In cooperation with SOPHIE – Support Center for Sex Workers

The exhibition “Sex Workers – Everyday Life” by Hamburg-based photographer Tim Oehler portrays 30 sex workers. “Don’t judge a life you haven’t lived yourself.” These bold words appear on one of the opening pages of the accompanying photo book and set the tone for the project’s core message: Oehler presents his subjects in honest, never voyeuristic images. Sex work — often stigmatized and taboo — is given a human face, captured with openness and respect.Each individual is shown in their typical work environment, but the exhibition also offers intimate glimpses into their private lives: cooking, shopping, fixing a child’s bike, or walking the dog — everyday life, like anyone else’s. In deeply personal texts, the participants share their views on sex work and their sense of identity within this diverse profession. They hope that their perspectives will help challenge and overcome the stigma around sex work.

Talk with us, not about us.
That’s the path toward greater respect.

We’ve all experienced it: at work, in the sports club, in the family, or on the street — someone makes a comment that leaves us speechless. Later, we regret not having spoken up. This is where the “Werde Stammtischkämpfer*in” workshop comes in. Its aim is to help people overcome that moment of shock, take a stand, and make it clear: “We won’t tolerate this any longer!” In both theory and practice, common right-wing positions are analyzed, and participants practice speaking up and advocating for solidarity-based alternatives instead of exclusion and racism. In our presentations and exercises, we use racist and other discriminatory example statements for training purposes. www.aufstehen-gegen-rassismus.de/stk

Our workshops are not specifically designed for the needs of people affected by racism and are therefore not empowerment workshops. Everyone is welcome, and we strive to create a safe space for all participants. The organizers reserve the right to exercise their domestic authority and deny access to the event—or expel from it—any persons who are members of far-right parties or organizations, who are associated with the far-right scene, or who have previously made racist, nationalist, antisemitic, or otherwise inhumane statements.

Workshop leader: Eva Zwicker has been working with “Stand Up Against Racism” since early 2024, coordinating “Regulars' Table Fighter” seminars and training team leaders. She has been politically active for 20 years and volunteers in various roles.

The Democratic Odyssey is a travelling transnational assembly that weaves its way across Europe, bringing together citizens, activists, and thinkers to reimagine democratic participation beyond national borders. At each stop, from Athens to Florence, and now Vienna, it cultivates spaces where diverse voices can deliberate on the future of democracy in Europe through the topic of crisis management. The upcoming Vienna Assembly will focus on the writing of a Civic Charter - a shared declaration of democratic principles and citizen commitments for a more just and participatory Europe.

As part of the Democratic Odyssey Assembly, we are opening the doors to the public on Friday, 23 May for an evening at the Funkhaus titled “Democracy is a Collective Act of Care.” This event blends civic imagination, participation, and performance to explore how we care for democracy together. It invites both participants and the public into a space of dialogue, creative exploration, and collective reflection.

This discussion will highlight the long history of sex workers’ resistance against oppression and explore why — in the face of growing anti-human rights movements — solidarity, action, and LOVE are more critical than ever.

Panelists: Trajche Janushev, Aaron, Michelle Stripes (Moderation)

Featuring works by: Arvida Bystrom, 2050+, and The Institute for Postnatural Studies

Automated organs from sex dolls, whale songs, and the production of synthetic meat the exhibition moves at the intersection of art and critical technology research. Across three installations, we enter different bodies that engage with the architectural structure of the Funkhaus, exploring speculative and critical perspectives on technology and the body. Here, the boundaries between human, machine, and animal dissolve, and flesh is understood as technologically generated matter.

Curated by: Carmen Lael Hines and Clara Grillmaier
Produced by: Nina Zips and Vera Grillmaier
Opening hours: Wed – Sun, 4–7pm

EUROPE ON FIRE! How Politics Directly Affects Art and Culture in Europe EAIPA Expert Workshop

The European Association of Independent Performing Arts (EAIPA) is a coalition of 22 advocacy organizations from 19 European countries. The political shift to the right threatens funding, structures, individuals, and critical productions, as seen in Sofia/Bulgaria in October 2024, in Poland until last year, currently in Slovakia, in Styria, and for years in Hungary. Even the northern countries report incidents.

We see how vulnerable and exposed the contemporary arts scene in European countries is. Funding, job opportunities, and venues for art directly depend on the support of local and national political decision-makers and authorities.
We are witnessing how quickly political decisions can directly impact artists, their work, their productions, and their audiences, and how devastating this can be.

At our Expert Workshop from May 26–27, we will receive valuable insights from across Europe and work in two workshops on how political monitoring and rhetorical toolkits can be developed.
On May 28, we will publicly present our results as part of the Wiener Festwochen at the Festival Center in the Funkhaus.

The presentation on May 28 is free and open to the public.
The event will be held in English.

5.6, 7pm
“Über das Kümmern“ (DF) Film screenings by St. Marx für Alle, followed by living room discussions about the film “Über das Kümmern“ with the St. Marx für Alle initiative

7.6., 11am
“schweren Herzens“
staged guided tour to and across the St. Marx open space

It is almost 50 years since the “Arena” found its rightful users in the course of the Vienna Festival Weeks. Now the time has come again. 3 parties are arguing about who has the best idea for the further use of the open space just 500 meters away as the crow flies. For 10 years, various so-called interim users (who are no longer users at all) have been reviving this space, calling it their second home and creating the city's largest laborative living room from below. A new Stattstadthalle is now to make way for this, conceived by a city government without further surveys, planned by a city subsidiary, without further surveys. All those involved claim that this is a project close to their hearts. In this staged tour by the “St. Marx for All” initiative, we find out more. Followed by a bar/buffet and music. Meeting point: Infopoint Haus der Republik Funkhaus.

Registration for both events via heavyheart@gmx.at.

13.6., 7.30–9pm
UNICEF
Love as the key to a better future - The paradox of technology

What do digital networks, drones, and environmental protection have to do with love? More than you might think. In this impulse talk, Michael Scheibenreif (UNICEF Regional Manager for Impact YOMA and founder of ADDA) offers a new perspective on modern technologies not as threats, but as possibilities for change and opportunities for the future. With the support of UNICEF, you will learn how technology helps young people in the most remote parts of the world shape a new reality.

What happens when drones are used not as tools of war, but as instruments of hope? At the African Drone and Data Academy (ADDA), young people learn how to use drones to respond to humanitarian crises and predict natural disasters. In South Africa, the Enviro Champs-Initiative takes it a step further: using technology and data to protect the environment and actively transform their communities.

But what does all this have to do with love? It is the love for the world of tomorrow, the desire to positively impact one’s own life and that of others, the driving force behind these transformative UNICEF initiatives.

Discover how technology, in the hands of young people, becomes a positive force that creates new opportunities. A look into the paradox of technology — serving as a bridge to a world of opportunity open to all.

More information: unicef.at/

Michael Scheibenreif
Michael Scheibenreif is Regional Manager for Impact YOMA at UNICEF and founder of the African Drone and Data Academy (ADDA). With his expertise in digital technology and development, he is committed to empowering young people in Africa through innovative solutions. He has initiated major projects, particularly in the use of technology, such as drones, to address humanitarian and environmental challenges. As a visionary and researcher, he sees technology as a key to a better future, opening new perspectives for disadvantaged communities around the world.

15.6.; 3–6pm
4 x 20 Minutes of Truth – Living Library: Dialogue Instead of Prejudice
Installation / Debate

Be honest: How often do you confront your own prejudices? And how often do you engage in conversations with people whose experiences are very different from your own? The UNICEF Youth Advisory Board Austria tackles the question of neighborly love: How deeply do our prejudices run? And can dialogue contribute to a more tolerant society? The "books" in this Living Library are people you can "borrow" for multiple 20-minute conversations. In a safe space, there is an opportunity for exchange, for listening — and maybe even for questioning your own perspectives.

UNICEF – The United Nations Children's Fund
UNICEF is the leading international organization advocating for the rights of children. Since its founding in 1946, UNICEF has helped improve the lives of millions of children in over 190 countries and territories worldwide. UNICEF programs cover essential areas such as health, education, water and sanitation, and the protection of children from abuse and exploitation. UNICEF works closely with governments, partner organizations, and civil society to ensure children's rights and access to essential services.

The Forum for Film Directing (Forum Filmregie), in cooperation with the Free Republic of Wiener Festwochen, invites you to a masterclass with Kurdwin Ayub, where she offers insights into her artistic practice — with a special focus on her transition from film to theater. How does her approach to directing shift within the tension between cinematic and theatrical expression? What role do temporality and audience interaction play? What new forms of authorship and collaboration emerge in the theater? And what happens when elements of film suddenly appear on stage — or vice versa?

Register at: office@austrian-directors.com

Love in Action: Building Solidarity Beyond Borders
Transnational Summer School for Activists, Artists, and Academics

Daten

• June 12: 10.30am – 5pm & 12pm – 10pm
• June 13: 10.30am – 7pm
• June 14: 10.30am – 7pm
• June 15: 10.00am– 5pm

‘Love is an action, never simply a feeling.’ bell hooks’ powerful statement urges us to see love as a transformative, active force – rooted in action, accountability, and resistance to oppression. Love becomes a radical tool to confront inequality, alienation, and exploitation, motivating collective action for justice. It transcends personal affection, becoming a commitment to solidarity, mutual care, and shared humanity.
This Summer School, organised by the School of Transnational Organising, brings together activists, artists, educators, and organisers from across Europe to explore how love, as the foundation of solidarity, can drive resistance in climate justice, migration rights, and labour struggles. Through workshops, panels, and cultural events, participants will develop strategies, share skills, and strengthen networks of care and justice. This gathering emphasises the power of human connection to overcome isolation and build a more just, sustainable future grounded in collective action.
Registration and more info at transnationalorganizing.eu

Tree Love at the Vienna Festival! We will gather on 13 June at 5pm at the House of the Republic on the forecourt of the Funkhaus to show where more climate-resilient greenery is needed for the Wieden with a happening, reading and tree walk. Are you joining the walk? Dress up as a tree or slip into one of our costumes! Because we want 700 trees for the 4th district!

What does the reality of life for sex workers in Austria actually look like? As part of the Vienna Festival, a Q&A discussion with Astrid W., a sex worker, (tbc) and Stefani Doynova, the head of the SOPHIE counselling centre for sex workers*, will provide personal insights into the realities of life and work for sex workers in Austria. The reason for the discussion is the exhibition ‘Sex Work: The Normal Life’ by Hamburg photographer Tim Oehler, which sensitively explores the topic of sex work and focuses on the people behind the profession. In a setting free of stigma and taboos, the aim is to create space for critical questions, differentiated answers and new perspectives - beyond clichés and prejudices.