What we do:

“The basis [for effects of KunstRaum’s projects] is that the reception as well as the production of art always requires confrontation with oneself. It means becoming active, mastering unusual tasks and exploring boundaries.”
(Claudia Schnugg)

The KunstRaum Goethestrasse xtd is a production, (art) communication and exhibition space for contemporary art, a contractor for designs and artistic creations, an initiator of campaigns and projects in public space and a place for encounters and discussions about artistic processes and the creation of art.

The KunstRaum Goethestrasse xtd is an offer of pro mente OÖ and an essential part of the Linz art and cultural landscape, located at Goethestrasse 30, Linz.
Connecting people, art and health, opening up perspectives, enabling creativity, experiencing art and integrating the discussions into one’s own life requires continuity, staying power, experience, attractive offers and relationship work. This is what KunstRaum Goethestrasse xtd stands for.
It is characteristic that each project is realised in cooperation with people with psychosocial support needs, artists, people with an interest in creative/artistic activities and all city residents along methods and themes developed for this purpose. The KunstRaum Goethestrasse xtd is open to all interested parties and invites them to become part of it.

In this way, work is done on an expanded concept of art, art is produced, publicity is created in order to sensitise people to the individual and social connection between mental health and art and to bring about change.

The five pillars of KunstRaum’s work are:

presentations (exhibitions, projects, documentations)
City of Respect
Artistic designs (“Kunst am Bau”, conference contributions, designs) and video productions
offers for art communication
products

Space:

“KunstRaum knows how to deal with spaces: with physical places, interior and exterior spaces, interaction spaces, communication spaces, production spaces. It creates spaces for commemoration and memory. it is a free space and at the same time it is a place of realisation as well as a starting point for projects.”

KunstRaum Goethestrasse xtd has been located in Goethestrasse 30, in Linz’s Neustadt district, in a residential building since 2008. Away from the art miles in Linz, it is a place that invites people to engage with art.
The KunstRaum is a space for experiments, workshops, art productions as well as a space for presentations and exhibitions. It is the starting point for campaigns in public space and, as a place and through its work, also prepares an environment for creating something new.
There are three exhibition spaces on two levels with approximately 350m2 are available for this purpose.

Exhibition space (on 2 levels):
Upper floor: Can be entered from the entrance, located on the street side, with full-surface display windows.
Ground floor: Particularly suitable for projections/sound installations…

Showroom – “The most beautiful showroom in Linz”.
A 50 m2 room facing the street and the inner courtyard with full-surface shop windows offers space for presentations and exhibitions that can also be viewed from outside and offers art in passing for city users.

Team

A multi-professional team consisting of experts from the arts, culture and social affairs.

Susanne Blaimschein;

» susanne.blaimschein@kunstraum.at
Team management; conception, organisation, mediation, finances, communication; cultural manager

Beate Rathmayr;

» beate.rathmayr@kunstraum.at
vice team management, Conception, organisation, mediation, design, graphics, video, documentation; artist

Michael Pühringer;

» michael.puehringer@kunstraum.at
Exhibition set-up/dismantling, room technology; event technician

Franz X. Ruhmanseder;

Peer counsellor; musician

Thomas Kluckner;

»info@thomaskluckner.com
project conception and realization

Magdalena Pree;
» preem@kunstraum.at
project assistance

Awards

“Without KunstRaum Goethestrasse xtd, Linz would be poorer.”
(aus: Jurybegründung Kunstwürdigungspreis 2016)

The team of KunstRaum Goethestrasse xtd is pleased about the recognition for its work:

2016
Kunstwürdigungspreis of the city of Linz 2016 for Visual Arts and Interdisciplinary Art Forms to Mag.a Susanne Blaimschein and Mag.a Beate Rathmayr for their work at KunstRaum Goethestrasse xtd.

2014
City of Cultures 2014 in cooperation with ibuk

2014
Federal Ministry of Education and Women’s Affairs _ Award for the cultural cooperation “Small Tools for a Big Movement” with the HLW of the Schulverein der Kreuzschwestern in Linz

2012
City of Cultures 2012 – in cooperation with Iris Andraschek

2010
City of Cultures 2010 – in cooperation with ibuk

City of Diversity. Prize of the City of Linz for Integration and Interculturality – in cooperation with migrare

2008
Kleiner Landeskulturpreis for Initiative Cultural Work

More information about the Kunstwürdigungspreis

The City of Linz’s Kunstwürdigungspreis is awarded in recognition of the overall artistic or cultural work of a person, group of persons, institution, cultural initiative and/or association that can be considered an exceptional contribution to Linz and Austria. The Kunstwürdigungspreis is awarded at four-year intervals on the recommendation of a jury of experts. In November 2016, Beate Rathmayr and Susanne Blaimschein received the Kunstwürdigungspreis in the category “Visual Arts and Interdisciplinary Art Forms” for their joint work in the KunstRaum Goethestrasse xtd, pro mente OÖ. Other award winners are Architekturforum OÖ, Dorf TV, Marcus Füreder/Parov Stelar and Walter Pilar.

Jury statement:

“With the KunstRaum Goethestrasse xtd, Blaimschein and Rathmayr have been enriching cultural and social life in Linz in a unique way for many years. In their projects they productively cross boundaries between art, district culture and psycho-social offers. Participation is one of the essential guidelines in their work, from activating methods of visual art to theatrical formats. Art in public space and its strategies are an essential part of the activity of the Kunstraum, whose projects, exhibitions and events are primarily realised in the polyphony of teams.
Located in the migrant-dominated Neustadt district of Linz, Blaimschein and Rathmayr have developed a conscious approach to this location. Residents are invited to participate and use the space on an equal footing with artists, the art scene and clients of the supporting organisation pro mente. Blaimschein and Rathmayr are constantly opening up new spaces of possibility for participants and visitors. For Linz, they open up not only local but also – as in the case of EU projects or student exchanges – internationally oriented cooperations.