An encounter is unexpected, unplanned. How do you encounter a city that you see every day? 

Through City Encounters, our intention is to gently turn our curiosity and attention to the physical world around us. Several Salzburg-based artists will facilitate this channeling of attention by bringing creative practices into the hustle of everyday life.

Our motto for this year is “Hidden in Plain Sight - Vor aller Augen Versteckt,” as an invitation to re-look at that which you already know from newer perspectives; to experience your city and its inhabitants as changing, dynamic entities instead of as fixed objects. 

Between the 25th of July and 20th of September, six artist groups working with dance, physical-theatre, puppet-theatre, clown-theatre, live-music, photography, sculpture, and poetry workshops will take their work outdoors, offering it to the general public. 

Unsichtbar: eine Leiden-schaft, by puppeteer Anna Travaglia and dancer Sonia Kouma will look into the topics of manipulation and control within domestic spheres through a puppet-theatre, dance and live-music performance. The interactive physical-theatre performance, Between the lines by Flying Elephant company, will explore how queerness exists in the folds of public spaces. Inspired by the unfiltered world-view of children, Pintxucat: landscapes of playfulness, a clown-theatre, dance, acrobatic performance by Collective STATO BRADO, invites young audiences in the age group 0-100 to come out to the diverse parks of the city.

Apart from performing arts, our program also offers participatory creative activities for those who like hands-on practices, with or without any prior experience. 

In Offenes Atelier im Park, by sculpting artists Felix Igler and Jasmin Hubmann, members of the public can visit their mobile atelier and create sculptures made out of wood and stones found in the area. Ich sehe was, was du nicht siehst a solar-photography workshop led by Elisabeth Stiebritz, Katharina Wimmer, and Pia Jakober, offers the wonderful blueprinting practice from the 19th century to participants of all age groups. Einfach schreiben is an extempore poetry writing workshop led by author Hanna Roth, conducted on two consecutive weekends, for all those interested in trying their hand in poetry writing. 

All our events are free of cost, and presented on multiple occasions in different outdoor locations of Salzburg City, connecting with the immediate surroundings through open perception and feeling. The Fox tells the Little Prince, “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” (The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry). Through City Encounters 2026, we hope to create collective spaces that will allow us to experience the essential.

- Nayana Keshava Bhat

Infos in German here.

Projects, Dates, Times & venues

25th July

UNsichtbar: eine Leiden-schaft / puppet-theatre piece by Anna Travaglia, Sonia Kouma, Ryun Hwa Lee

Spielplatz Itzling / Antoniussaal (rain alternative)

19:00 - 19:30 hrs

29. July

UNsichtbar: eine Leiden-schaft / puppet-theatre piece by Anna Travaglia, Sonia Kouma, Ryun Hwa Lee

Preuschenkpark Parsch / Pfarrkirche Parsch (rain alternative)

19:00 - 19:30 hrs

31. July

Between the Lines / performance by Flying Elephant Company

Salzachsee Spielplatz, Liefering / Bewohnerservice Liefering Süd (rain alternative)

17:00 - 18:30 hrs

2. August

Offenes Atelier im Park / sculpting workshop by Felix Igler, Jasmin Hubmann

Volksgarten, Parsch

15:00 - 20:00 hrs

6. August

Einfach Schreiben / poetry-writing workshop by Hanna Roth

Dr Hans-Lechner Park, Schallmoos / BWS Fritschgasse (rain alternative)

18:00 - 19:30 hrs

13. August

Offenes Atelier im Park / sculpting workshop by Felix Igler, Jasmin Hubmann

Preuschenpark, Parsch

15:00 - 20:00 hrs

14. August

Einfach Schreiben / poetry-writing workshop by Hanna Roth

Spielplatz Johann-Elias Straße, Salzburg Süd / BWS Salzburg Süd (rain alternative)

18:00 - 19:30 hrs

15. August

Siehst du was, was ich nicht sehe? / solar-photography workshop by Elisabeth Stiebritz, Katharina Wimmer, Pia Jakober

Inge-Morath Platz, Lehen / Hilfswerk Lehen (rain alternative)

10:00 - 13:00 hrs

20. August

Pintxucat - landscapes of playfulness / performance by Collective STATO BRADO

Spielplatz Dr. Karl-Renner Strasse, Schallmoos / BWS Fritschgasse, Schallmoss (rain alternative)

17:00 - 17:30 hrs

23. August

Pintxucat - landscapes of playfulness / performance by Collective STATO BRADO

Parkanlage, Akademiestrasse / Sportszentrum Mitte, Nonntal (rain alternative)

17:00 - 17:30 hrs

25. August

Between the Lines / performance by Flying Elephant Company

Lehener Park / BWS Lehen 

17:00 - 18:30 hrs

31. August

Siehst du was, was ich nicht sehe? / solar-photography workshop by Elisabeth Stiebritz, Katharina Wimmer, Pia Jakober

Wolf-Dietrich Strasse, Andräviertel / Kulturverein gold extra (rain alternative)

15:00 - 18:00 hrs

7. September

Offenes Atelier im Park / sculpting workshop by Felix Igler, Jasmin Hubmann

Hellbrunner Park

15:00 - 20:00 hrs

9. September

Pintxucat - landscapes of playfulness / performance by Collective STATO BRADO

Salzachsee Spielplatz, Liefering / BWS Liefering Süd (rain alternative)

17:00 - 17:30 hrs

16. September

UNsichtbar: eine Leiden-schaft / puppet-theatre piece by Anna Travaglia, Sonia Kouma, Ryun Hwa Lee

Lehener Park / Stadtgalerie, Lehen (rain alternative)

19:00 - 19:30 hrs

20. September

Final event featuring excerpts of all the six projects

Stadtteilgarten, Itzling / ABZ - Haus der Möglichkeiten

14:00 - 18:00 hrs