Orchestras close, galleries fire employees, museums sell their works of art… this horrendous scenario is a reality in the United States of America, the starting point of the deep economic crisis that shakes the world. A few criminals, in the name of their personal interests, forced the nations economy to its knees and now culture, which in America lives mostly from private support, faces the abyss. Our reality is different: the coincidence of economic crisis and cultural crisis is not (jet) a fact. Only those who were successful in winning private sponsors for cultural work face such problems first hand. TRANSART is one of them, but continues nontheless on its way. We are convinced that contemporary art and culture are essential in a future oriented society. Also, both old and new sponsors and the public authorities are standing by TRANSART’s side and in this way give an important message for current times.

TRANSART 09 again presents many projects, often combining more than one expressive form: concerts, workshops, dance theatres, videoconferences, literary performances and video shows are all part of the festival’s spectrum. There will be exhibitions in the Fort of Franzensfeste, Brixen, Meran and Eppan, but the main site of the festival will be the EX ALUMIX building in Bozen Süd: it is a lot more than a simple exhibition space with its lounge and the reminiscence of Manifesta 7 – contemporary culture is also a contemporary way of living.

More important than their eclectic expressions are the artist’s stances. They give us a lens through wich we watch our times, constantly shifting and changing at the highest of speeds. They tell us: ”There is something at stake – we are at stake!”

Come and see TRANSART 09!