Arena, Vienna

File:Arena_Wien.jpg

The Arena traces its origin to when the director of the Vienna Festival (German: Wiener Festwochen), Ulrich Baumgartner, hosted theatre and cabaret productions from across Europe in the Museum of the 20th Century (Museum des 20. Jahrhunderts), which is now the 21er Haus. In 1975, the Arena moved to a derelict former slaughterhouse (Auslandsschlachthof{{--)}} for performances of Jérôme Savary's Grand Magic Circus.{{sfn|Redaktion|2006|ps=: Bereits 1970 hatte Ulrich Baumgartner, Intendant der Wiener Festwochen seit 1963, im Museum des 20. Jahrhunderts die „Arena“ als Freiraum für internationale Avantgarde und künstlerische Randbereiche geöffnet.}}

Soon after, some of the structures within the vast campus of the slaughterhouse were slated for demolition. On June 27, 1976, when the performances of a musical ended their run at the Arena, the audience was encouraged to stay and squat in the buildings. A banner was unveiled which said "Staying here is solidarity" (German: Hierbleiben ist Solidarität{{--)}}.{{sfn|Redaktion|2006|loc=b|ps=: Doch dann erfuhr Manfred Stadelmann, ein Vorarlberger Architekturstudent, der am Bühnenbild des Musicals "Schabernack" mitarbeitete, dass der Schlachthof nach dem Ende der Festwochen abgerissen werden sollte ... Am Sonntag, dem 27. Juni 1976, als in der Arena das Musical „Schabernack“ zum letzten Mal in Szene ging ...Hunderte junge Leute kamen nach St. Marx. Polizisten die sich an die Räumung machten, schickte der Hausherr Baumgartner weg. In der Veranstaltungshalle wurde ein Transparent gehisst: „Hierbleiben ist Solidarität.“}} There were around 700 activists, who called themselves Arenauten.{{sfn|Secret Vienna|2019}}{{sfn|Winterer|2016|ps=: Rund 700 Menschen strömten in die Halle}} Throughout July, participants organised cafés, a cinema, a women's house, a kids' house, a university and a theatre. A city newspaper was founded which is still in existence (der Falter{{--)}}.{{sfn|Winterer|2016|loc=b|ps=: In den ersten Julitagen wurden immer mehr Gebäude adaptiert. Es entstand ein Filmpalast, Caféhäuser, ein Frauenhaus, ein Kinderhaus, ein Universität, Theater, Stadtzeitungen.}} More than a thousand people lived on the site, which had 12 buildings and was about the same size as Christiania in Copenhagen.{{sfn|Foltin|2014|p=256}}{{sfn|Von Horst|2006}} After performing there, Leonard Cohen called it "the best place to be in Vienna."{{sfn|Deutsch-Schreiner|2014}} A summer party drew 8,000 people. All the events were free and received favourable coverage by the mainstream media.{{sfn|Winterer|2016|loc=c|ps=: Bei einem großen Sommerfest strömten 8000 Menschen in die Arena. Sie erlebten kostenlos Konzerte, Lesungen, Vorträge, Ausstellungen, Diskussionen ... Zur Überraschung der Aktivisten berichteten auch die Medien positiv.}}

Thousands of people attended events until October, when the Arena was relinquished, as a result of both internal squabbles and pressure from the City Council.{{sfn|Foltin|2014|p=256}} Two days later, it was mostly demolished, but the council tolerated the squatters staying in one remaining building, namely the domestic abattoir (Inlandschlachthof{{--)}}.{{sfn|Winterer|2016|loc=d|ps=: Im Nachhinein wurde den Besetzern der Inlandsschlachthof zugesprochen}}{{sfn|Foltin|2016|p=44}}

Alongside other still existing projects such as the Amerlingerhaus, Ernst-Kirchweger-Haus and WUK (Werkstätten und Kulturhaus), the Arena is a product of the 1970s and 1980s autonomous movement in Vienna.{{sfn|Edthofer|2011|p=106}}

File:Neneh_Cherry-live.jpg performs at Arena in 1996]]

The Arena has become an important centre for alternative culture in Vienna, hosting concerts, exhibitions and an open-air cinema in the courtyard. As well as the large hall, which has hosted bands like Arctic Monkeys and Sonic Youth, there are two smaller rooms for events.{{sfn|Secret Vienna|2019}}{{sfn|Wien Info}}

• In 1977, Josef Aichholzer, Ruth Beckermann and Franz Grafl made a film called Arena Besetzt about the 1976 occupation of the Arena.{{sfn|Documenta Madrid}}

{{reflist}}

{{Refbegin|}}

• {{Cite book|last=Deutsch-Schreiner| first=Evelyn|chapter=Austria|editor-last1=Nagy|editor-first1=Peter|editor-last2=Rouyer|editor-first2=Phillippe|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B9RV5UFtPNMC|title=World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Volume 1: Europe|date=2014|language=English| isbn=978-1136118128|publisher=Routledge| location=London|df=mdy-all}}
• {{cite web|last1=Documenta Madrid|title=Arena Besetzt|url=https://www.documentamadrid.com/en/films/arena-besetzt|website=Documenta Madrid|access-date=2 May 2020}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• {{cite book |last1=Edthofer |first1=Julia |editor1-last=Perrone |editor1-first=C. |editor2-last=Manella |editor2-first=G. |editor3-last=Tripodi |editor3-first=L. |title=Everyday Life in the Segmented City |date=2011 |publisher=Emerald Group Publishing|isbn=978-1-78052-259-3 |pages=95–119 |url=https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/S1047-0042(2011)0000011008/full/html |access-date=25 March 2020 |location=Bingley, United Kingdom|language=en |chapter=This is what Radical Democracy Looks Like! Reclaiming Urban Space in Vienna|doi=10.1108/S1047-0042(2011)0000011008 }}
• {{Cite book|last=Foltin|first=Robert|chapter=Vienna in March 1981: A 'Puzzling Demonstration' and Its Consequences|pages=41–52|editor-last1=Andresen|editor-first1=Knut|editor-last2=van der Stein|editor-first2=Bart|title=A European Youth Revolt: European Perspectives on Youth protest and Social Movements in the 1980s |date=2016|language=English|isbn=9781137304230|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|location=London|df=mdy-all}}
• {{Cite book|last=Foltin|first=Robert|chapter=Squatting and Autonomous Action in Vienna, 1976-2012|pages=255–276|editor-last1=van Hoogenhuijze|editor-first1=Leendert|editor-last2=Katzeff|editor-first2=Ask|editor-last3=van der Stein|editor-first3=Bart|title=The City Is Ours: Squatting and Autonomous Movements in Europe from the 1970s to the Present|date=2014|language=English| isbn=9781604866834|publisher=PM Press|location=Oakland|df=mdy-all}}
• {{cite news |last1=Redaktion |title=Als einen Sommer lang Freiheit war - derStandard.at |url=https://www.derstandard.at/story/2492068/als-einen-sommer-lang-freiheit-war |access-date=25 March 2020 |work=Der Standard |date=22 August 2006 |language=de-AT}}
• {{cite web |last1=Secret Vienna |title=ARENA Wien |url=https://secretvienna.org/the-arena/ |website=Secret Vienna Tours |date=September 7, 2019|access-date=25 March 2020}}
• {{cite news |last1=Von Horst |first1=Christoph |title=Arena-Jubiläum: Kindergarten der Rebellion |url=https://www.profil.at/home/arena-jubilaeum-kindergarten-rebellion-142815 |access-date=25 March 2020 |work=profil.at |date=10 June 2006 |language=de}}
• {{cite web |last1=Wien Info |title=Arena |url=https://www.wien.info/en/lifestyle-scene/nightlife/live-locations/arena |website=VIENNA |access-date=25 March 2020 |language=en}}
• {{cite news |last1=Winterer |first1=Matthias |title=Der lange Schatten des heißen Sommers 1976 |url=https://www.wienerzeitung.at/nachrichten/chronik/wien/833350-Der-lange-Schatten-des-heissen-Sommers-1976.html |access-date=25 March 2020 |work=Stadtleben in Wien - Wiener Zeitung Online |date=23 July 2016 |language=de}}

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• [https://arena.wien/Home/About Official website]

{{Music venues in Austria}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1976 establishments in Austria

Category:Adaptive reuse of industrial structures

Category:Autonomism

Category:Cultural centers in Europe

Category:Culture in Vienna

Category:Music venues in Austria

Category:Squats

Category:20th-century architecture in Austria