News Archive

Since 2005, Linz09’s editorial staff has documented Capital of Culture events and activities in more than 700 articles. From rundowns on preliminary projects and reports about the many productions staged throughout 2009 to interesting updates from other Capitals of Culture, they’re all available here in chronological order.

Raise the curtain on Linz09! (31.12.2008)

The Federal President, Dr. Heinz Fischer, has officially declared Culture Capital Year open Representatives from politics, art, culture and the business community were among the guests atthe solemn opening gala in the Brucknerhaus.

This promises to be the hands-down highlight of opening night! The “Rocket Symphony” staged shortly after midnight will feature about 400 singers amorously entwining their voices with the pyrotechnic spectacle.

From 2 January, the Lentos Kunstmuseum is in the enviable position of being able to put on display the very best works of art from Austrian collections. Ranging across all styles and drawn from different centuries, “Best of Austria” will dazzle through its sheer variety alone.

Don't miss it: Until midnight you can still see, how time is built in the project “Standard Time” at the Donaulände.

A special train for the opening (30.12.2008)

Linz09 and the ÖBB have come together to provide a special service for the night of New Year’s Eve / New Year’s Day in the form of a night train to Wels and Attnang-Puchheim.

Here’s a great way to get into the right mood for the Capital of Culture launch: a diversified array of musical entertainment downtown!

The most promising work submitted in response to this open call by Linz09’s Heimspiel & TanzTageLabor projects will be singled out for recognition with a €3,000 cash award.

On December 27th, the Ruhepol Centralkino acoustic refuge will host a live remote broadcast of “Klassik-Treffpunkt” on the ORF–Austrian Broadcasting Company’s radio station Ö1.

LINZ AG offers the people of Linz comfortable and convenient transportation to New Year’s Eve festivities and back home again.

“Coming and Going” is a project by Linz09 and Social Impact that’s making a high-profile statement on 18 city limits signs along major thoroughfares in and out of Linz: they’re being augmented with the word “Linz” spelled out in all the alphabets used in this city.

With peak values of 87 decibels, the Pimkie chain’s downtown Linz affiliate came in with the top noise level, making it the runaway winner of the 2008 Acoustic Polluter of the Year title.

Here’s a great gift idea for the art & culture connoisseurs on your list. At our Christmas sale on December 20th, you can pick up a Linz09 Insider Card and The Programme at the low, low price of €30.

The gala opening of Culture Capital Year will be a unique event for Linz – and you can be part of it all! We’re looking for volunteers to help put together the STANDARD TIME project.

Linz09 is working closely with the ÖBB–Austrian Federal Railways to offer Linz09 visitors a fast, convenient and environmentally-friendly mode of travel to the Capital of Culture.

Languages from all over the world are written and spoken in Linz. Beginning December 18, 2009, multilingual signs set up by the COMING AND GOING project will be extending best wishes to travellers entering and leaving Linz on the city’s major thoroughfares.

WelcomeCard Linz09: A Friendly Hello in Any Language (15.12.2008)

Bienvenue à Linz09! And: Hvala da ste Linz 09 posjetili! The WelcomeCard Linz09 featuring greetings in 12 different languages is a really handy little aid to help Linzers welcome their international visitors during the Capital of Culture year.

Every European Capital of Culture must, first of all, come to terms with itself. Of necessity, because that city wants to know—indeed, has to know—how to define itself. Insight into its identity is a prerequisite for planning and initiatives that bear fruit in the future. Just such a depiction of this city’s identity is provided by LINZ ATLAS. Its recent publication offers an excellent occasion for a discussion of the quality of life in Linz and elsewhere.

Only available in German
Am 12. Dezember gibt es noch einmal Gelegenheit, ausführlich über Linz09 infomiert zu werden: im Volkshaus Kleinmünchen geht es insbesondere um die Projekte im Stadtteil Linz Süd.

What Linz has in common with selected cities worldwide occupies the focal point of LINZ TEXAS. Following runs in Vienna and Graz, the exhibition is currently showcasing its playful comparisons in Berlin.

Holders of the new Linz09 Pass can look forward to lots of benefits: great surprise gifts, for instance, or a deep discount on The Programme. Plus, you can collect “I Was There” stamps at selected Linz09 events to earn additional rewards.

The annual Christmas present conundrum got you down? Linz09 has a great gift idea! In conjunction with Kunstkauf, galleries in Linz and Upper Austria are featuring affordable art.

The Linz09 project “Hörstadt” transforms Advent again into the “most peaceful time of the year”. The Centralkino Oasis of Quiet offers the possibility to experience acoustic peace and gives anyone in need of it a break from the constant exposure to noise that has become a nearly permanent characteristic of city life.

A musical-literary program performed by David Wagner and Thomas Pohl led off the Theatrical Advent Calendar series. The captivating presentation found favor with about 50 guests.

Participants in “UmLinzRum” writing workshops present literary impressions and their personal takes on the relationship between their respective hometown and Linz at readings of their work in StifterHaus. Next up are the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod and Duisburg in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The new Linz09 magazine hits the streets! Neuner provides readers with programme info, stories, interview, interesting features about individual projects and important dates throughout the Capital of Culture year.

What could be better than reading a good book? Engaging in a dialog with a “living book”! November 28-29, an organization named living books will put you in up-close-and-personal contact with people who are affected by prejudice in their everyday lives.

Advent high above the city: “Tower Music” and the start of the “Tower Hermit” project revive old traditions and create a space for quiet contemplation.

Instead of the Three Wise Men, four Royal Families are the bearers of gifts on the Linz09 Advent Calendar. And the Theatrical Advent Calendar offers two dozen unique experiences.

As the lead-in to the Capital of Culture year’s grand opening, Advent has a bit of a different look this year—it’s 32 days long and the Advent wreath has five candles.

Till Körber has been singled out for recognition with the Culture Prize of the Province of Upper Austria. Among the composer’s works is an oratorio for Linz09.

“Linz Atlas” is an objective portrait of the City of Linz that goes deeper than a mere collection of visually evocative images. Its public debut is set for late November.

The Linz09 Infocenter in the Hauptplatz is coming on stream with a cornucopia of attractive special offers. To name but one example: to celebrate the Infocenter’s opening there will be 2,009 creature comforts in store for visitors.

The third of three Capital of Culture programme catalogues will hit the shelves in the Linz09 Infocenter and in bookstores on November 20.

We’ve come up with a really user-friendly way for you to put together the itinerary of your Capital of Culture visit. Now, our website makes it easy to go right to the specific Linz09 programme features and dates you’re looking for.

At the latest Kopfstand09 held on November 17, 2008, Time’s Up and Linz09 elaborated on why Time’s Up’s TwixtVille project—despite intense, protracted efforts to bring it to fruition—will not be produced during the Capital of Culture year.

Pixelhotel - A Project for Linz 2009 European Capital of Culture

The Pixelhotels in Linz have it all—everything except cookie-cutter hotel rooms, that is! To convince yourself of that fact, attend the open house on November 20.

Another project by Linz09 was presented this week at a press conference in Vienna. In 2009 EXTRA EUROPA will focus on Europe outside the European Union.

More than 250 guests attended a celebration that got I LIKE TO MOVE IT MOVE IT off to a rousing start. The big Linz09 school project is designed to get Upper Austrian schools moving in the direction of creativity!

In the runup to the Festival of the Regions 2009 a series of talks and discussions is going to focus attention on the city’s periphery. An event at the community center ELIA in solarCity marks the beginning of the series.

Press Conference Pixelhotel, 10 November 2008

If you’re looking for a very special sort of lodging for your next stay in Europe’s 2009 Capital of Culture, then the Pixelhotel is the right place for you. The third of five Pixels planned for downtown Linz just opened.

The English version will be posted shortly.
Sie ahnen es bereits: eine Linzer Fichte steht seit dieser Woche auf dem Römer in Frankfurt am Main.

Theatre Highlights of Early 2009
Linz09’s performing arts program kicks off with a bang right at the outset of the Capital of Culture year. An international theatre and dance festival entitled “Theatre Mania 1: Snowstorm” will highlight the cultural calendar in January and February.

Cultural Capital Neighbourhood of the Month

Linz09 wird sich nicht nur im Zentrum der Stadt abspielen, sondern erobert das gesamte Stadtgebiet. Den wichtigsten Stellenwert nimmt dabei das Projekt „Kulturhauptstadtteil des Monats“ ein.

The Linz09 Infocenter on Hauptplatz opens this month. It’s your one-stop shop for everything having to do with the Capital of Culture year. Programme Book 3/3 will also be coming out in November.

Designing our audible environment with human beings in mind, dispensing with incessant background music and doing away with noise forced upon people in public spaces—the “Beschallungsfrei–Help Stamp Out Acoustic Pollution” campaign being launched in conjunction with the “Acoustic City” initiative got underway at the end of October. The mission is to make Linz the world’s first acoustic model city.

Your companion and informant throughout the Capital of Culture year: the launch of “Neuner,” the new Linz09 magazine, is set for November 27.

What could TwixtVille have been? What was it? What is it? The portrait of a city that was indeed planned but, in the end, never built.

At the end of November, a project will commence in Linz that intentionally puts forth a high-contrast counterpoint to hectic big-city life and does so high above the rooftops of Linz: the first occupant will move into the tower hermitage in St. Mary’s Cathedral.

An episode of “Tatort,” the most popular detective show on Austrian and German TV, is being currently being shot in Linz.

ECoC is the network of past, present and future European Capitals of Culture. On October 23-24, organizers got together in Linz for a lively exchange of ideas.

Filmmaker Micha Shagrir is a native of Linz who has lived in Israel since 1938. On November 4, he’ll receive the Gold Medal of Honor of the City of Linz. Linz09 extends its congratulations.

Press conference and train christening, 22 October 2008

As part of Linz09’s collaboration with the ÖBB – Austrian Federal Railways, one of the line’s sleek new ICE trains has been named “Linz.”

The first “Kinderwachsen” (children growing) workshop designed for children, pupils and care personnel is being held on Thursday, October 16 in cooperation with Linz’s Kindergarten Training Facility and Federal Institute for Kindergarten Pedagogy.

Linz09 not only makes art & culture lovers’ hearts beat faster. Experts in the field of advertising and promotion are now singing its praises too. The word is out: the upcoming European Capital of Culture’s publicity work has been singled out for recognition with a Caesar Award for best advertising campaign!

More than 350 guests attended a Linz09 presentation on October 14 at the European Parliament in Brussels. Speeches and artistic intermezzi were the highlights of the evening.

New Year’s Eve also signals the start of the Capital of Culture year. From December 31, 2008 to January 2, 2009, Linz will be one big festive celebration.

Saturday, 18 October, will see the third annual Upper Austrian “Integrationsball” in a row. Along the lines of this year’s motto “Klang der Vielfalt”, the music of diversity, successful integration and the peaceful coexistence of people from different backgrounds will be at the centre of the festive ball at the Palais Kaufmännischer Verein.

Press Conference Hospitality bei Linz09, 03 October 2008

Linz’s inhabitants will have a significant contribution to make to the Culture Capital’s success. “Wir”, Linz09’s language guide, is designed to prevent hospitality from foundering on the rocks of linguistic barriers.

“Portraitprojekt I.A.” by Irene Andessner centres on her self portraits done by other artists. The results of Andessner’s collaboration with Paolo Leone is on view at Brunnhofer Galerie, Linz, from 9 October.

In 2010 Istanbul will be European Capital of Culture alongside the Ruhr Area and Pécs. The artistic director of Istanbul 2010, Nuri Çolakoðlu, will be in Linz on 14 October to report on the state of play.

ECoC – this acronym refers not only to European Capitals of Culture as such but also to a loose network of such cities designed to facilitate regular exchanges: at the next one it will be Linz’s turn to play host.

Linz09 is making its presence felt all over Europe – holding a number of press conferences at different European locations and making sure it is seen and heard at EU institutions and embassies.

A stunning interplay between voices and fireworks is to ring in Capital of Culture Year in Linz on New Year’s Eve. There are still vacancies for choirs and singers.

31 October is the deadline for artists and scientists to submit suggestions for “80+1 – A Journey Around the World” and to send Linz off on its trip around the world.

Tango is a complex cultural technique rooted in everyday culture. This makes it eminently suitable as a curtain raiser for the exhibition and the “opera of knowledge” “Welt im Kopf”, a Linz 09 project.

Linz09-Infocenter - Rendering Caramel architekten

In November 2008 the central Cultural Capital Year information point, which will be operated jointly by Linz09 and Tourismusverband Linz, will open its doors to the public. Construction work is going ahead at full speed.

Opening of “Linz Texas” in Graz (25.09.2008)

After a runtime in Vienna the exhibition's “Linz Texas – A City Relates “ premiere at the Stadtmuseum Graz is on September 25. The centerpiece: the imagined worldwide affinities of Linz as “prototypical middle-size city.”

25 concerts in 4 countries along thousands of kilometers of river road. So, now it’s time for a look back: in a chat about experiences and impressions on 25 September.

A country with a complex internal structure was at the centre of a Kopfstand09 event at the Wissensturm on 23 September, which provided information as well as the stage for a discussion on Bosnia and Herzegovina, in particular in regard to its rapprochement to the EU.

2008 is the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. In this spirit, the next Kopfstand09 presentation on September 23 will address a very sensitive issue: the entry requirements Austrian imposes on the citizens of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

On 16 September all eyes were on the opening of the exhibition “The Fuhrer’s Capital of Culture” at the Schlossmuseum Linz, which throws light on the role that Linz, dubbed the “Führerstadt”, played in the cultural politics of the Nazis.

The cosmopolitan port town of Marseille has ended up head and shoulders above its other French competitors, Lyon, Bordeaux and Toulouse and will join the Slovakian city of Kosice as European Capital of Culture in 2013.

One of the two European Capitals of Culture 2013 has now been chosen: Kosice, Slovakia’s second largest city, has been able to outdistance its three competitors.

In the first test of the respective mettle of the two European Capitals of Culture 2009 Linz was forced to concede defeat. In a World Cup qualifier Lithuania beat Austria 2:0. As we lick our wounds we find a certain consolation in the fact that this preliminary round does not count towards the final outcome of “Linz vs Vilnius“.

A part of this Linz09 project is the Linz Charter, an exemplary acoustic urban development program that has already made the leap from the cultural sphere into the political arena.

The Capital of Culture is heading straight for your living room: The new Linz09 ad spot is now on the air.

Presentation of the Linz09 Beverage Collection, 2 September 2008

Here’s to an enjoyable Capital of Culture year! This past Monday in Linz’s Altes Rathaus, the Linz09 Assortment was unveiled. These select wines and spirits will be available at fine dining & drinking establishments beginning Monday, September 8, 2008.

Contemporary Lithuanian literature occupies the focal point of the “Linz Reads Vilnius” event series. Kicking things off will be Lithuanian author Vanda Juknaitė, who will be joined on this literary excursion by Austrian writer Barbara Frischmuth.

The history of Linz and Upper Austria will appear in a new light beginning on September 17. Two major exhibitions, “The Cultural Capital of the Fuhrer” and “Political Sculpture,” clearly manifest the intensive process of coming to terms with the time of National Socialism that is being carried out under the aegis of Linz09.

How can the sounds of a city be mapped and represented graphically? On September 1, the latest installment of the Kopfstand09 series dealt with this very question.

Summer’s not over yet! So hit the beach in style on one of these smart Linz09 deck chairs.

The showdown between Europe’s 2009 Co-Capitals of Culture is kicking off in the true sense of the word. The football World Championship qualification match pitting Austria against Lithuania will launch the “Linz vs. Vilnius” project.

“Linz, Texas” Provides an Occasion for Dialog (01.09.2008)

Just before “Linz Texas – A City Relates” completes its run in Vienna and moves on to Graz, Architekturzentrum Wien is staging one more discussion of the exhibition’s theme. Entitled “Power of Display,” this exchange of views will deal with several issues including the best ways to publicly present the qualities of a city.

The last concert on the Linz Europa Tour will be on August 31 in Passau, Germany. For fans in Linz, though, there’ll be a couple of encores …

The activities of next year's European Capital of Culture don’t abruptly stop at the edge of town! Linz09 encompasses the whole region and is getting lots of other Upper Austrian cities involved, both as project venues and as key tourism partners.

Weikerlsee Open Air Launches the 2009 Festival of the Regions’ First Project (25.08.2008)

The Festival of the Regions and Linz09 are intensifying their collaboration. The Capital of Culture year is a perfect occasion for the Festival of the Regions to stage an encounter with Linz and its outlying areas. The project kicking off the next Festival is happening this week.

Linz09 shows the way in the Linz main station

Linz09’s promotional campaign is focusing on mobility—on trains and in train stations, on streetcars, in taxi cabs and along bike paths.

“Acoustic Maps: How the City Sounds” is the title of the next event in the Kopfstand 09 series set for September 1, 2008.

Tiefenrausch has concluded its successful run in Linz. Two of the exhibition’s projects are now on display at a couple of Upper Austria’s foremost tourist destinations.

Astronomer Johannes Kepler lived in Linz from 1612 to 1627. His former residence at Rathausgasse 5—immediately adjacent to Linz’s Main Square—is now being revived in the spirit of science.

Linz09’s intensive confrontation with the time of National Socialism now manifests itself in the form of two exhibitions that shed new light on the history of Linz and Upper Austria.

A film crew accompanied Hubert von Goisern & Co.’s Linz Europa Tour East through nine countries in 2007. The result is a five-part series that’s being aired this summer.

Literary Remembrances of Mauthausen (30.07.2008)

In September, the Capital of Culture will begin its focus on National Socialism with two exhibitions: “The Cultural Capital of the Führer” and “Political Sculpture.” Linz09 also recommends a literary event dealing with the Nazi past scheduled for early August.

Colourful Linz09 deck chairs offer a stylish way to catch some rays at Linz’s Parkbad outdoor swimming pool complex.

Football is a major part of the cultural mix in Linz and has a long tradition in the future Capital of Culture. This coming Sunday, Linz’s LASK club will be celebrating its 100th anniversary by playing a friendly against Real Madrid in jam-packed Gugl Stadium.

Linz09 has taken to the streets. The European Capital of Culture’s logo now adorns many of the city’s taxicabs.

Linz09 made another of its many appearances abroad this week. Host city was Cologne.

Linz taxi drivers are excellent sources of information about the city for visitors and locals alike. Just in time for the start of the Academy of the Impossible, they’ve been issued Linz09 flyers and brochures to give their riders an authoritative rundown on what’s happing ‘round about the Capital of Culture.

The Genussbox, a treasure trove of classic Upper Austrian delicacies, is a favorite of those who enjoy gourmet foods and beverages of the highest quality. Now, a special edition of the Genussbox (literally: pleasure box) has been brought out especially for the Capital of Culture year.

Due to a severe case of bronchitis, Hubert von Goisern has been unable to perform at Linz Europa Tour West concerts in recent days. Nevertheless, not a single date had to be cancelled. On July 17, the Alpine rocker will continue touring as planned.

11,800 viewers attended performances of the play “Z!PF or The Dark Side of the Moon” during the summer of 2007. Due to tremendous popular demand, this theatrical spectacle will be produced again this year.

The artistic exploration of subterranean Linz will continue. By popular demand, the “Tiefenrausch” exhibition in the Aktienkeller has been extended until July 31.

Linz09 is getting things moving! There’s certainly wide agreement on that point among all those who cast a ballot to select, from among 10 candidates, an appropriate name for the Capital of Culture’s big school project. Having garnered 31.8% of the vote, “I like to move it, move it!” is the winner.

Check into these unusual accommodation! Now, you can book really cool Linz lodgings at places that don’t bear even the faintest resemblance to a cookie-cutter hotel room. And there you have the Pixelhotel concept in a nutshell.

Prior to the official start of the Academy of the Impossible’s course programme, administrators are taking yet another step beyond the realm of a conventional workshop programme and seeking out-of-the-ordinary venues.

The English version will be posted shortly.
Um einen Austausch über die vielen Facetten der Kulturhauptstadt zu fördern, lud Linz09 seine PartnerInnen am Montag, 30. Juni 2008, zu einem gemütlichen Zusammensein am Donaustrand. Gleichzeitig war dies eine Einladung an einen neuen, von Linz09 geschaffenen Erholungsraum an der Donau.

Linz09’s latest Kopfstand event spent a full evening focusing on Islam. In spite of extensive media coverage of this topic, many people in this country still bring misunderstandings and prejudices to their encounters with Islam, and few have really well-grounded knowledge of its religion, culture and philosophy. This 13th installment in the Kopfstand series aimed to do something about that. And, indeed, the turnout in transpublic in downtown Linz was excellent.

Linz09 is going to school. Artists have been invited to work together with students and teachers on performing arts productions. This project’s name still hasn’t been finalized—the balloting is going on until June 30.

Make the impossible a reality! That’s the mission of the Academy of the Impossible, a workshop program being staged by Linz09. Here, diversity is the name of the game—as the following three examples illustrate.

The Capital of Culture year is providing a big boost to the regional economy. According to the latest poll, more than 1.3 million Austrians are planning to come to town during Linz09. And there’s definitely a lot more potential here, considering that about 70% of the population regards Linz09 as a thoroughly positive development.

Art, culture and the general public: Stanford Professor Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht will first discuss a new academic field of study with his Linzer colleague Herbert Lachmayer, before slipping into the role of football commentator.

To attend the opening of Linz09’s LINZ TEXAS exhibition, architekturforum oberösterreich organized a trip to Vienna on Wednesday, June 11. The itinerary included an inspection of some of the city’s most outstanding residential construction projects.

Beginning July 14 at unconventional locations in and around Linz, instruction in the impossible will be purveyed. Registrations are already being accepted. The public response to the ACADEMY OF THE IMPOSSIBLE offerings has been excellent.

On June 24, Linz09’s KOPFSTAND discussion series will focus on a topic that so many people are mentioning, discussing and interpreting these days: Islam and its great diversity.

In the wake of his highly successful LINZ EUROPA TOUR EAST, Hubert von Goisern is once again taking the Sound of Europe on tour with a floating stage. Before he embarks on this year's westbound musical journey, there’ll be a public showing of „Goisern Goes East. The Linz Europa Tour East 2007”, the ORF – Austrian Broadcasting Company’s documentary of the 2007 tour, on OK Platz in Linz on June 24, 2008.

Round 3 is set for June 13. In LINZ STATUS QUO III: THE DEBATE, three international architectural critics will scrutinize Linz’s urban development and architectural heritage.

Linz’s Klangwolke (Cloud of Sound) has been staged in and around the Brucknerhaus for about 30 years. Now, this musical spectacle is being temporarily transplanted to Austria's capital for a KLANGWOLKE REVIVAL on the grounds of Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier.

Preparations for Hubert von Goisern’s Linz Europa Tour West are proceeding in high gear. On Wednesday, June 4, 2008, the concert ship customized especially for this year's tour was launched at Linz Harbor.

Linz09 is getting a performance venue of its very own. The location on the grounds of Linz Harbor will provide adequate space and a suitable setting for Capital of Culture year events and productions.

It was Dr. Josef Pühringer, governor of Upper Austria, who approached EU Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner with a very special request: to serve as goodwill ambassador in Brussels for Linz 2009, European Capital of Culture.

The opening of the TIEFENRAUSCH – Rapture of the Deep exhibition on Thursday, May 29, 2008 was a smashing success! A crowd estimated at 600 jammed the OK Center for Contemporary Art from the subterranean level all the way to the rooftop terrace.

Last year, SCHAURAUSCH – Viewing Spree, the successful series of exhibitions along Linz’s Landstraße, brought public art to downtown Linz’s shopping district. Now, TIEFENRAUSCH – Rapture of the Deep is providing the lead-in to the Capital of Culture year. Among the visitors will be two lucky winners of a drawing for a TIEFENRAUSCH Weekend featuring accommodations in a Linz hotel and an All-Inclusive Ticket.

Only German available.

Das Programmbuch 2/3 stößt auf großes Interesse und regt zu Gesprächen an. So auch zur Podiumsdiskussion der Oberösterreichischen Rundschau.

Linz09 has just released Programme Book 2/3 providing rundowns on almost 140 Capital of Culture year projects. The content is also available online.

Save the World! (20.05.2008)

The countdown is running in the idea competition being staged in conjunction with “52 Ways to Save the World.”
The submission deadline is May 30.

At the “scene: österreich in NRW” (Austria in North Rhine-Westphalia) festival, the ballet company of the Landestheater Linz will showcase the future capital of culture in Dortmund on May 18.

“Getting Out into Linz” is a Linz09 pre-project that’s just the thing for people fascinated by the idea of nature study right in the middle of town. The first walking tour is in May. Destination: Pöstlingberg. In June, urban adventurers will explore little-known paths through the industrial zone adjacent to Linz’s harbour.

Be sure to mark this down in your calendar: the “Linz Texas” exhibition opens in Architekturzentrum Wien in mid-June!

Linz09 needs YOU to serve as a volunteer aid. Your first assignment: help conduct the guided tours being offered in conjunction with the “Tiefenrausch” exhibition.

Presentation of Programme 2/3 (05.05.2008)

On 20th May, Linz09 takes the next big step in the direction of the Capital of Culture year: the official release of the second Programme Book.

The geographic center of gravity of the 2009 Festival of the Regions will be the satellite towns of Auwiesen and SolarCity on the southern outskirts of Linz. Collaboration with Linz09 is enabling the festival to commission additional works and stage more curated projects.

Linz09 supports international cinema by repeating as sponsor of the Crossing Europe Award.

A young people’s guide to Linz09 cultural offerings won over the jury in a school competition staged by Upper Austria’s inbound tourism agency.

The Capital of Culture is on track in the truest sense of the word. A City Runner, one of Linz’s ultra-modern street cars, now bears the Linz09 logo on its way through town.

At the “Viennese Ball” recently staged by this year's European Capital of Culture, Linz09 was represented by Pia Leydolt (Press) and Simon Lachner (Hospitality). This festive event held in St. George’s Hall by Liverpool 2008 was a great chance to make interesting contacts and exchange views with English colleagues. And the Linzer Augen pastries that our goodwill ambassadors dispensed made a very nice impression among the other guests.

Lust for Life in Multicultural Linz (15.04.2008)

Europe is getting bigger and more diverse. That’s why the European Parliament and the European Council have proclaimed the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. In April, the Dialogue Tour will be visiting Linz.

Musical artists from many different countries are coming to Upper Austria to appear at the Ulrichsberger Kaleidophon May 1-3, 2008.

Music from all directions, a sound spectrum ranging from opulent tones to deafening silence, will make up this year's festival4020 lineup.

Getting Registered for the “Academy of the Impossible” (09.04.2008)

Transcend your limits! Take the plunge into the possible! Academy of the Impossible course offerings make the seemingly unattainable a reality. You can register for workshops at www.linz09.at/academy.

About 150 select feature films and documentaries will be screened at this year's Crossing Europe Film Festival Linz beginning April 22.

Jenseits von Geschichte / Beyond History

The Nazi Era has left an indelible mark on the history of Linz, the city that was once even called "City of the Führer". What aspects and elements beyond the realm of scholarly historiography can serve as the basis of a process of coming to terms with such a past? Participants at the “Beyond History” symposium will discuss this issue.

Restaurateurs and hoteliers are already gearing up for the big capital of culture year: 47 hospitality industry facilities in the Linz metro area have gotten together to form a tourism organization named “hotspots.”

Everyone’s familiar with the old rule of thumb: Satisfied customers come back for more. At the next event in the Kopfstand 09 series, German culture management expert Armin Klein presents strategies cultural institutions can pursue to make their guests repeat visitors.

Linz09: The Discussion (02.04.2008)

The Capital of Culture organization itself has been in the news of late. The “Krone Forum” sponsored by Austria's largest circulation daily newspaper cordially invites the general public to attend a round-table discussion entitled “Who Else is Looking Forward to Linz09?” set for Thursday, April 17 at 6 PM.

Musical Passages between Linz and Vilnius (02.04.2008)

A musical form of cultural exchange between Austria and Lithuania is the centerpiece of the “Kompositionen – Kompozicijos” project that kicks off in April 2008.

Linz09 sorgt für Gesprächsstoff (02.04.2008)

The English version will be posted shortly.

Die Diskussionsreihe der OÖ Nachrichten und der OÖ Landesmuseen befasst sich am 8. April mit der Kulturhauptstadt.

Linz is plumbing the depths! Beginning May 30, the OK Center for Contemporary Art and Linz09 will be descending into subterranean Linz to stage an exhibition entitled “Tiefenrausch – Rapture of the Deep.” Some projects have already premiered.

Stay Updated about Linz09 (27.03.2008)

Linz09.at now lets you subscribe to RSS feeds to automatically keep informed about new content on the website.

Shot in Linz and Upper Austria, “Jump” is an international film production that will premiere on April 16 in Linz’s Design Center.

„Literary Linz” was the title of Ulrich Fuchs’ presentation at the Leipzig Book Fair held March 13-16, 2008. Linz09’s deputy artistic director gave a rundown of the literary highlights on tap for 2009.

How far along are the Capital of Culture year preparations in Linz? A delegation from Vilnius recently stopped by to see for themselves.

Linz09 Side Event on the ITB 2008, 4th March 2008

As previously reported, Linz09 is attending the world’s largest tourism trade show, the ITB in Berlin. There, Linz09 staged a joint event with one of its successors as Capital of Culture, Ruhr.2010.

Signs and banners are going up at key locations in and around Linz to spread the word about good things to come: Welcome to the future Capital of Culture!

Art Biennials and Capitals of Culture (05.03.2008)

The next get-together in the Kopfstand09 series will examine the impact that art biennials and capital of culture years can have on their host city’s image.

Linz09 was travelling to Berlin for the ITB–Internationale Tourismusbörse once again this year.

A good deed every day – or a weekly contribution to rescuing the planet. The “52 Ways to Save the World” project gets us going in the right direction.

The next event in conjunction with the "Linz Status Quo" project is set for Friday, 7th March 2008. International experts will convene at a symposium dedicated to a discussion of the significance of architectural criticism.

“Show Me Respect!” (03.03.2008)

Linz is the setting for the “City of Respect” project presently being staged by Kunstraum Goethestrasse xtd.

Linz’s Bruckner Orchestra and conductor Dennis Russell Davies are currently touring Spain. At five concerts in five days, the group will also be presenting Linz as European Capital of Culture.

“Biennale Cuvée” features the best works of art from the world’s most important biennial shows. This is the second such exhibition to be organised by the OK Offenes Kulturhaus Oberösterreich.

Linz Changes (12.02.2008)

Beginning this spring, the marketing material of the City of Linz and Linz09 will feature a new coordinated slogan. And Upper Austria’s capital will be launching a new logo.

An essential part of Lithuania’s recent history is the communist regime. Now, a Vilnius 2009 project entitled “1984. Back in the USSR” has produced mockups designed to give realistic impressions of this regime’s ideology. The venue: a bunker more than five meters underground.

Linz09 and the Festival of Regions will be working together in 2009. Recently, the festival theme was announced and the call went out for project submissions.

The last newsletter included an item about “Linz Status Quo,” a Linz09 project that’s inviting internationally renowned architectural critics to evaluate the current state of architecture and urban planning in Linz. Now, the event dates have been finalised.

Linz’s Neighbourhoods Are Getting Involved! (04.02.2008)

All of Linz will have input into the Capital of Culture programme. Now, the well-received Round Table series designed to encourage grassroots participation is moving on to the next phase: outreach sessions in each city neighbourhood.

At the next Kopfstand event, Martin Heller poses the big question to Luxembourg 2007’s artistic director: “What is it exactly that makes for a successful Capital of Culture?”

Linz09 is Working Together with Linz Taxi Companies (28.01.2008)

A cab ride is many visitors’ initial contact with Linz. The city’s environmental protection agency and Linz09 are teaming up to support environmentally friendly taxis.

Linz09 will be present at several of the major European tourism trade shows again this year.

A dazzling entertainment lineup ranging from a laser show to a symphony orchestra and featuring highlights of last year’s Aperitif series as well as spectacular coming attractions got an enthusiastic reception from approximately 500 Capital of Culture ambassadors and project partners who gathered shortly before the New Year at Vilnius’ Forum Palace conference center & event venue.

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Linz09 Attends a Viennese Ball in Liverpool (17.04.2008)