18.06.2026 – 27.09.2026
Fifty years ago, the Arena was occupied. In the history of Vienna, this is regarded as a belated but thoroughly lasting event of the 1968 movement. Although the site of the foreign slaughterhouse was eventually cleared and levelled, the alternative scene found a home in part of the former domestic slaughterhouse, which has remained an extremely vibrant meeting place and venue to this day. From the Schmetterlinge to Leonard Cohen – right from the start, leading figures from the Austrian and international music and literary scenes performed at the Arena. But how does the institution function? What are the convictions of those who work there – some of them for a long time? What can alternative culture be and achieve in times of crisis and turbo-capitalism? Curated by Constanze C. Czutta, the exhibition takes a look behind the scenes of a cultural institution that, on the one hand, is characterised by a rebellious self-image, yet on the other has positioned itself as a professional concert promoter in the global business. It offers an insight into the workings of a self-managed association, its 50-year history of concerts, and what defines the Arena today.
Arena Wien. In any case, it’s love!
18.06.2026 – 27.09.2026
Wien Museum
Karlsplatz 8
1040 Wien
www.wienmuseum.at
