In the future, art in all its forms will be experienced in the ART MAGAZIN of the Tabakfabrik. Starting in the third quarter of 2021, the former tobacco warehouse of the tobacco factory will be managed by the art association “ART MAGAZIN Tabakfabrik Linz” and will become a participatory and inclusive art space with studios, co-working spaces and exhibition areas for both young and established artists in Linz.

Since the beginning of its transformation from a cigarette production to a center of creative industries, the Tabakfabrik has been committed to art, science and research. Successfully, as the approximately 150 artists working on the site prove. They work, research and create for example in the maker space GRAND GARAGE, the photo school of Prager Fotoschule, the research center for media and performance art VALIE EXPORT CENTER or in various departments of the University of Art and Design Linz (Fashion & Technology, Tangible Music Lab, Creative Robotics). The ART MAGAZIN expands the artistic offerings of Tabakfabrik and establishes the creative industry hotspot even more as an interdisciplinary creative venue for the Linz art scene.

High Street of Art

The rentable individual studios and shared studios at ART MAGAZIN result in a bustling street where art is not only made but also shown: “Here, artists have the opportunity to develop freely and work in a self-determined way, but still be embedded in the supportive and inspiring environment of the Tabakfabrik. There are countless opportunities to exhibit the works in the Tabakfabrik – we want to create an indoor gallery about a kilometer long, a high street of art so to say,” explains Chris Müller, Director of Development, Design and Art at the Tabakfabrik.

The Tabakfabrik’s focus on art is also of great importance to the city of Linz, as Mayor Klaus Luger emphasizes: “The connection of art, technology and science is of the utmost importance for the creative potential of a city. With ART MAGAZIN in the Tabakfabrik, we have created a place where all these forces interact wonderfully. We can offer the Linz art scene a unique place where creativity can unfold unhindered and be inspired by the players who are already here. A stroke of luck for Linz, because where innovation and creativity are practiced and lived, the best ideas for our city and our future are born.”

On-site inspection of the ART MAGAZIN at the Tabakfabrik Linz: Mayor Klaus Luger, Jelio-Anton Stefanov, Teresa Galen, Tabakfabrik Director Chris Müller, Philipp Weinberger (from left) © vog.photo

Open doors for the community

ART MAGAZIN offers well-equipped studios, networking areas and exhibition spaces tailored to the needs of artists – they are managed and organized by the art association ‘ART MAGAZIN Tabakfabrik Linz’ around chairman Jelio-Anton Stefanov, Philipp Weinberger and Teresa Galen.

“The association acts as a link between the artists, the Tabakfabrik community and the city as a whole. On the one hand, we want to promote the needs of the artists and on the other hand, we want to cooperate with the institutions of the city to fill the ART MAGAZIN with life. We want to organize collective agendas, offer a platform for a shared appearance and organize exhibitions and events with the help of fundings”, explains architect Philipp Weinberger, who has planned and realized the ART MAGAZIN and is happy to be able to continue to participate in the project as a board member.

For Teresa Galen, secretary of the association and Head of Office at the Art University’s Fashion & Technology program, ART MAGAZIN is a place for creative work, experimentation, networking and the exchange of ideas. “We want to offer young, but also established creative professionals in Linz affordable workspaces that are tailored to their needs. Both individual tables in the co-working space and larger individual studios are available,” says Galen, explaining the concept, which was developed particularly for young artists. “Especially the first steps in the independent scene, after you’ve finished an education and had spent many years in stable networks at universities or technical colleges, are fraught with challenges.” This is where ART MAGAZIN wants to start and offer a low-threshold place of opportunities for creative work, exhibitions and interventions.

The board of the ‘ART MAGAZIN Tabakfabrik Linz’ art association: Philipp Weinberger, Jelio-Anton Stefanov, Teresa Galen (from left) ©vog.photo

ART MAGAZIN also focuses on the idea of community, as the association’s chairman Jelio-Anton Stefanov says: “We have set out to create a participatory and inclusive art space together with the studio tenants and to live an openness that is very rare in the art industry. On the one hand, our doors are always open to interested parties and the community, and on the other hand, we also see it as our task to open doors for our community. What may often not be possible for individuals, we can create with the network and know-how of our ARTCrowd.”

Art and collaboration

ART MAGAZIN is not only embedded in an extraordinary and thoughtful architectural setting in Magazin 1, but also in the dynamic and synergetic environment of the Tabakfabrik. Thus – as with all settlements in the Tabakfabrik – not only the area profits from the new art offer but the artists vice versa as well. They have access to infrastructure, ecology and collaboration possibilities at Tabakfabrik. And also the ART MAGAZIN itself is more than just a space. Only through the network and the community does the art space become a lively and diverse place of creation, as Jelio-Anton Stefanov confirms: “Every output needs input. External inspiration and exchange are worth their weight in gold when needed.”

Linz Art Hub

In addition to the studios, ART MAGAZIN will also be home to gastronomy and the Linz City Museums’ open depot. Philipp Weinberger sees this as an exciting opportunity for the growth of Linz’s creative scene: “I believe that ART MAGAZIN has the potential to become a hub for artists from Linz and around the world, as well as for other Linz art associations. In this respect, the association is an independent institution that can become an important link between the art and cultural scene and the city of Linz thanks to its spatial location in the creative melting pot of Tabakfabrik.”

Be pART of it

A wide range of uses is open to artists at ART MAGAZIN: In the co-working area, there are mobile work desks with lockable storage options that one can rent alone or in pairs. Included is also access to the common areas, which are shared with the artists of the individual studios. The separate studios are available in various size configurations and can also be used by more than one person. All artists also have access to the project rooms and the many exhibition and presentation opportunities in the architectural jewel that is the Tabakfabrik.

ART MAGAZIN at Tabakfabrik Linz offers both individual tables in the co-working space and larger individual studios. Photo: vog.photo

The price for the work desk in the co-working space is 180 euros per month in the “fixed desk” model. If the workbench is shared, the price for the “shared desk” per person is reduced to 120 euros per month. A single studio is available from 270 euros per month, depending on size. An uncomplicated onboarding with the association and thus the community with the use of the common areas and workrooms included is possible for as little as 50 euros per month. If you are interested in using the individual studios or co-working desks, the Tabakfabrik looks forward to hearing from you at 0732 77 22 72 72 or ansiedlung@tfl.linz.at.