English

Third Cultural Development Plan for the City of Linz (CDP3)

Start of the discussion and participation phase

This is the third time that the City of Linz has drawn up a Cultural Development Plan. Following the adoption of the first CDP in 2000 and the CDPnew in 2013, the one-year discussion and participation phase to develop a vision for the City of Culture 2035 has now begun in the form of the third Cultural Development Plan (CDP3). The first two cultural development plans have ensured that culture is an integral part of urban life and the development of the City of Linz. As was the case ten years ago, a broad-based, participatory process for a new cultural strategy is now being launched. On the one hand, there will be a comprehensive examination of the current art and culture scene in Linz, which is caught between the tensions of digitalization, the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, the consequences of the 200th anniversary year of Anton Bruckner’s birth. On the other hand, the aim will also be to identify the long-term potential for the further cultural development of Linz and to identify corresponding implementation options. With the broadest possible participation, the aim is to work on a common vision, goals, and measures for the future of Linz as a city of culture.
However, cultural development planning in the present cannot be limited to issues in the cultural sector in the narrower sense but impacts on numerous social challenges that also shape the arts and culture – digitalization, sustainability, diversity, and social justice are just a few examples. Art and culture must, therefore, also be seen as a means and part of urban development. Against this backdrop, cultural development planning is an important instrument for driving urban processes forward in terms of forward-looking urban development.

In recent years, several urban strategy processes have been started or completed, which will also form an important basis for the development of the third cultural development plan. These include the „Digital Linz“ programme, the Linz City Strategy 2022, the integrated city centre concept currently being developed, the integration strategy, the Linz Women’s Programme, as well as the Linz Climate Strategy, and the Linz City Council’s corporate strategy.


Starting Point

The City of Linz’s first cultural development plan, adopted in 2000, established guidelines, priorities, and framework conditions for Linz’s cultural policy for the following ten years. In particular, the content-related and structural challenges that arose in the context of the European Capital of Culture 2009 required a refinement, adaption, and expansion of the established focal point of cultural development.

This is why the project „New Cultural Development Plan for the City of Linz“ was launched in January 2011. Many organizations and individuals from the arts and culture sector in Linz and beyond were actively involved. Together, they worked on the new version of the cultural development plan, consisting of a concise cultural mission statement, a comprehensive strategic program for the cultural development of the city of Linz, and package of proposed measures. In January 2013, the City Council of Linz adopted the second Cultural Development Plan (CDPnew).

Another ten years have since passed, and it is time for the City of Linz’s third cultural development plan. In a participatory process lasting almost two years, the current situation in which the cultural city of Linz finds itself is reflected upon. With the broadest possible participation, a common vision as well as goals and measures for the cultural future are being developed.

Timetable for the CDP3 process

Under the working title “CDP3”, the City Council of Linz approved the development of the third cultural development plan for the City of Linz (CDP3) in December 2023 and is making a total of € 100,000 available for this in 2024 and 2025.

The entire process consists of three phases and runs for a total of 24 months. The three phases interlock seamlessly. Intensive cooperation between the Linz Kultur office and the external technical and scientific support of LIquA is planned for all activities.

  • Phase 1: Planning and anaylsis, 8 months (until autumn 2024)
  • Phase 2: Participation and discussion, 12 months (until autumn 2025)
  • Phase 3: Coordination and decision, 6 months (until the end of Q1 2026)

The CDP3 process began in spring 2024 with a planning and analysis phase. LIquA – Linzer Institute für Qualitative Analyses, headed by MMag. Thomas Philipp, was selected as the best bidder for the scientific and technical support of this process as part of a direct award with a prior announcement. The contract was awarded by resolution of the city senate at the end of February.
In mid-March, the CDP3 project was presented to the two cultural policy bodies of the City of Linz – the Cultural Committee of the City of Linz and the Linz City Cultural Advisory Board. In May, the CDP3 steering group was constituted as a strategic management body. Around 140 personalities from and around Linz’s arts and culture sector were invited to take part in an online interview in early summer.
The findings from these interviews form an important basis for further work on CDP3, particularly for the one-year discussion and participation phase that began in autumn 2024.

The third phase for coordination and decision-making is the final stage. The process of developing the “CDP3” with the involvement of the Linz City Cultural Advisory Board and the Committee for Culture, Tourism, and Markets is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. Completion of the City of Linz’s third cultural development plan and its adoption by the municipal council is planned for the first quarter of 2026.


Structure of the CDP3 process

The Directorate of Culture and Education, headed by Dr. Julius Stieber, and the Linz Culture Department, headed by Gerda Forstner, together with MMag. Thomas Philipp as external scientific and technical process consultant, are responsible for overall planning and management.

A six-member steering group acts as a strategic management body, consisting of representatives from the Culture and Education Department, the Linz City Cultural Advisory Board, and municipal cultural institutions. The CDP3 steering group advises on key aspects of managing the entire process, such as setting specific topics, involving relevant stakeholders, and coordinating individual activities.

For the Culture and Education Division of the Linz City Council:

  • Julius Stieber, Cultural Director of the City of Linz
  • Gerda Forstner, Head of the Linz Culture Department

For the Linz City Advisory Board:

  • Oona Valarie Serbest, Chairwoman of the City Cultural Advisory Board
  • Philipp Kroll, 1st Deupty Chairman of the City Cultural Advisory Board

For the municipal cultural institutions:

  • Gerfried Stocker, Artistic Director Ars Electronica Linz
  • Hemma Schmutz, Artistic Director of the Museums of the City of Linz

The Advisory Board of the UNESCO City of Media Arts also acts as an expert council for the CDP3 process and brings together opinion leaders from various specialist areas. It is an advisory body to the steering group and is available to provide specific expertise on certain topics.


Participation and discussion phase in detail

During the previous CDPnew process (2011-2013), particular emphasis was placed on participatory methods. The aim now is to further develop the quality of participation in CDP3 and to intensify the depth of discussion, the breadth of participation, and the focus on the processing of topics.

  • CDP3-KICK-OFF
    The kick-off event with stakeholders on 16th October 2024 at 5 p.m. in the foyer of the Old Town Hall marked the start of the participation and discussion phase. The project managers presented an overview of the entire process as well as key findings from the online expert interviews. There was also an opportunity to contribute to the vision of Linz as a city of culture in 2035.
  • Team Magistrate Messe
    At the beginning of October, an internal presentation of the CDP3 process was given to colleagues from the Linz city administration at the Team Magistrate Messe.
  • KEP3 @ Enter_Tainer
    For the first time from the 18th of October – more appearances in public spaces will follow – the Linz Culture Department was stationed at the Enter_Tainer in front of the Old Town Hall and invited passers-by to address the question “What do I want for Linz as a city of culture in 2035?” and to contribute ideas and suggestions for measures.
  • CDP3 working group
    The CDP3 working group, which will be responsible for reflecting on and discussing content-related findings from the analysis and participation in the CDP3 process, met for the first time at the beginning of October.
    The working group consists of 16 experts selected by the CDP3 steering group:
    • Anatol Bogendorfer (freelance artist, musician and filmmaker, film producer, board member of Hörstadt)
    • Mika Brandhofer (artist, teacher training in media design, board member of “younited – association for queer affairs” in Linz)
    • Thomas Diesenreiter (Managing Director of KUPF Upper Austria)
    • Zina Eberlein (Artistic programme design and project coordination at Pangea – Werkstatt der Kulturen der Welt, literature for children)
    • Rabena Fetahu-Ibrahimi (employee of the Adult Education Centre Linz Wissensturm, former Integration Officer of the City of Linz) 
    • Anna Friedinger (former Programme Director of DORFTV, board member of KV Raumteiler und Kulturverein Hydra, member of the Linz City Advisory Board)
    • Christine Huber (President of the Upper Austrian Forum for Folk Cultures, retired principal of Musik-NMS 24 Linz-Harbach, member of the Linz City Cultural Advisory Board)
    • Barbara Infanger (Team Leader of Event Services and Project Manager for Museum Cooperations at the Linz Tourist Board, former President of the Friends of the Kepler Salon, member of the Linz City Cultural Advisory Board)
    • Franz Koppelstätter (Director of afo architekturforum oberösterreich, member of the Linz City Cultural Advisory Board)
    • Katharina Lackner (freelance artist, Professor of artistic practice at the University of Art and Design Linz, member of the Linz City Cultural Advisory Board)
    • Veronika Liebl (Managing Director Festival/Prix/Exhibitions der Ars Electronica, Director European Cooperation Ars Electronica, Member of the UNESCO City of Media Arts Executive Board)
    • Hubert Lobnig (freelance artist, Professor of Artisitc Practice at the University of Art and Design Linz, member of the Linz City Cultural Advisory Board)
    • Andreas Meier (Head of Programme Planning & Dramaturgy at the Brucknerhaus Linz)
    • Karin Schneider (Head of Art Education at the Museums of the City of Linz)
    • Olivia Schütz (Managing Director of the Phönix Theatre, Co-Publisher and Editor of “Die Referentin”, Board Member of fiftitu% – Networking Centre for Women* in Art and Culture in Upper Austria)
    • Otto Tremetzberger (freelance author, Managing Director of the Festival of Regions, Managing Director of Freier Rundfunk Freistadt GmbH, member of the administrative committee of DORFTV, and Radio Fro)


Workshops with focus groups on various topics

Twelve half-day focus group workshops will be held throughout spring 2025 to reflect on and discuss the findings from the analysis and the ideas and measures submitted on specific topics that are of particular importance for the cultural development of the City of Linz. The focus groups are each made up of around 8 experts; suggestions for the composition of the groups are made by the working group and the Linz City Cultural Advisory Board. The final composition of the focus groups is determined by the steering group.

A first rough draft of the CDP3 will be presented in the first half of 2025 and further opportunities for discussion and participation in the CDP3 process will be created in this context. The following activities are planned:

  • Public format on Linz’s main square
  • Coordination meetings on a small scale (e.g. with the Integration and Migration Advisory Board of the City of Linz, the City Youth Advisory Board, various municipal business areas and municipal departments, with cultural and educational institutions, representatives of schools, apprentices, ÖHs, etc.)
  • Flash-Interviews at major cultural events
  • FORUM CDP Discussions on selected topics
  • Survey via the internet and social media channels of the City of Linz
  • Discussion in the Cultural Committee and City Cultural Advisory Board of the City of Linz


Website

The website www.kep-linz.at provides ongoing information about activities in the CDP3 process. From winter 2024/25, the “Participation” section will offer the opportunity to make online contributions to key topics and content of a future cultural development plan via the website using the comment function. The “Participation” section will be solely in German.

Further dialogue partners:  
Mag.a Gerda Forstner / Head of the Linz Culture Department
MMag. Thomas Philipp, Head of LIquA – Linz Institute for Qualitative Analyses