ASTORIA ARTSHOW: Vienna’s new art event opens

National and international galleries, art spaces and art institutions show over 400 works in the Astoria Garage - launch of a new international art fair in Vienna

Vienna, September 10, 2026: From September 10 to 13, 2026, the Astoria Artshow opens its doors for the first time in the historic Astoria Garage in Vienna’s 8th district. Europe’s oldest and largest multi-storey car park, built in 1923 in the New Objectivity style, is thus being used as a venue for a major art event for the first time. The preview edition is organized by VAU – Vienna Art United, an association of 35 Viennese galleries seeking to permanently strengthen Vienna as an art location and establish an innovative, internationally competitive fair format. This year’s exhibition format marks the launch of a new Viennese art fair beginning in 2027. 

With around 400 selected artworks by more than 120 artists, the Astoria Artshow sends a clear signal for quality, courage and solidarity. The format combines exhibition and fair: the works are presented in a way that creates an exciting overall impression while keeping the individual artistic positions in focus.

The Astoria Artshow is divided into three sections: Main Positions for contemporary solo presentations, New Positions – Zone 1 for young, up-and-coming Austrian artists, and Editions, Projects & Institutions for special presentations by academies, art publishers and art spaces. 

The Astoria Artshow is made possible through the funding and support of numerous partners, first and foremost Wien Holding, the Federal Ministry for Housing, Arts, Culture, Media and Sport, Stadt Wien Kultur, the Vienna Business Agency, Bildrecht and Vienna.Info, among others. Thanks to this support, the Viennese galleries are able to establish an independent, self-organized new art fair and send a clear signal for Vienna as a dynamic art location. 

 “Art fairs are places where contemporary art is negotiated, made visible and further developed in dialogue with a broad public. With the new Astoria Artshow, Vienna’s gallery scene is sending a strong, united signal and fresh momentum for Vienna as an art location with international appeal. I especially welcome the fact that, alongside the presentation of interesting artistic positions, art education also plays a central role – fostering access, engagement and participation”, emphasizes Culture Councillor Veronica Kaup-Hasler.

Art event with international ambitions

The international dimension of the Astoria Artshow is reflected in the participation of galleries from across Europe, including Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Serbia, Romania, the Netherlands, Norway, Belgium and the United Kingdom.

“Our aim is to combine the highest international quality standards with an open, collaborative and future-oriented format”, says Markus Peichl, chairman of VAU – Vienna Art United. “We want to pool the strengths of the Austrian gallery scene and develop a forward-looking, sustainably successful fair format of international standing. The fact that the Astoria Artshow is organized by galleries for galleries may seem unusual and unexpected. In fact, however, it follows renowned models such as Art Cologne and Arco Madrid, which were likewise initiated by the local gallery scene”, says Peichl. Even at the outset, the participation of numerous international galleries shows that the initiative resonates beyond Vienna’s borders. 

“With Zone 1, I want to offer a concentrated insight into what is currently happening in young contemporary art in Austria. The 15 selected positions span various media and stages of artistic practice and address issues of our time without needing to be explicitly political. The selection of works was made in close dialogue with the galleries and artists – a process I personally find deeply enriching”, emphasizes collector Casandra Hermann, curator of the New Positions – Zone 1 section. 

Broad support from the artistic community

The new Viennese art fair initiative is also backed by a broad declaration of support from the Austrian artistic community: more than 100 artists, on the initiative of Eva Schlegel and Esther Stocker have spoken out in favor of preserving and expanding Vienna as an art fair location. “We support the Astoria Artshow because it gives Austrian contemporary art a strong, shared stage. It makes it possible to showcase the diversity and quality of our scene – and is at the same time a clear commitment to Vienna as an art location”, say Eva Schlegel and Esther Stocker on behalf of more than 100 other artists.

The solidarity model
A special feature of the new Astoria Artshow is its solidarity-based participation model, which is based on the economic capacity of the participating galleries. Participation fees are tiered according to turnover and company size – not according to the size of the exhibition space. This enables fair and sustainable participation by galleries, taking their respective economic strength into account.

The Astoria Artshow’s major significance for Vienna as an art location[1]
The current study “Value Creation of Visual Arts in Austria” reveals for the first time the entire economic output of the visual arts. Commissioned by the Association of Austrian Galleries and carried out by Michael Paul and Anna Kleissner, it provides a reliable data basis for a sector that had previously only been captured fragmentarily.

The results are clear: the visual arts are a relevant economic sector and a multifaceted cross-cutting industry. In addition to artists, galleries, the art trade, museums and auction houses, it also includes logistics, restoration, insurance, publishing, framing, fair organizers, art universities and many more.

It generates €6.2 billion in gross value added annually, secures 90,000 jobs and contributes €2.8 billion in taxes and levies. This means it accounts for 1.41 percent of Austria’s GDP. For one in ten tourists, visiting museums and art exhibitions is the decisive reason for traveling to Austria.

“The Astoria Artshow makes visible how powerful the visual arts are as a cross-cutting industry: numerous stakeholders are coming together to make this first preview edition possible – clear proof of the economic and cultural impact that the visual arts unleash in Vienna.”, says Isabell Kisling-Steinek as board representative of VAU - Vienna Art United.

Vienna establishes itself as an art destination in September
What the study describes at the macroeconomic level becomes particularly vivid in Vienna: the second week of September in particular shows how this ecosystem works in practice: the Astoria Artshow, curated by, and PARALLEL Vienna. These initiatives – each with its own distinctive profile – together create a lasting impulse for Vienna as an art location and underscore the importance of the visual arts as an economic, cultural and touristic force. They show the diversity of the local and international art scene and let visitors experience the full spectrum – from established positions to promising next-generation highlights. 

“It is evident that the traditional art fair model has reached its limits and needs to be rethought. With the Astoria Artshow, we can playfully explore new approaches that are meant to culminate next year in a large, central, international Viennese art fair. The Astoria Artshow is thus something like a modest beginning of a larger undertaking that we hope will succeed in the long term and, together with curated by and PARALLEL Vienna, create a lasting impulse for Vienna as an art location.”, says Markus Peichl, chairman of VAU Vienna Art United, organizer of the Astoria Artshow.

“curated by is very pleased to shape the opening weekend together with strong initiatives such as the Astoria Artshow and PARALLEL Vienna. Over the years, curated by has established itself internationally through the quality of its program and the distinctiveness of its format: as a gallery-driven festival that gives international curators the time, space and resources they need to forge and deepen new connections and to foster critical discourse. Together with these initiatives, the festival and its participating galleries reinforce their commitment to experimentation and artistic expression, once again underscoring Vienna’s importance as an international cultural destination”, say Attilia Fattori Franchini and Christina Linher, directors of curated by.

“PARALLEL Vienna is a hybrid of art fair, pop-up museum and social hub. As a curated exhibition landscape, it brings together national and international galleries, young and established artistic positions, innovative special shows and extraordinary performances. PARALLEL is the elephant in Vienna’s art circus!”, emphasizes Stefan Bidner, artistic director of PARALLEL Vienna.

A unique location in the heart of the 8th district
The Astoria Artshow’s namesake, the Astoria Garage, is considered Europe’s first and largest multi-storey car park and ranks among the continent’s most significant historic garage buildings. The six-story high-rise garage was built in 1923 in the New Objectivity style, extended in 1935, and remains largely intact in its original structure to this day. Until a year ago, it was used exclusively as a parking garage.

With the Astoria Artshow, the historic building is being opened for a major cultural event for the first time. The open construction, generous window areas, the atrium and the striking glass dome create a distinctive atmosphere for the presentation of art across six spacious parking levels. Historic architecture and industrial character combine to form a unique exhibition venue for the works of more than 80 contemporary galleries and around 15 art and educational institutions.

The design of the roughly 10,000-square-meter space was created by the Berlin-based architecture firm Kuehn Malvezzi (www.kuehnmalvezzi.com) - known for exhibition architecture including for Documenta 11, the Belvedere and the Hamburger Bahnhof Berlin. The exhibition architecture takes the garage’s existing structure as its starting point and deliberately departs from the model of classic, clearly delineated gallery booths.

Instead of an isolated juxtaposition, an open spatial structure emerges in which artistic positions enter into dialogue with one another. The works are shown on open surfaces and freestanding walls and are related to one another according to aesthetic criteria. This creates an impressive overall effect while the individual works remain in focus.

The site openly displays its history: visible pipework, old signage, patina, repair marks and heterogeneous floor surfaces characterize the location. “Our architecture works with the garage’s characteristics, not against them: it creates precise spatial settings that allow visitors to immerse themselves in individual artistic positions without covering up or appropriating the character of the place”, says Kuehn Malvezzi.

The Astoria Artshow 2026 is divided into three sections:

• Main Positions: Austrian and international galleries present outstanding contemporary solo presentations.
• New Positions – Zone 1: with up-and-coming young Austrian artists, the focus is specifically on the country’s emerging artistic talent. The section was curated by Casandra Hermann and made possible through the generous support of the Federal Ministry for Housing, Arts, Culture, Media and Sport.
• Editions, Publications, Projects & Institutions: the program offers an additional stage for academies, artist spaces and art publishers

About the organizers of the Astoria Artshow: VAU – VIENNA ART UNITED ASSOCIATION

The Astoria Artshow is organized by VAU Vienna Art United – the association of 35 Viennese galleries. VAU Vienna Art United is a non-profit association founded in April 2026 by gallerists Markus Peichl, Maximilian Thoman and Thomas Krinzinger to launch a new, central, international Viennese art fair. After just two weeks, 35 galleries had joined – the foundation and basis of the Astoria Artshow. They contribute their know-how, experience and contacts to jointly create an attractive, ambitious, sustainable art event in Vienna.

The board of VAU Vienna Art United comprises Karoline Bartosch-Hilger (Galerie Ernst Hilger), Thomas Krinzinger (Galerie Krinzinger), Antonia Lia Orsi (City Galerie), Markus Peichl (Galerie Crone, Vienna, Berlin), Isabell Kisling-Steinek (Galerie Steinek) and Maximilian Thoman (Galerie Elisabeth und Klaus Thoman). 

PRESS CONTACT & INQUIRIES

Astoria Artshow / VAU – Vienna Art United
Markus Peichl, Chairman
Galerie Crone Wien
Tel. +43 1 5813164
office@vienna-art-united.com

[1]  Sources

Study data: Michael Paul and Anna Kleissner: “Value Creation of Visual Arts in Austria”, study commissioned by the Association of Austrian Galleries, Vienna, June 12, 2026.

Economic performance: Own calculation of the ratio of gross value added to gross domestic product based on the national accounts of Statistics Austria (www.statistik.at).

Tourism data 2025: Calculated based on the official arrival and accommodation statistics of Statistics Austria (www.statistik.at/statistiken/tourismus-und-verkehr/tourismus).

INFORMATION on the following topics can be found in the attachment:

PARTICIPATING GALLERIES / MAIN POSITIONS / NEW POSITIONS - ZONE 1

EDITIONS, PUBLICATIONS, PROJECTS & INSTITUTIONS

ARTISTS

PARTNERS: Main sponsors, in-kind sponsors, media partners, art partners, cooperation partners

OPENING HOURS & PROGRAM

TICKETS & ADMISSION
 

PARTICIPATING GALLERIES

MAIN POSITIONS

Contemporary solo presentations

0

NEW POSITIONS - ZONE 1

Up-and-coming young Austrian artists

EDITIONS, PUBLICATIONS, PROJECTS & INSTITUTIONS

Special presentations by academies, artist spaces and art publishers

ARTISTS

The Astoria Artshow presents works by more than 120 artists from over 30 countries. The spectrum ranges from major, world-renowned figures to influential contemporary voices and young, up-and-coming talents.

MAIN POSITIONS

Contemporary solo presentations

NEW POSITIONS - ZONE 1

Up-and-coming young Austrian artists

EDITIONS, PUBLICATIONS, PROJECTS & INSTITUTIONS

Special presentations by academies, artist spaces and art publishers

 PARTNERS

The Astoria Artshow is a non-profit project, carried by the volunteer work and great dedication of a small, highly professional team. Without the generous financial support and the numerous in-kind contributions of our partners, its realization would not have been possible. We extend our special thanks to them.

Main sponsors
Bildrecht · Federal Ministry for Housing, Arts, Culture, Media and Sport · Stadt Wien Kultur · Vienna.Info · Wien Holding · Vienna Business Agency

In-kind sponsors
Almdudler · Confiserie Altmann & Kühne · ARWAG · The Companion · hs art service austria · Sans Souci · Domäne Wachau · Weingut zum Pranger · Wachau, World Heritage Cultural Landscape · vercon 

Media partners
Artmagazine · c/o vienna magazine · esel.at · H.O.M.E. · Monopol · Parnass · P.I.N.E.A.

Art partners
Academy of Fine Arts Vienna · Parallel Vienna · Kunsthalle Krems · Curated by ·  MAK – Museum of Applied Arts 

Cooperation partners
Hafen Wien · Vereinigte Bühnen Wien · Wiener Stadthalle · WSE

 
OPENING HOURS & PROGRAM

The Astoria Artshow is open daily from 12:00 to 19:00 from Thursday, September 10, to Sunday, September 13, 2026.

Note: The Astoria Rooftop Bar remains open to visitors of the Astoria Artshow on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday until 22:00; on Friday only until 19:00. 

TICKETS & ADMISSION

PRESS CONTACT & INQUIRIES

Astoria Artshow / VAU – Vienna Art United
Markus Peichl, Chairman
Galerie Crone Wien
Tel. +43 1 5813164
office@vienna-art-united.com