open call for styrian autumn 2026

Styrian Autumn is an interdisciplinary festival for contemporary art that takes place annually in Graz and Styria. Since the 1980s, it has comprised both a program curated by the festival team and projects presented independently by the local art scene within the festival framework.

Since 2018, there has been an open call for this partner program. It aims not only to offer established institutions a platform within Styrian Autumn but also to invite all artists and cultural practitioners to be part of the festival.

For 2026, Styrian Autumn invites non-commercial cultural initiatives and artists in Graz and Styria to submit proposals for newly developed works with an experimental and socio-critical character. Projects in the partner program are not bound to any specific theme or medium.

Only project proposals that take place wholly or partially during the duration of Styrian Autumn '26 (September 24–October 18, 2026) will be considered.

From the submissions, a selection of 15 to 20 projects will be made to be presented at steirischer herbst and also featured in the festival's communication materials and on its website. In addition to comprehensive promotion and a platform with international reach, the festival also offers financial support for project realization in certain cases. Integration into steirischer herbst's educational programs is also possible.

Important: All projects in the partner program are organized entirely independently by the participants. steirischer herbst does not handle production or organization. This includes finding venues.