Cultural highlights 2025

Between Lake Constance and the mountains, the beautiful natural world leaves a lasting impression. The vibrant cultural life also delights the senses. Especially in summer, there’s plenty to hear and see. Take a tour of unique stages, exhibition venues and museums. 

Whether in cities or villages, at Lake Constance or in the mountains: culture enthusiasts can choose from a wide variety of attractive events in diverse locations, especially during summer. Vorarlberg is a region that appreciates art – both from tradition and with a flair for the bold and innovative. For almost 80 years, the Bregenz Festival has been captivating audiences with opera performances on the lakeside stage and many other attractions. The Schubertiade Festival Hohenems celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The Women’s Museum in Hittisau, unique in Austria, looks back on 25 successful years. Among the most visited museums are also the Kunsthaus Bregenz, the Vorarlberg Museum in Bregenz, the interactive natural world exhibition inatura in Dornbirn, and the Jewish Museum in Hohenems. 

In a place where culture has so many stages, the architectural landscape is equally impressive. When it comes to contemporary building culture, Vorarlberg is considered a pioneer in many ways. This is evident in numerous cultural venues that skillfully blend traditional architecture with modern design. 

The Top Five festivals and exhibitions of 2025 

• 50th Schubertiade Festival in Hohenems and Schwarzenberg: The world’s finest lieder singers and ensembles perform at the 50th Schubertiade Festival in Hohenems and Schwarzenberg in the Bregenzerwald between April 26th and October 5th. With approximately 80 events, the Schubertiade is the world’s most prestigious Schubert Festival, yet it has maintained its intimate character. Nowhere else can you find such a high concentration of recitals featuring the finest interpreters within such a short period. www.schubertiade.at 

• Bregenz Festival: From July 16th to August 17th, guests from around the world marvel at the opera production on the spectacular lakeside stage. This year’s program features the opera “Der Freischütz” by Carl Maria von Weber. Additional opera performances at the Festspielhaus, concerts by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, theater productions, contemporary pieces, and the “Young Festival” program series complete the selection. www.bregenzerfestspiele.com 

• poolbar Festival: For 31 years, the poolbar Festival has been playing music ranging from niche genres to pop for six summer weeks, this year from July 2nd to August 10th. The concerts and DJ parades take place at the Old Indoor Pool in Feldkirch and the park in front of it. www.poolbar.at  

• Kunsthaus Bregenz: For almost 30 years, the Kunsthaus Bregenz (KUB), designed by renowned Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, has been showcasing contemporary art. In rotating exhibitions, one artist takes over the entire building and creates works specifically for the KUB. Until May 25th, 2025, installations by artist and poet Precious Okoyomon will be on display. From June 7th to September 28th, 2025, an exhibition featuring works by Małgorzata Mirga-Tas will follow. Through hand-sewn textile collages and wax sculptures, the artist addresses the marginalization of Roma people and societal stereotypes.. www.kunsthaus-bregenz.at  

• Women’s Museum in Hittisau: A little over 25 years ago, Elisabeth Stöckler had an idea. The art historian and curator wanted to open a women’s museum, and she chose to do so in a village like Hittisau. The initiative found both approval and, most importantly, space. In 2000, Austria’s only women’s museum opened in the newly built fire service and cultural center in Hittisau, a timber building in the style of contemporary Vorarlberg architecture. Since then, the Women’s Museum has been making women’s history and culture visible. “Material/Change” is the theme in this anniversary year. The exhibition takes a critical, feminist look at our consumer culture.. www.frauenmuseum.at  

Music, theater, film and discourse 

34th Homunculus Puppet Theater Festival: The festival for puppets, punchlines & poetry takes place from May 22nd to 30th in Hohenems. The program includes the world premiere of the puppet theater piece “Matou – The Cat Who Doesn’t Want to Be Human,” based on a novel by Michael Köhlmeier, a writer living in Hohenems. www.homunculus.info 

Kammgarn Summer Sessions: “Culture Without Fences” is the motto of the summer festival at the Kammgarn Hard Cultural Workshop. From June 26th to 28th, the festival presents music and cabaret with free admission and offers a special program for children. www.kammgarn.at  

Montafoner Resonanzen: From July 31st to September 6th, the Montafoner Resonanzen festival presents concerts ranging from folk music to organ and jazz. Several performances take place amid the stunning mountain natural world. www.montafon.at/montafoner-resonanzen

40th ALPINALE Short Film Festival: From August 5th to 9th, ALPINALE presents around 70 international short films in their original language with English or German subtitles, with outdoor screenings in good weather. Featuring creative workshops and a short film afternoon for children. www.alpinale.at  

Classical and Jazz in Lech am Arlberg: Two festivals bring the summer to life in the mountain village of Lech in the Arlberg region. 

• From August 3rd to 10th, the concerts of the Lech Classic Festival will resound through the modern Lechwelten Convention Centre. www.lechclassicfestival.com 

• The Jazz Stage Lech presents five concerts between August 13 and 16.  www.jazzbuehne-lech.at 

Walserherbst: Every two years, the “steepest festival in the mountains” takes place in the Grosses Walsertal Biosphere Park. From August 15th to September 6th, it offers land art, folk culture, music, cinema, literature and cuisine at extraordinary locations. www.walserherbst.at  

FAQ Bregenzerwald: The festival-style forum opens up potential for a great time with culinary excellence. Conversations, concerts and encounters over fine dining take place from September 3rd to 7th at selected locations in the valley and mountain. www.faq-bregenzerwald.com  

Bludenz Days of Contemporary Music: The Bludenz Days of Contemporary Music presents high-caliber contemporary music, including regular world premieres. This year from September 18th to 21st.  www.allerart-bludenz.at 

Philosophicum Lech: “Adventure. In Praise of Unavailability” is the theme of this year’s Philosophicum Lech, inviting participants to engage in conversations and reflection from September 13rd to 28th. www.philosophicum.com 

:alpenarte Festival:The cross-genre festival in Schwarzenberg in the Bregenzerwald presents music in a unique way. From October 9 to 12, musicians meet visual artists, regional cuisine meets traditional craftsmanship, young meets old, local meets international – in the concert hall, in the chapel, and in the meadow. www.alpenarte.eu  

Montforter Zwischentöne: In November and December, the festival in Feldkirch explores questions about hope and optimism. The program features concerts, music salons, and engaging conversations. www.montforterzwischentoene.at 

Music throughout the year: The concert series by the Vorarlberg Symphony Orchestra, the Bregenz Master Concerts, the Dornbirn Classical series, and the Arpeggione Chamber Orchestra delight audiences with finest musical experiences at the Festspielhaus Bregenz, the Cultural Center Dornbirn, the Montforthaus Feldkirch, and the Hohenems Palace with its acoustically remarkable Knights’ hall. The Arpeggione Chamber Orchestra is also celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. www.sov.at / www.dornbirn.at/leben-in-dornbirn / www.arpeggione.at  

City Festivals 

Feldkirch Street Performers’ Festival: The festival’s repertoire on June 25th and 26th in downtown Feldkirch ranges from clowning and magic to street music and barrel organ melodies, along with juggling and acrobatics. www.gauklerfestival.at  

Lichtstadt Feldkirch: From October 9th to 12th, the Light Art Festival Lichtstadt Feldkirch illuminates the medieval buildings of the city. Internationally renowned artists and collectives present impressive projects and light installations. www.lichtstadt.at  

Preview 2026 

jazzambach: The new hotspot for the jazz scene celebrated its premiere in Götzis in 2025. From February 18th to 22nd, 2026, the festival, under the direction of jazz pianist David Helbock, will once again offer a high-caliber program featuring international stars and regional talents. www.jazzambach.at 

Bregenzer Frühling 2026: For many years, the Bregenzer Frühling dance festival has kicked off the annual cultural calendar. Performances by ensembles from around the world take place from March to May. www.bregenzerfruehling.com 

Bregenz Festival 2026: From August 22nd to 23rd, the Bregenz Festival will present a new production on the lakeside stage. For the first time in the festival’s history, Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Traviata” will be performed as the opera on the lake. bregenzerfestspiele.com 

Cultural Highlights in Special Places 

In April 2025, the Vorarlberg Literature House opened in the carefully restored historic Villa Franziska and Iwan Rosenthal in the center of Hohenems. The program features lectures, conversations, and workshops of all kinds. www.literatur.ist  

The St. Gerold priory, idyllically situated in the Grosses Walsertal Biosphere Park, offers a diverse cultural program. The carefully restored buildings are also architecturally impressive. www.propstei-stgerold.at  

The Villa Falkenhorst, located in Thüringen near Bludenz, looks back on “25 Years of Culture at Falkenhorst”. The villa with its expansive park regularly hosts events including concerts, exhibitions, lectures, theater performances, workshops, educational programs and much more. www.falkenhorst.at  

Music at Sacred Heart puts the organ at the center of concerts in the atmospheric Sacred Heart Church in Bregenz. www.musikinherzjesu.at  

The concert series Pforte combines genres such as music, philosophy, and theater while venturing into unexplored territory. The musical walks are particularly popular, accompanied by music and spoken word, concluding with musical performances and culinary delights. www.pforte.at  

“Borderline Experiences on the Magic Mountain” is the new guided theatrical hike by “teatro caprile”. The starting point of this theatrical performance, which takes place on selected dates in July and August, is Gargellen in Montafon. www.teatro-caprile.at 

Must-visit museums and exhibitions 2025 

Vorarlberg Museum: The exhibitions at the Vorarlberg Museum in Bregenz explore both historical and contemporary themes from the Lake Constance area. The building is recognizable by its distinctive facade decorated with concrete flowers. Large windows open up views to the outside. A particularly beautiful view of the Lake Constance scenery can be enjoyed from the specially designed “viewing room” on the 4th floor. www.vorarlbergmuseum.at 

inatura – Interactive Natural World Exhibition in Dornbirn: The interactive natural world exhibition inatura in Dornbirn is especially popular with families. The building, an architecturally interesting modernized industrial structure, takes visitors on a journey through Vorarlberg’s typical habitats: mountains, forest, and water. ‘Science Zones’ encourage hands-on experimentation. www.inatura.at 

Jewish Museum Hohenems: The special exhibitions at the Jewish Museum Hohenems, which has twice received the Austrian Museum Award, engage with current questions and topics. Until October 5, 2025, the museum, in cooperation with the Jewish Museum Munich, presents the exhibition “Yalla. Arab-Jewish Encounters”. www.jm-hohenems.at   

Angelika Kauffmann Museum Schwarzenberg: Clothes make the person – this was well understood by Angelika Kauffmann (1741-1807), who as a sought-after portrait painter crafted the public image of numerous personalities of her time. “In Garments” is the title of the exhibition running from May 2 to November 2. The timeless relevance of drapery in painting is demonstrated through works by artist Drago Persic (*1981), who grew up in Schwarzenberg. His artistic interventions are featured as part of the exhibition. www.angelika-kauffmann.com 

Juppenwerkstatt Riefensberg: From May 2nd to October 31st, the exhibition “Tradition that Dresses” at the Juppenwerkstatt Riefensberg is the first in Austria to jointly present traditional costumes whose craftsmanship and accompanying customs have been included in UNESCO’s National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The workshop also provides insights into the creation of the Juppe, the elaborately pleated traditional costume of Bregenz Forest women, featuring hundreds of tiny folds. www.juppenwerkstatt.at  

Werkraum Haus Andelsbuch: The Werkraum Haus in Andelsbuch, built according to plans by renowned Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, serves as a showcase for the innovative craftsmanship and design culture of the Bregenzerwald region. The museum, complete with shop and restaurant, presents changing exhibitions throughout the year and offers guided tours. Starting in early May 2025, a new exhibition will focus on wood joints. Using full-scale exhibits and interactive hands-on samples, it demonstrates traditional and modern wood joining techniques, ranging from traditional craftsmanship methods from the Bregenzerwald to industrial and international options. www.werkraum.at 

Baroque Master Builders Museum in Au: The Baroque Master Builders Museum is housed in the carefully restored curator’s house in Au, a 16th-century building. It tells the story of the master builders, stucco artists and craftsmen who lived in Au and constructed around 800 baroque buildings from the Lake Constance area to Alsace during the 17th and 18th centuries. www.barockbaumeister.at 

Museum Bezau: Since summer 2024, the Museum Bezau has more space for exhibitions and is barrier-free accessible. This renovation was made possible through an extension in the style of contemporary Vorarlberg wooden architecture. In the new building, visitors can learn more about the history of Bezau’s baroque master builders and women’s craftsmanship. Through home-based work, especially embroidery, women made significant contributions to the economic survival of small farming operations in earlier times. www.museum-bezau.at 

Temporary exhibitions & collections 

Andelsbuch transforms into a gallery: The Andelsbuch railway station, serving as both an event venue and exhibition space, celebrates its 25th anniversary. To mark this occasion, the entire village transforms into a gallery. This extraordinary exhibition will be on display from May 23rd to October 2025. www.bahnhof.cc  

100 Years of “Greater Feldkirch”: In 2018, the city of Feldkirch celebrated its 800th anniversary. In 1925, 100 years ago, the city of Feldkirch expanded to include the hamlets of Tisis, Tosters, Altenstadt, Levis, Nofels, and Gisingen. Under the motto “Feldkirch One Hundred. Growing Together,” numerous events this year illuminate the city’s past, present, and future. The program includes the art exhibition “Where We Meet,” which can be viewed until the end of 2025 at Palais Liechtenstein. www.feldkirch.at/leben-in-feldkirch 

Noah’s Ark – Collection Art & Natural World: From September 27th, 2025 to January 6th, 2026, Noah’s Ark in Hohenems – the private collection of textile entrepreneur Hans Bäumler – presents the exhibition “Gustav Klimt in Vorarlberg”. The famous painter Klimt was friends with Dornbirn textile manufacturer Julius Rhomberg. A chapter of the exhibition is therefore also dedicated to the colorful fabrics from “Herrburger & Rhomberg”, which were created based on designs by artists associated with the Vienna Secession.www.arche-noah-museum.at

Art in Public Spaces 

Art on Muttersberg: Six sculptures and installations by Vorarlberg artists line the approximately four-kilometer-long Alpine Art trail on Muttersberg near Bludenz. The circular trail leads from the mountain station of the Muttersberg cable car back to the starting point. From late summer 2025, two additional artworks will be added. The works by sculptor Janine Rogen-Barbisch and WolfGeorg, who specializes in wooden sculptures, reflect the artists’ individual perspectives on life in the mountains. www.vorarlberg-alpenregion.at

ArtSpaceMountain – Art and Culture at 2,032 m: The Silvretta-Bielerhöhe in Montafon and the surroundings of Silvrettasee lake are home to numerous art installations. Guided tours provide information about the special features and background of contemporary works by Vorarlberg artists including Herbert Albrecht, Gottfried Bechtold, Miriam Prantl and Roman Signer. www.silvretta-bielerhoehe.at  

Art Stops in Vorarlberg: A comprehensive map featuring public art installations throughout Vorarlberg can be found under the title “Art Stops” on the Vorarlberg Tourismus website. Visitors encounter art and culture throughout the region – inviting them to pause, reflect and discover: www.vorarlberg.travel/kunsthaltestellen 

Everything at a glance: Event calendar, news, an overview of all museums in Vorarlberg, the customs calendar, cultural and themed hiking trails, information about cultural guided tours, special hotels of architectural significance, as well as inns and cafés in beautifully designed spaces – all of this can be discovered on kultur.vorarlberg.travel.