09.04.2026 – 10.05.2026
In 2026, Vienna will once again be in the spotlight for the Vienna Climate Biennale. The second edition of this cross-disciplinary festival will present a diverse programme at the intersection of art, climate and society.
Under the theme ‘Unspeakable Worlds’, the Vienna Climate Biennale explores the complexity of the climate crisis and its global interconnections.
“Unspeakable Worlds” refers to the complexity of contemporary realities that cannot be captured by language. A particular focus is on public space, with the festival’s activities concentrated on Karlsplatz. Artistic interventions, activations and events will take place there for a month. In addition to the festival headquarters at KunstHausWien, more than 50 partner institutions are participating with programme events throughout the city. The Vienna Climate Biennale was initiated by the City of Vienna and is organised by KunstHausWien.
As part of the festival, KunstHausWien is presenting two exhibitions: ‘Seeds. Reclaiming Roots, Sowing Futures’ explores the multifaceted meanings of seeds and seed stock as a reflection of our relationship with the earth and with one another.
In the Garage project space, the collective The Institute of Queer Ecology presents the site-specific exhibition *I Wish We Had More Time*. Contributions from the fields of art, music, literature and science explore the multifaceted meanings of loss through three narrative strands: disrupted symbioses in nature and the transformation of cross-species relationships as a result of climate change; ruptures in queer history and narrative traditions caused by social crises such as the AIDS epidemic; and interpersonal losses – missed encounters and heartbreak.
As the festival hub for this year’s Biennale, the museum is also being scenographically designed: the duo JASCHA&FRANZ (Hamburg/Berlin) are collaborating with the Austrian writer Andrea Grill to develop a spatial narrative – her texts form the thematic and visual basis of the installation.
(No) Funny Games – Exhibition in public space
During the Biennale, the urban space becomes a canvas for the unspeakable realities lurking beneath the beautiful surface. Under the title ‘(No) Funny Games, or How We Learnt to Be Caring and to Love Dystopia’, artists are developing site-specific works that oscillate between idyll and dystopia. They bring the climate issue to the very heart of urban life. The programme is concentrated at Karlsplatz, where a total of four artistic installations are on display. Among other things, Margot Pilz is reviving “Kaorle am Karlsplatz” from 1982, bringing the Italian seaside resort back to Vienna for the Climate Biennale forty years later.
Vienna Climate Biennale 2026
09.04.2026 – 10.05.2026
Vienna, various locations
www.biennale.wien
