Contemporary art has produced its own “bubble” and often barely reaches the general public—this self-isolation is its blind spot. Why does the implicit idea still persist that avant-garde art is a matter for the few? Why don’t curators try harder to break out of their own comfort zone? This was precisely the intention behind the 2021 edition of steirischer herbst: The Way Out offered a curatorial sketch for a way of working outdoors, in public space, where an audience beyond the “bubble” can be found. This catalogue shows how performances and artistic interventions in the middle of the city can create meaningful experiences for everyone.

Every year for a month, STEIRISCHER HERBST, one of the oldest interdisciplinary festivals of contemporary art in Europe, turns the city of Graz and the province of Styria in Austria into a parcours of installative and performative works. Since 1968, the festival has offered a platform for public debates, critical positions, and dialogues between the arts.