Salzkammergut was the European Capital of Culture in 2024. Let’s start with a little reflection on that year, how it went, and how the region benefited from the experience.
Seda Röder: What made 2024 unique was that, for the first time, an entire region, rather than a single city, was designated European Capital of Culture. The Salzkammergut encompasses many towns and villages, and we looked back on almost 7.000 years of heritage and cultural identity. Starting with salt mining, and connecting that with places like Gmunden or Hallstatt, where craftsmanship, art, and tradition still play a big role. What made this so nice was how we managed to combine these traditional cultural forms with art today. It created an exciting dialogue between past and present.
Speaking of art today, this year marks the fourth edition of the ART CIRCLE in St. Wolfgang. Could you tell us how this collaboration came about and what the first edition was like?
Seda Röder: The ART CIRCLE International in Austria was initiated by Roland Ballner, owner of the Boutique Hotel Cortisen am See, located on Lake Wolfgang. He’s also on our board, so we often discuss ideas for putting the region more firmly on the international cultural map. The idea was born during a dinner he had while visitingIaquin house in Slovenia. He noticed the surroundings in the winery were full of artistic details. When he asked about it, he discovered the ART CIRCLE festival, an initiative that brings together hospitality, culinary art, and visual culture. It’s not just an art event, but also a development project that strengthens tourism and community ties. That’s how the first edition began, blending art with our region.
Let’s talk about places like the „Malerwinkel“, which have such long artistic traditions. How do these local histories connect to today’s projects like the ART CIRCLE festival?
Seda Röder: The region has always inspired artists. Gustav Mahler, for example, was often here, and indeed, painters, writers, and composers have been drawn here for generations. Many came after the war to find peace, beauty, and creative energy. We had several famous writers and painters who spent their summers here, forming small colonies of artists. One example is the Zinkenbacher Malerkolonie, an artist colony that became quite influential in Austrian art history. There are also wonderful musical connections; for instance, composer Samuel Barber spent the summer of 1963 here with his partner, Gian Carlo Menotti. Barber even reworked the second movement of his string quartet op.11 into the legendary „Adagio for Strings“ while staying in our region. Menotti later wrote the opera „The Medium“, which was inspired by séances they attended during that stay. Stories like these make the Salzkammergut an extraordinary place, where art, nature, and history overlap beautifully.
Do you have a favourite spot in the region yourself?
Seda Röder: Around my office, there’s a small place right near the water that I love, quiet, with an amazing view. I also enjoy taking a boat from St. Gilgen; it’s such a peaceful ride across the lake.
Could you share a bit about this year’s ART CIRCLE program? How does it work, and what can we expect?
Seda Röder: The program runs across various hotels in the region, which we call art residences. Each hosts a different artist or cultural event. This year, we’re welcoming a new lineup of artists from Austria and abroad. Some are painters, some sculptors, and others work with installations and sound.
Every location brings its atmosphere, so guests can experience art in direct contact with daily life, while dining, staying overnight, or simply exploring the landscape. And perhaps most importantly, it’s the local spirit that makes this all possible.
And perhaps most importantly, it’s the local spirit that makes this all possible. When I arrived in the Salzkammergut five months ago, I was amazed by how open-minded and collaborative the community is, especially among our family-owned hotels. Many are run by the younger generations, who bring bold, creative energy.
You mentioned earlier that the community spirit here is something really unique. Could you tell me a bit more about the people behind the hotels and how this teamwork drives projects like the ART CIRCLE festival?
Seda Röder: What’s special is how young and dynamic the hotel owners are. Many of those running the hotels are still under forty. This young generation brings so much energy, innovation, and understanding of things like social media, communication, and personal development. That spirit creates an incredible atmosphere here. It’s rare to see so much creativity concentrated in such a small area.
We have around 2.880 residents in St. Wolfgang, yet we welcome over 400.000 overnight guests every year! Everyone has to work together to make it happen, and that shared motivation is what makes this region so vibrant.
We have eight truly legendary hotels here, places like Romantik Hotel Im Weissen Rössl, Hotel Seevilla Wolfgangsee, Boutique Hotel Cortisen am See, Hotel Peter, Hotel Schwarzes Rössl, and several others. They’re historic, tasteful, highly rated hotels and each has its own character. The hotels host artists and open their rooms, and even set aside creative spaces so that artists can work freely—paint, build, and experiment. It’s a generous gesture and a sign of how deeply the hoteliers believe in the importance of art and innovation.
For many years now, we’ve seen a shift toward global storytelling in culture and tourism. How important is it to stay authentic as well?
Seda Röder: When we speak German in our own dialects, with our local character, it feels authentic and close to home. Visitors appreciate that honesty and warmth; it’s part of what makes the region’s culture so appealing. So yes, while we think globally now, we still speak from our roots. I think that’s the real magic, finding balance between being proudly local and warmly international.
Klemen, you are one of the founders of ART CIRCLE International. Can you tell us about its concepts and how it has developed over the years?
Klemen Brun: ART CIRCLE festival connects contemporary art, tourism, and cultural diplomacy. It started in Slovenia with a special format that we call Art Embassy, a unique form of artistic residency that, over the years, has grown into a global networking platform, bringing artists from many countries to create in inspiring locations. Today, it operates across several European destinations and connects artists with local communities, cultural institutions, and international partners. Apart from Slovenia, Austria, we also have Art embassies in Italy and are planning to open in Germany, Hungary, Mexico, Brazil, and across the world.
How many artists will be at Lake Wolfgang this year?
Klemen Brun: This year, 20 international artists from over 14 countries and 3 organisation members, Jesse Magee, Maša Gala, and I, all artists as well, are participating in Lake Wolfgang in Austria. The artists come from countries such as Austria and Slovenia, Egypt, Japan, South Korea, China, Moldova, Serbia, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Germany, and so on.
How do you select the artists?
Klemen Brun: We look for strong artistic quality, originality, and openness to collaboration because the residency is not only about individual work, but also about exchange between artists and the local environment and people. Among the participating artists from Slovenia, Borut Popenko, Brane Širca, and Maša Gala are presenting Slovenia as a dialogue with international artists and helping to strengthen cultural cooperation between Slovenia and Austria. Artists are selected through an international open call and a professional jury review.
The idea is that the artists experience the place, its culture, and nature, and transform that experience into a new artwork. Surrounded by mountains and lakes, the environment here in St. Wolfgang offers immense inspiration to the artists.
What is the focus of this year’s edition?
Klemen Brun: I’m especially proud that this year the focus is on Slovenian artists because we are opening the first Art embassy of Slovenia in Austria in Boutique Hotel Cortisen am See with Roland Ballner, the main motivator behind our festival expanding into Austria. We appreciate the support of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovenian Cultural and Information Center, SKICA, Vienna.
ART CIRCLE in St. Wolfgang
27 April – 03. May 2026
PROGRAM:
Wednesday, April 29: Studio tour (arrival day)
Thursday, April 30: Workshop with one of the artists, and a joint artist evening at the Genussschmied im Schwazen Rössl
Friday, May 1: Live-Art-Act with the Schafbergbahn cog railway and together with the artist, up to a live art performance on the summit & Pop Art exhibition in the St. Wolfgang Church.
Saturday, May 2: Finissage at the EQ in the Schafbergbahn station
Sunday, May 3: Exhibition of the artworks at EQ and in St. Wolfgang Church (departure day)
Partner Hotels: Strandhotel Margaretha, Hotel Boutique Cortisen am See, Hotel Seevilla, Hotel Peter, Hotel Schwarzes Rössl, Hotel Im Weissen Rössl, Hotel Seehang, Landhaus zu Appesbach
Book your stay: www.artcircle.at/packages-2026
You can find more information about the locations and the artist at www.artcircle.at
For the fourth time, St. Wolfgang transforms into a vibrant hub of international art. More than twenty artists from across the globe draw inspiration from the region’s breathtaking setting and the dynamic energy of ART CIRCLE. In and around eight carefully selected partner hotels, they create unique works of art in an extraordinary atmosphere. Within the inspiring landscape of Lake Wolfgang, the Artists in Residence are given a platform for creative expression and intercultural exchange. Visitors can look forward to inspiring encounters, exciting events, and an immersive experience that brings them closer to the world of contemporary art. www.wolfgangsee.salzkammergut.at
ART CIRCLE is an international visual arts festival of KUD Manifest, a cultural association based in Slovenia, that organises art festivals, art residencies, and other cultural activities worldwide. It aims to connect professional artists with the international network, the diplomatic world, and the local community. Since its beginning in the wine region of Goriška Brda in Slovenia in 2011, The ART CIRCLE festival has expanded and offers events in other, contemporary artist-friendly regions. ART CIRCLE festivals offer artists an intense and inspiring experience of creating art together with many other international artists while connecting them with the local culture, people, and environment. www.artcircle.si
