This summer, from 28 June to 31 August 2025, Bad Gastein will once again be transformed into a vibrant stage for contemporary art: sommer.frische.kunst. is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a varied festival program in extraordinary locations. The high-caliber exhibition "Welcome back!" brings works by 15 international artists from the last 15 years to the Kraftwerk. There is also the art:badgastein art fair curated by POSITIONS Berlin Art Fair at Hotel Astoria, the performative theater project Pegasus Product with an Alpine Punch and Judy show and a tribute to the architect Gerhard Garstenauer on the occasion of his 100th birthday. Another special highlight is Philipp Hochmair's performance of Jedermann on July 4 at the historic Straubinger Platz.

Andrea von Goetz, the artistic director of the festival, looks back with pride on 15 years full of creative energy: "I began the journey of sommer.frische.kunst in 2011 with a carte blanche and the vision of bringing art to life in a unique, natural environment. The power station at the waterfall in Quellpark became the first place where artists could create their works, live and be inspired by the alpine landscape. Today, in 2025, the festival is an integral part of the international art scene."

Show your art
As a prelude, the regional supporting program for the "Show Your Art" festival invites you to the Kraftwerk from 12 to 15 June, where selected regional artists will present their works. "Show Your Art" is a curated exhibition format for regional artists from the Pongau region. Following a public application process, artists were selected by a jury to present their works - including paintings, sculptures, installations and photography - at the historic Bad Gastein power plant. The project enables visibility, exchange and professional exhibition practice for local talent and offers the public an early taste of the diversity of contemporary art in Gastein.
June 12 to 15, 2025

Anniversary exhibition, Noa Yekutieli, Knust Wameser © the artist

"Welcome back!" - 15 years, 15 artists, 1 location
The big anniversary exhibition brings 15 selected artists back to Bad Gastein - all of them personalities who have shaped the festival in recent years. Among them are Jorinde Voigt, Philipp Fürhofer, Henrik Eiben, Gerwald Rockenschaub, Franziska Stünkel and many more. Their works - inspired by their stays in Gastein - reflect personal memories, artistic processes and new perspectives on nature, time and space.
June 28 to August 31, 2025 at the power plant at the waterfall

art:badgastein x POSITIONS Berlin Art Fair - The art fair rethought
The exclusive art fair art:badgastein is moving from the Kraftwerk to the historic Hotel Astoria. For the first time, it will be curated by POSITIONS Berlin Art Fair, one of the most renowned players on the European art fair scene. International galleries and collectors meet an interested audience - between a grand hotel atmosphere and alpine inspiration.
June 27 to July 6, 2025 at the Hotel Astoria

Philipp Hochmair © Hannes Wichmann

Philipp Hochmair - Jedermann Razelli Remix
With his electrifying stage presence, Philipp Hochmair presents a gripping new interpretation of the classic Jedermann - as Razelli Remix. The production combines language, music and energy to create an intense theater experience in the open air.
July 4, 2025, 8.30 pm at Straubinger Platz

"Slow" - Theresa Hattinger on the Graukogel
In dialog with the alpine landscape, Theresa Hattinger creates a walk-in installation that invites you to consciously slow down. The "Slow" project, realized in collaboration with the Kunstraum Traklhaus Salzburg, uses a hiking route on the Graukogel and turns nature into an experience - decelerated, contemplative, intense.
June 27 to August 31, 2025 on the Graukogel

Pegasus Product - Unexpected theater on mountain trails
Pegasus Product returns to Bad Gastein as the "highest Punch and Judy show in the world". Between forest, meadow and hiking trail, a poetic-performative play with space, tradition and surprise is created.
June 26 to 29, 2025 changing locations

Power station_waterfall, art by Gerwald Rockenschaub © Holger Schmidhuber

"Gastein74 about Garstenauer"- 100 years of Gerhard Garstenauer
To mark the 100th birthday of the exceptional local architect Gerhard Garstenauer, Gastein74 is initiating several exhibitions on his brutalist buildings in Bad Gastein. The independent research project - founded by Leon Beu, Peter Lechner and Erich André Steiner - has been dealing with the "New Gastein Planning" for more than 5 years, which produced internationally acclaimed architecture and graphics for the Gastein Valley from 1964-1974 under the patronage of the then mayor Anton Kerschbaumer.
On June 26, 2025 at 6 pm, a symbolic birthday plaque for Gerhard Garstenauer will be inaugurated at the Kongressplatz, providing information about the "New Gastein Planning" and its buildings. In the power station, the cultural significance of these buildings is shown in a historical and contemporary context - from old event posters to modern art that takes up his buildings.
In the foyer of the Felsentherme, Gastein74 invites visitors on a journey through time to the origins of the spa, which opened in 1968, with the help of an originally furnished video lounge, while on Straubingerplatz a film showcase at "Wally Badgastein" shows entertaining everyday scenes from Bad Gastein in the 60s and 70s around the clock. This will be accompanied by entertaining guided tours by members of the team.
June 26 to August 31, 2025 in the power station, on the congress square and in the Felsentherme thermal baths

summer.fresh.art academy
3 workshops, 3 experts, the legendary Bad Gastein!
Experience in 24 hours what photography can be today: classic, urban and trend-setting. There are three workshops to choose from - open to everyone, whether beginner or advanced. In her workshop on AI photography, Alexandra Lier will show how artificial intelligence is changing the visual language and how you can reinterpret your own photos using AI, while Franziska Stünkel will guide you through the unique backdrop of Bad Gastein in Street Photography, teaching you how to take authentic portraits of people, capture real moments and develop your own photographic style. Ivo von Renner is dedicated to portrait photography and the art of making the soul of the subject visible - with staged snapshots at night, experimental light and surprising perspectives.

www.gastein.com/events/sommer/sommerfrischekunst/