An international festival in harmony with nature

sommer.frische.kunst. in Bad Gastein

Name: summer.fresh.art in Bad Gastein
Start: 2025-06-26
End: 2025-08-31
Location: Bad Gastein

Every summer, Bad Gastein is transformed into a stage for contemporary art from all over the world. The international art festival sommer.frische.kunst. brings together artists, collectors, gallery owners and art lovers in the imposing Alpine scenery of the Gastein Valley.

Historic grand hotels, spectacular mountain landscapes and extraordinary locations become exhibition spaces for modern art, installations and creative experiments.

The festival is one of the most exciting art festivals in Austria and attracts visitors from all over Europe to Bad Gastein in Salzburger Land every year.

Topic 2026

Between Waters: Circulation, Reflection and Imagination

In summer 2026, sommer.frische.kunst. is deliberately looking ahead: to new artistic spaces, new encounters and a program that will once again turn Bad Gastein into an extraordinary stage for contemporary art.The international artist-in-residence program at the Kraftwerk, accompanied by a top-class jury and with a clear focus on the further international development of sommer.frische.kunst. under the direction of festival director Andrea von Goetz, is a strong sign of this new departure .

The arrival of the artists-in-residence on June 11, 2026 marks the beginning of a summer dedicated to the life-giving power, movement and imagery of water under the title Between Waters: Circulation, Reflection and Imagination .

The Spring Park also marks a special new beginning this year. Its redesign creates the vision of a place that will develop into a lively pleasure garden in the coming years : an atmospheric meeting place where art, nature and the special energy of Bad Gastein come together.

Art, culture and encounters

Program 2026

From July 2 to 5, 2026, the grand Opening Weekend invites you to experience a weekend together that not only shows art, but also designs the future.

Thursday, 2.7.2026

Hotel Miramonte:
exclusive cooperation with the STRAAT Museum Amsterdam: artist Claudio Limó (energy of the Gastein mountains in a powerful, contemporary visual language)

Friday, 3.7.2026

from the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Promenade to the Radon Pavilion: artist Nives Widauer presents her "Flussläufer" (textile works that combine natural movement, materiality and poetic precision)

Afterwards at the Grand Hotel Astoria:"art:badgastein" exhibition (from 12 selected galleries)

Afterwards at Hotel the cōmodo: book presentation by Gerrit Engel (with barbecue and good conversation)

Saturday, 4.7.2026

Opening of the exhibitions in the Kraftwerk and Quellpark: works from the artist-in-residence program
- Also: Julius von Bismarck, Micha Leinkauf and Joana Serrano Rivas (theme: water)
At all locations: artistic carpets by Holger Schmidhuber (lyrical texts with the title"Bad Gastein Energies")

The event kicks off on Thursday, July 2, at the Hotel Miramonte. In an exclusive collaboration with the STRAAT Museum Amsterdam, Mexican artist Claudio Limón will be presenting works that translate the energy of the Gastein mountains into a powerful, contemporary visual language.

On Friday, the route leads along the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Promenade to the Radon Pavilion, where the internationally renowned artist Nives Widauer will be showing her river runners - textile works that combine natural movement, materiality and poetic precision.

Afterwards, the former Grand Hotel Astoria becomes the venue for the fourth edition of art:badgastein. This year, the historic rooms, salons and halls will be used by 12 selected galleries and transformed into atmospheric spaces full of tension, attitude and new constellations. The event continues at the cōmodo for the premiere of Gerrit Engel 's book presentation - a summery evening with a barbecue and good conversation.

The grand opening of the exhibitions in the Kraftwerk and Quellpark follows on Saturday. The works created as part of the artist-in-residence program will be on display for the first time. The program will be complemented by international artists such as Julius von Bismarck, Micha Leinkauf and Joana Serrano Rivas, who will address the theme of water in an impressive way.

At the same time, you will encounter artistic carpets by Holger Schmidhuber at all locations of sommer.frische.kunst. During his stays in Bad Gastein - especially around the waterfall - he has written lyrical texts over the past few years, which can be found in several of the works entitled Bad Gastein Energies.

The sommer.frische.kunst. 2026 begins with the arrival of the artists-in-residence on June 11, 2026 and ends on August 30, 2026.
ASTORIA curated x art:badgastein takes place from July 2 to July 12, 2026.

sommer.frische.kunst. opening weekend

Bad Gastein - Bad Gastein

02.07.2026 | 18:00

Opening weekend

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sommer.frische.kunst. opening weekend

Bad Gastein - Bad Gastein

03.07.2026 | 18:00

Opening weekend

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sommer.frische.kunst. opening weekend

Bad Gastein - Bad Gastein

04.07.2026 | 18:00

Opening weekend

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sommer.frische.kunst. opening weekend

Bad Gastein - Bad Gastein

05.07.2026 | 18:00

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Further program items will be added on an ongoing basis.

Art tradition in Gastein

Bad Gastein in particular has a long history as a place of inspiration for artists, writers and thinkers.

The famous spa resort attracted numerous creative personalities as early as the 19th century. During the historic summer retreat , guests from all over Europe spent several weeks or months in the Alps - including many artists and intellectuals who found inspiration here.

This tradition lives on today in the art festival sommer.frische.kunst. International artists work on site during their stay in Bad Gastein and are inspired by the special landscape, architecture and history of the place.

The festival thus combines the historical cultural history of Bad Gastein with new artistic positions and international perspectives.

Art vacation in Bad Gastein

The art festival can be ideally combined with a summer vacation in the Gastein Valley. Between exhibitions and events , visitors can enjoy hikes in the Gastein mountains, relaxing hours in the thermal baths, regional cuisine in Salzburger Land and the special atmosphere of Bad Gastein.

The result is a unique mix of nature, relaxation and art.

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Experience contemporary art in the Alps

During the festival, you will discover contemporary art in extraordinary places. Exhibitions take place not only in galleries, but also in historic buildings, hotels, public spaces and in nature.

This special combination of Alpine landscape, Belle Époque architecture and modern art makes the art festival in Bad Gastein unique.

Many of the invited artists work directly on site during their stay. Their works are created in close interaction with the surroundings and the people in the valley.

Bad Gastein itself becomes a gallery.