountain

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ATLAS OF TRADITIONS Atlas of Traditions is a database, a manuscript and a platform for tradi­tional events and projects, com­bining tradition and contemporary artforms. The SKGT is a region full of traditions, old crafts and rites, which accompany the annual cycle. With Atlas of Tra­ditions we take a closer look - research, chronicle and celebrate our wealth of rituals. Most scientific publications on SKGT traditions follow a rather roman­tizised approach. As part of Atlas of Traditions, students from the Vienna University’s Institute of European Eth­nology conduct field research. This results in a scientifically solid, yet easy and fun to read collection of rites and customs found in the SKGT – a book publication both targeted at locals, Europeans and beyond. Additionally 2 visual artists, Natalie Weiss (AT) and Ana Mendes (UK/SE) are commis­sioned to create contemporary artistic Manuscripts of Traditions. Natalie Weiss, print­maker and book artist, involves schools by taking her mobile printing studio to them. These youth 26 Cultural and artistic content workshops become one part of her Manuscript, in conjunction with solo components. Ana Mendes‘ interpretation of Atlas of Traditions results in her version of a Manuscript. All resulting works are shown in the Stadtmuseum Bad Ischl during the ECoC year and are later circulated to regional town museums. XiBIT creates a virtual Atlas of Tradition Database, which will be continuously extended. This serves as a visually appealing and entertaining online wiki which collects all of the SKGT traditions and back­ground info the scientific re­ search group has elaborated. Marion Friedmann’s (AT/UK) Mapping Material Culture, Craft & Design links to Atlas of Tradition and provides a well-researched cultural base for our SKGT School of Art & Craft. Starting in 2022 she researches, documents, exhibits old techniques that are still preserved in the SKGT. Based on her findings, Friedmann connects emer­ging European product/industrial/fur­ni­ture designers with local crafts­ people in various residencies/work­shops to create new cutting-edge colla­borative work. The complete pro­cess is documented in video, inter­views and photography. An exhibition presents the full spectrum of design-objects/product-prototypes created during the artisan-designer collabo­ra­tions. Hands on SKGT! by Marie Gruber (AT) con­nects directly with Friedmann’s pro­ject. Being a local butcher’s daughter, she knows first hand how difficult it is for small businesses to find appren­tices. Hands on SKGT! cooperates with schools and regional businesses. It gives people the opportunity to do short internships, get to know the work environments and potentially start apprenticeships. Water Is the New Soil takes Atlas of Tradition on water. In the SKGT region, the Plätte a simple wooden boat with a helm, has a long tradition. After many years as a working tool and means of transportation, the Plätte is now a tou­r­ist marketing tool, and a prestigious object for those who can afford one. For 3 years, starting in 2021, Wolfgang Müllegger (AT), sculptor and boat builder, organizes international, inter­disciplinary boatbuilding sym­po­siums at lake Altaussee, bringing together knowledge and expertise from all over Europe. 3 different types of boats - 1 historical, 1 for river crui­s­ing and 1 for general use - are de­signed cooperatively. In 2024 these boats are built and accessible to the public. (Artistic) Idea/Curator: Artistic Directory Producers: Marion Friedmann (AT), Wolfang Müllegger (AT), Marie Gruber (AT) Partners: XiBIT (AT), Brigitta Schmidt- Lauber (Institutsvorständin of Institut für Europäische Ethnologie Universität Wien, AT), Natalie Weiss (AT) and Ana Mendes (UK/SE) Estimated Budget: € 800.000.- When: 2021-2024 Duration: all year Where: SKGT-wide

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EUROPE, IN DARKNESS!? This project is a four-day literature festi­val curated by Austrian writer Lydia Haider. It addresses European issues of nationalism, both past and present. Is Nationalism a defensive and nega­tive reaction to a perceived demora­l­ization of “western culture”? Or can a more positive form of national pride emerge based on tolerance, liberty and a sense of shared values? How can we celebrate and uphold our historic culture and identity with each other in ways that finds space for new cultures to emerge, but at the same time allows new citizens to refresh and to broaden those values? European writers are invited to share their views on these questions in pub­ lic readings organized in Grundlsee in October 2024. Part of Europe in Dark­ness!? will be an open call orga­nized by the Viennese association Li­te­ratur Famulus. People from all over Europe can submit short texts on the question “What can the SKGT learn from Europe and what can Europe learn from the SKGT?”. A European jury selects 24 pieces, based on sub­missions; 12 nominations are given to young parti­cipants under the age of 20. As part of the festival we cooperate with Bodo’s project My European Story, Hildesheim’s Europe from Beyond – A Writer’s Journey and Magdeburg’s Forces of Attraction project. They are about personal views of people of different ages on Europe; also SKGT residents and visitors are invited to share their views. Children and Youth in Dialogue, an initiative by Volkshilfe (AT), organizes workshops with children from the age of 8 on migra­tion, globalization and identities. The results are integrated in the festival. As part of the festival‘s artistic frame­ work Berlin (BE) shows a retrospective of their work of the last 20 years combined with a new in­stallation on notions of nationalism, identities and Europe. Curator: Lydia Haider (AT) Partners: Literatur Famulus (AT), Berlin (BE), Bodø2024 (NO), Hildesheim2025 (DE), Magdeburg2025 (DE) , Children and Youth in Dialogue/ Volkshilfe (AT) Estimated Budget: € 60.000.- When: 2024 Duration: 4 days Where: Grundlsee

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EUROPEAN MUSIC CLUB: Migration, Music, Multilingualism United in diversity - this is the motto of the European Music Club. European music has multiple roots and can sound very different. Yet, the­re are many connecting elements in almost all contemporary interpreta­tions. Just like languages or regional recipes, every local music shares a common, evolved European heritage. Migration is usually the basis for this exchange and the resulting diversity. Making this diversity audible - that‘s what the European Music Club is all about. And about exchange, migration and multilingualism. The project consists of 2 connected parts, both produced by Freies Radio Salzkammergut: (1) the concert series European Music Club takes place in intimate settings and is broadcast live. The other, (2) a radio show, airs live before or after concerts, in all the different languages of the musicians and the people from our region who speak their languages. These multilingual locals interview the musicians, helping with translations and explanations, which supports the musicians in sharing their stories. Consequently, in addition to the music, a further bridge between people and the multilingual reality of the region, and Europe, is built and becomes audible. Proposed artists (examples): Christian Zehnder (CH), La Pegatina (ES), Amsterdam Klezmer Band (NL), Fatima Spar and the Freedom Fries, Kroke (PL), Les Primitifs du Futur (FR), 5‘Nizza (UA), Baba Zula (TR), Yasmine Hamdan (LB), Manu Delago (AT), Kofelschgroa (DE), Omar Soleyman (SY). (Artistic) Idea/Curator/Producer: Jörg Stöger, Riki Müllegger, Mario Friedwagner (all AT) Partners: Glatt & Verkehrt Musikfestival, Ottensheim Open Air (both AT) Estimated Budget: € 140.000.- When: March – October, monthly Duration: Evening events + radio session before or the day after Where: Museum of Bad Ischl, swim- island in Hallstatt, tunnel of the former concentration camp in Ebensee, courtyard of the Neuwildenstein castle in Bad Goisern, empty tavern on the mountain Pötschen, Seebahnhof (train station by the lake ) in Gmunden, bathing island in Traunkirchen.

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CONVERSATIONS WITH THE EMPEROR This project challenges the omnipre­sent romantizised sell-out of the im­pe­rial Sisi/Franzl myth. When you are in Bad Ischl, you cannot escape its imperial past. Even cleaning compa­nies use the emperor for marketing reasons. And each year, for a whole week in August, Bad Ischl celebrates Franz Joseph‘s birthday which is a magnet for thousands of watchers and even some die-hard monarchists wishing for the good old times. Each month throughout 2024, we host a Conversation with the Emperor sta­ged in Bad Ischl in former Habsburg buildings. International experts help us shed light on our imperial past and European connections from different angles. We start the project with a public debate on reasons why the Habsburgs even came to the SKGT. Historian Michael Kurz offers his expertise on this topic. Another Conversation deals with the manifold European connections the imperial family held, making Bad Ischl not only a site of high ranking diplo­macy but also the place where the de­claration of WWI was signed. For this Conversation, we invite specialists from cities and regions with which we share a Habsburgian past. We are in contact with Novi Sad, Banja Luka, Veszprem and Bad Ischl‘s twin cities Gödöllö, Opatija and Sarajevo. Another Conversation is about the Sisi-cult which was inspired by Romy Schneider movies. With Karin Moser (AT), a University of Vienna historian, we also take a closer look at other films that helped to shape the Emperor‘s image since the 1930s. Sons of Sissy by Simon Mayer (AT) is a perfor­mance of ri­tuals, dances and traditio­nal alpine music freed from conser­vatism and conventions. Hannes Leidinger (AT), director of the Lud­wig Boltzmann Institute for Re­search on consequences of wars in Vienna, deals with WWI, which was started by the signing of the decla­ration of war in the Kaiservilla in Bad Ischl. Pieter Judson (NL/IT), from the European Uni­versity Institute in Florence, shares his expertise on the life of ordinary people during the Habsburgian Empire while Graham Boxer, from the Imperial War Museum (UK) gives insight on ways of commemorating imperial histories. We hope to welcome Glaswegian indie-rock band Franz Ferdinand to play a concert for us, allowing for a comple­te­ly different Habsburgian connection. Other Conversations present the original, “famous” Sommerfrische, its royalty and entourage of artists, but also its effects on local citizens. In contrast, the seldom talked about Sommerfrische following WWII still returns the children of those Som­merfrischler, now adults, to our region. One Conversation tells their personal stories. Balkan Routes, a project by Hans Fuchs (AT) is also integrated into Conver­sations with the Emperor. Timişoara Thrust was an organized relocation during the Habsburg monarchy. In the 1750s a total of 3,130 people were deported from the SKGT to Timişoara. Now, in the present time, teenagers from both regions explore and docu­ment traces of the forced migration. The results of this journey are presen­ted within one Conversation, alongside Annemarie Steidl’s (Uni­versity of Vien­na, AT) expertise on migration and work during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Partners: Graham Boxer (UK), Hans Fuchs (AT), Pieter Judson (IT), Michael Kurz (AT), Hannes Leidinger (AT), Simon Mayer (AT), Verena Metzenrath (AT), Johannes Mittendorfer (AT), Karin Moser (AT), Annemarie Steidl (AT), Veszprem 2023 (HU), Novi Sad 2021 (RS), Gödöllö (HU), Opatija (HR), Sarajevo (BA) Estimated Budget: € 200.000.- When: 2024 Duration: 12 Conversations in total, one per month Where: Bad Ischl