Editing Linz (section)

==Culture==
The city is now home to a vibrant music and arts scene that is well-funded by the city and the state of Upper Austria. Between Lentos Art Museum and the "Brucknerhaus", is the "Donaulände", which is also referred to as "Kulturmeile" ("culture mile"). This is a park alongside the river, which is used mainly by young people to relax and meet in summer. It is also used for the [[Ars Electronica#Festival|Ars Electronica Festival]] in early September and the "Stream Festival", which takes place annually. In June, July and August the "Musikpavillon" is placed in the park where musical groups of different styles perform on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays free of charge. <br />

Linz has other culture institutions, such as the Posthof, which is near the harbour,<ref name="PosthofLinz">{{cite web |url=http://www.posthof.at/ |title=Welcome Posthof 04 2008 |publisher=Posthof |access-date=6 April 2008}}</ref> and the [[Stadtwerkstatt]], which is by the river Danube.<ref name="Stadtwerkstadt">{{cite web |url=http://www.servus.at/stwst/ |title=Stadtwerkstadt |publisher=Stadtwerkstadt |access-date=6 April 2008}}</ref> The [[Pflasterspektakel]], an international street art festival, takes place each year in July in and around the Landstraße and the main square.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pflasterspektakel.at/eng/index_default.asp |title=Pflasterspektakel Festival |publisher=Magistrat der Landeshauptstadt Linz |access-date=24 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100808084131/https://www.pflasterspektakel.at/eng/index_default.asp |archive-date=8 August 2010}}</ref>
Linz was the [[European Capital of Culture]] in 2009, along with [[Vilnius]], the capital of [[Lithuania]].<ref name="Linz2009">{{cite web |url=http://www.linz09.at/en/index.html |title=European Capital of Culture |publisher=Linz Tourist Board |access-date=6 April 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080403180314/https://www.linz09.at/en/index.html |archive-date=3 April 2008}}</ref>

The aim is to maintain and represent the cultural diversity.<ref>{{cite web |title=UNESCO Creative Cities Beijing Summit |url=http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/creativity/unesco-creative-cities-beijing-summit/ |access-date=30 June 2015}}</ref> 

The Ars Electronica Center can be considered as the centre of media art and attracts every year during its festival national and international guests to Linz.

The latest project developed by Linz in the context of the City of Media Arts project is the Valie Export Center, which is located in the Tabakfabrik (tobacco factory) and carried out in cooperation with the University of Art and Design Linz. It serves as an international research hub for media and performance art. Beyond that, it comprises the legacy as well as the archives of the most renowned media artist coming from Linz, [[Valie Export]], who has received numerous national as well as international prizes.<ref>{{cite web |title=Valie Export Center in der Tabakfabrik |date=15 February 2017 |url=http://ooe.orf.at/news/stories/2825967/ |access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref> Along with the Ars Electronica archives, Linz hosts two internationally renowned archives for media art.<ref>{{cite web |title=Linz & Media Arts |url=http://www.cityofmediaarts.at/linz-media-arts/ |access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref>

Since 2009, the Open Commons Linz initiative has made available a wide variety of "free" data: geo-data and statistical information having to do with city life, local government, recreation and tourism. An associated effort is the Hotspot initiative that has installed 202 hotspots providing free WLAN, as well as Public Server, the municipal cloud available to all citizens registered in Linz. Linz is thus at the forefront in Europe when it comes to universal access to open data.<ref>{{cite web |title=Open Commons Linz |url=http://www.cityofmediaarts.at/topic/open-commons_linz// |access-date=26 May 2017}}</ref>

Linz houses 43 galleries and exhibit rooms, 13 cultural centres, one club centre, as well as four educational institutes.

=== Museums ===
[[File:LentosNightBlue.jpg|thumb|[[Lentos Art Museum|Lentos]] museum]]
* The [[Lentos Art Museum|Lentos]] (built 2003) is a modern art gallery, presenting art from the 20th and 21st centuries. It is situated on the south banks of the river Danube. The building can be illuminated at night from the inside with blue, pink, red and violet, due to its plastic casing.
* [[Ars Electronica Center]] (AEC) (also called ''museum of the future'') is a museum and research facility on the north bank of the Danube (in the Urfahr district), across the river from the Hauptplatz (main square). The AEC is a significant world centre for new media arts, attracting a large gathering of technologically oriented artists every year for the [[Electronic art|Ars Electronica Festival]]. The AEC museum is home to the Deep Space 8K, which offers a unique [[File:Linz Ars electronica center rotblau DL.jpg|thumb|[[Ars Electronica Center]]]]virtual world with wall and floor projections (each {{cvt|16 by 9|m|disp=sqbr}}), laser tracking and 3-D animations.
* City Museum ''Nordico'' houses an art collection as well as a historical and an archeological collection, all of which relate to the city of Linz. About 16,000 people visited the museum in 2013.
* Upper Austrian Regional Museum (''Oberösterreichisches Landesmuseum'') has three main locations that focus on different aspects of the regional history: The ''Landesgalerie'' (regional gallery) exhibits modern and contemporary art, the ''Schlossmuseum'' houses archeological findings all of which retrace Upper Austria's cultural history whereas the aim of the ''Biologiezentrum Linz-Dornach'' (centre of biology) is to retrace the region's natural history with an exhibition of about 16 million objects (which makes it the second biggest museum for natural history in Austria).<ref>{{cite web |title=Biologiezentrum Linz – größte naturkundliche Sammlung des Landes Oberösterreich |url=http://www.landesmuseum.at/ueber/die-haeuser/biologiezentrum/ |language=de |access-date=4 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025012237/https://www.landesmuseum.at/ueber/die-haeuser/biologiezentrum/ |archive-date=25 October 2014}}</ref>
[[File:Austria august2010 0109.jpg|thumb|Regional gallery]]
* At the headquarters of the Upper Austrian art association (''Oberösterreichischer Kunstverein'') in the ''Ursulinenhof'' in Linz there are regular exhibitions of contemporary art.
* Upper Austrian museum of literature (''Oberösterrreischisches Literaturmuseum''), the Adalbert Stifter Institute for literature and linguistics and the Upper Austrian house of literature (''Oberösterreichisches Literaturhaus'') all are situated in the ''StifterHaus'', where Austrian writer, painter and educationalist [[Adalbert Stifter]] lived from 1848 to his death in 1868.
* Upper Austrian forum for architecture (''Architekturforum Oberösterreich'') in the house of architecture (''Haus der Architektur'') attracts about 6,000 visitors annually. The forum organises lectures, exhibitions, conferences and competitions.

===Music===
[[File:Brucknerhaus20090407.jpg|thumb|Brucknerhaus]]
[[File:Linz-Innenstadt - Musiktheater.jpg|alt=|thumb|Musiktheater Linz]]
The Brucknerhaus, a famous concert hall in Linz is named after Anton Bruckner. It is situated just some 200 metres away from the "Lentos". It is home to the "Bruckner Orchestra", and is frequently used for concerts, as well as balls and other events. It is also the venue of the "Linz Fest" which takes place annually in May as well as one of the venues during the Ars Electronica Festival in early September. In June, July and August the "Musikpavillon" is placed in the park where musical groups of different styles perform on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays free of charge.<ref>{{cite web |title=Musikpavillon im Donaupark, Nähe Brucknerhaus |url=http://www.linz.at/kultur/musikpavillon.asp |language=de |access-date=25 September 2014}}</ref>

The Musiktheater (music theatre) was opened in April 2013 and is considered to be one of the most modern opera houses in Europe. It offers five stages of varying sizes; the big hall ("Großer Saal") with 1,200 seats, the BlackBox with up to 270 seats, the BlackBoxLounge with up to 150 seats, the orchestra hall ("Orchestersaal") with up to 200 seats and another stage in the foyer ("FoyerBühne"). Performances at the Musiktheater include [[opera]]s and typically Austrian [[operetta]]s, [[ballet]]s and [[musical theatre|musicals]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Das Musiktheater am Volksgarten-Linz hat ein neues kulturelles Wahrzeichen |url=https://www.landestheater-linz.at/musiktheater/Das%20Haus |language=de |access-date=27 August 2014}}</ref>

The ensemble of the Landestheater (regional theatre) Linz used to perform musical productions as well as theatre productions at a venue located on the "Promenade" in the inner city of Linz (this venue is still referred to simply as "Landestheater"). Since the opening of the new Musiktheater, only theatre performances take place at the "Promenade" venue, whereas musical productions are shown in the Musiktheater. The Landestheater Linz is especially renowned for its theatre for young audiences called u\hof:.

The ''Posthof'' is one of the biggest event centres in Linz with three rooms offering up to 630 seats or standing room for about 1,200 people respectively in the big hall. The programme focuses on contemporary art and covers concerts, theatre, cabaret, dance and literature. Artists from Linz are regularly invited to improve the local cultural scene; e.g. bands from Linz get the opportunity to play as pre-bands alongside nationally and internationally known artists. Altogether a total of about 250 events take place at the ''Posthof'' each year with a total number of visitors of about 80.000.<ref>{{cite web |title=Posthof |url=http://www.musiklexikon.ac.at/ml/musik_P/Posthof.xml |language=de |access-date=27 August 2014}}</ref>

The ''Stadtwerkstatt'' is an independent association for culture and was founded in 1979. Its headquarters is located in the Urfahr district on the north bank of the Danube close to the Ars Electronica Centre and serves as venue for music events and other artistic and cultural activities. Situated at the same address is the Stadtwerkstatt's own Café Strom café/bar.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chronologie |url=http://stwst.at/index.php?m=6&sm=1&sid=51 |language=de |access-date=27 August 2014}}</ref>

===Cinema===
The history of cinema and film begins in Linz in September 1896, when, as part of a variety programme, a film programme was shown in "Roithner's vaudeville" for the first time in Upper Austria. Until the next screening of a film it took until 20 March 1897, when Johann Bläser's travelling cinema guested in the "Hotel of the Golden Ship".

Until the opening of the first cinemas with regular programme, it took till the end of the year 1908. At that time, Karl Lifka opened his "Lifka's Grand Théâtre électrique" in that building, where already the very first film showing took place. Subsequently, the second cinema of Linz was opened a few months later.

As the owner of travelling cinemas, Johann Bläser, got settled in Linz, he bought the "Hotel of the Golden Ship", and installed a cinema in it, the "Bio-Kinematograph". 
The third stationary cinema, called "Kino Kolloseum", in town was founded around 1910 by the vaudeville operator Karl Roithner. Its first location was the former festival hall at Hessenplatz.

The Linz International Short Film Festival is the first film festival in Upper Austria to focus on international short films. It launched in October 2018 at the Moviemento in Linz, showing 114 films over four days. The concept goes back to the festival director Parisa Ghasemi.<ref>{{cite web |title=Linz International Short Film Festival Presse |url=https://linzisfilmfestival.com/de/presse/ |language=de |access-date=27 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010213515/https://linzisfilmfestival.com/de/presse/ |archive-date=10 October 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Culinary specialties ===
In Linz there are both traditional restaurants and old wine taverns, as well as modern and exotic cuisine. The influence of 140 nations can be felt in Linz's culinary offerings. A coalition of over 40 restaurants, cafes and among other locations bars are called "hotspots". Moreover, Linz has several à la carte restaurants and [[Gault Millau]] gourmet restaurants.

Typical dishes in Linz include not only the famous [[Linzer torte]] but also [[knödel]] and [[strudel]] in many different kinds of variations. Another specialty is the [[kartoffelkäse|erdäpfelkäs]], a spread made from mashed potatoes and cream. Some well-known chefs from Linz are Lukas Erich, who cooks in the ''Verdi'' and Georg Essig from the ''Der neue Vogelkäfig''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Linzer Gastronomie |url=http://www.linz.at/tourismus/549.asp |language=de |access-date=20 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629091616/http://www.linz.at/tourismus/549.asp |archive-date=29 June 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Regular events===
* '''Ars Electronica Festival''': the Ars Electronica Festival is a festival for media art which has been taking place annually in Linz since 1986 and includes exhibitions, concerts, performances, symposia and interventions on changing themes that take place in public settings such as churches and industrial halls. The events focus on art, technology and society and the nexus among them. In 2015 about 92,000 visitors attended the Ars Electronica Festival.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ars Electronica Festival 2015 |date=7 September 2015 |url=https://www.aec.at/feature/en/festival2015/ |access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref> The topic in 2016 was "RADICAL ATOMS and the alchemists of our time".<ref>{{cite web |title=2016 Ars Electronica Festival at the PostCity |date=23 May 2016 |url=https://www.aec.at/aeblog/en/2016/05/23/festival2016postcity/ |access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref> In 2017 the festival took place under the theme "Artificial Intelligence—The Alter Ego".<ref>{{cite web |title=Fallout Shelter, Conveyer Belts, Spiral Packet Chutes and Lots of Media Art: Highlights of the 2017 Ars Electronica Festival in POSTCITY |date=18 July 2017 |url=https://www.aec.at/aeblog/en/2017/07/18/ars-electronica-festival-2017-in-der-postcity/ |access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref> The festival takes place in different public spaces and is considered to be a confrontation with and in the public sphere.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ars Electronica Festival—About |url=http://www.aec.at/festival/en/ |access-date=25 September 2014}}</ref>
* '''Black Humour Festival''': Every two years in May, the Festival of Black Humour with guests from all over Europe takes place in the Posthof in Linz.  
* '''Bubble Days''': the Bubble Days have been taking place annually in June since 2011 and are hosted by local creative collective LI.K.I.DO. During the event a number of extreme sports shows, such as aviation performances and a wake boarding contest, the Red Bull WAKE OF STEEL, take place in the harbour of Linz. Additionally there are a number of art exhibitions and live music acts and visitors can explore the harbour on boat tours, in paddle boats or kayaks. In 2013 the Bubble Days reached a total number of 12,000 visitors.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bubble Days – das etwas andere Linzer Hafenfest |url=http://www.boxxoffice.at/de/bubbledays/ |language=de |access-date=4 November 2014 |archive-date=28 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170228192605/http://www.boxxoffice.at/de/bubbledays/ |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* '''Christkindlmärkte''': Christmas markets at Hauptplatz and Volksgarten.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.christkindlmarkt-linz.at/ |title=Christkindlmarkt Linz}}</ref>
* '''Crossing Europe Film Festival''': Since 2004 this festival takes place annually in Linz. Starting at a total number of 9,000 visitors in the first year, the tenth edition of the Crossing Europe Film Festival in 2014 attracted over 20,000 people; 184 feature films, documentaries and short films from 37 countries were shown. The film screenings are accompanied by exhibitions, talks and live music acts ("Nightline"). There are currently eight different awards to be won at the Crossing Europe Film Festival in categories such as "CROSSING EUROPE Audience Award", the "FEDEORA AWARD for European Documentaries" and the "CROSSING EUROPE AWARD Local Artist".<ref>{{cite web |title=CROSSING EUROPE Festival History 2004–2014 |url=http://www.crossingeurope.at/festival/festival-history.html?L=1 |access-date=25 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140914144836/http://www.crossingeurope.at/festival/festival-history.html?L=1 |archive-date=14 September 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* '''Donau in Flammen (Danube in Flames)''': Annual music fireworks from June to August in Upper Austria on the banks of the Danube, accompanied by a broad supporting program.<ref>{{cite web |title=Das sagenhafte Musikfeuerwerk auf der Donau |url=http://www.donauregion.at/detail/article/20471-donau-in-flammen-alle-infos.html |access-date=15 September 2017}}</ref> 
*'''''Festival der Regionen'' (Festival of the regions)''': The festival of the regions focuses on contemporary local art and culture and takes place every second year in varying locations across Upper Austria. It took place for the first time in 1993 and has been dedicated to different themes such as "the other", "marginal zones" or "normality".<ref>{{cite web |title=THE FESTIVAL OF REGIONS |url=http://www.fdr.at/?page_id=524&lang=en |access-date=4 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105111509/https://www.fdr.at/?page_id=524&lang=en |archive-date=5 November 2014}}</ref>
* '''Höhenrausch''': Höhenrausch is an annual art project that was developed in 2009. As part of the DonauArt, an inter-institutional cultural project, Höhenrausch 2018 is under the motto "The other shore". The element of water is worked on by international artists, with the definition of the shore being the focus of artistic exploration. Diverse spaces and places underline the presentation of this project.<ref>{{cite web |title=Höhenrausch 2018 |url=http://www.hoehenrausch.at/ |access-date=10 October 2018 |archive-date=12 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012200551/http://www.hoehenrausch.at/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* '''International Brucknerfest''': Following the opening of the "Brucknerhaus" concert hall in Linz three years earlier, the international Brucknerfest took place for the first time in 1977. Whereas the first two editions were only dedicated to classical music in general and Anton Bruckner's pieces in particular, this changed in 1979 when the international Brucknerfest, the Ars Electronica festival and the "Klangwolke" (sound cloud), which now marks the beginning of the Brucknerfest, were merged to create a festival worthy of competing with those in Vienna and Salzburg. Taking place annually for three weeks in September/October it closes the Austrian festival season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Brucknerfest—The Idea |url=http://www.brucknerhaus.at/www1/en/program/brucknerfest_idee_eng.php |access-date=25 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113121056/https://www.brucknerhaus.at/www1/en/program/brucknerfest_idee_eng.php |archive-date=13 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Festivals in Linz—Brucknerfest Linz |url=http://www.linz.at/kultur/2418.asp#Brucknerfest_Linz |language=de |access-date=25 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140627041817/http://linz.at/kultur/2418.asp#Brucknerfest_Linz |archive-date=27 June 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* '''Kinderfilmfestival (Kids' Film Festival)''': The international children's film festival is organized by the Kinderfreunde Oberösterreich. Films are shown in the original version while being live synchronised by an actor. The 29th festival will supposedly take place in November 2017.<ref>{{cite web |title=Willkommen beim Internationalen Kinderfilmfestival! |url=http://www.kinderfilmfestival.at/index.html |access-date=15 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916010732/http://www.kinderfilmfestival.at/index.html |archive-date=16 September 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* '''Kinderkulturwoche (Children's Week of Culture)''': The children's culture week has been taking place regularly since 2013 with plays, workshops, intro courses for children and teenagers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kinderkulturwoche Linz 2017 |url=http://www.kinderkulturwoche.linz.at/ |access-date=15 September 2017}}</ref>
* '''[[Linzer Klangwolke|Klangwolke (Cloud of sound)]]''': Created as a link between the Ars Electronica Festival and the international Brucknerfest, this open-air multimedia musical event takes place annually at the beginning of September at the riverside Donaupark in Linz. It is free of charge and attracted about 110,000 people in 2013. Today there are three different "Clouds of sound", the visualised Klangwolke, in which modern music (mostly commissioned works) is staged with lasers, video projections, fireworks, ships, cranes, balloons, etc., the Klangwolke for children (since 1998) and the classical Klangwolke. 
* '''Linzfest''': This open air festival has taken place in Linz since 1990. It is financed by the city of Linz and several sponsors and organised for the broad public of all ages in cooperation with partners such as local cultural institutions. The festival is dedicated to a different theme every year (the last one in 2014 was "Old is the new new") and includes concerts, theatre, dance, comedy, art in the public space, culinary art, literature and parties, all of which are in line with the general theme of the event. It is held in the "Donaupark", a wide park area next to the Danube, also referred to as "Donaulände" or "Kulturmeile".<ref>{{cite web |title=Mission Statement |url=http://www.linzfest.at/festival_mission.asp |language=de |access-date=4 November 2014}}</ref>
* '''Lido Sounds''': a three-days-festival with various music styles at the Danube riverside.
* '''''[[Pflasterspektakel]]''''': The festival takes place annually since 1986 in the city centre of Linz and includes musical acts, [[juggling]], [[acrobatics]], [[pantomime]], [[improvisational theatre]], [[clown]]ery, [[fire dancing]], painting, [[Samba|samba parades]], as well as a programme for children. With about 250,000 visitors (2014) the festival is one of the biggest street art festivals in Europe; its 28th edition featured 300 artists from 36 different nations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pflasterspektakel 2014 |url=http://www.pflasterspektakel.at/2014/en/714.asp |access-date=25 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018084303/https://www.pflasterspektakel.at/2014/en/714.asp |archive-date=18 October 2014}}</ref>
* '''The ''Stadtfest'' (City festival)''' is held annually in August in the inner city of Linz. The three-day festival features live music acts of different styles, with each music style being represented on a different stage. The concerts are held by national and international artists. Every year about 100,000 people take part in this event.

=== Archives ===
*'''Archive of the city of Linz''': collection of important documents of the city of Linz, presenting Linz' town history 
*'''''[[Atelierhaus Salzamt]]''''': living and working space for artists, featuring continuous exhibitions. 
*'''Botanic garden''': about 100,000 visitors every year; featuring a summer programme of music acts, readings and dance performances in the garden pavilion 
*'''Donaupark Linz''': contains sculptures by national and international artists such as [[Herbert Bayer]], [[Max Bill]] and [[David Rabinowitch]]. The original idea of this project, called 'forum metall', by Helmuth Gsöllpointner and Peter Baum, was to set an example of Linz as an art metropolis with sculptures symbolizing a fusion of art and economy.
===Commemorative year 2018===
The project "Linz 1938/1918", which started on 29 June 2018, commemorates the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic (1918) and 80 years of "political union" (1938). With this installation in the public space, presented in the city center, Linz fulfills its responsibility and commitment to maintaining peace with its declaration, making a contribution to dealing with the past. The idea is to reach people who have little relation to the years of 1918 or 1938.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.linz.at/presse/kultur_top_news_86865.asp |title=Gedenkjahr 2018 |access-date=25 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529053919/https://www.linz.at/presse/kultur_top_news_86865.asp |archive-date=29 May 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>