Finally, yes, Mesdames et Messieurs: We are under the circumstances.

We know the circumstances. And the circumstances are a state. For two years now, they work like accelerants: Pandemia kills science, the promise of consumption in question, globalisation crashing, democracy in limbo, warlike conflicts, nature broken, human maelstrom, autistic rage. Under the circumstances = Under the conditions. When right becomes wrong, then resistance becomes duty? When left quotes are used by the right, and it fits just as well, then pathology becomes condition, and there is nothing left to be said. Under the circumstances a toxic soup: mud, gaia, meta, world spirit and irrational pre-modernity meet wild thinking, creative future, dark mirrors and speculation. It's about new connecting. It is about the whole. The bodies think. The spirits feel. Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will. In the end, everything is always social. We welcome you.

In 2022, a process was initiated to reflect on the organisational structure of STWST between art and structure: Many years of history, collective processes, collaborations, permanent change, informal knowledge, temporary communities, autonomy, self-empowerment, new fields of activity, open concepts, informal contexts, creative renewal, cultural transformation, social spheres … within STWST and its Art, Media, Club and Cafe Strom sections, the diverse concepts of theory and practice practiced over the years were researched, discussed and brought into circulation. For years, the STWST has had an enormous output, a broad spectrum, poaches in the actual need and has always understood how to appropriate means and media, use them emancipatively and condense them into artistic acts. At the same time, the house faces its own administration. Art between its own aesthetics, activism, actionism, avant-garde and administration: a GO Manifesto, an order of business manifesto, was continuously conceived in 2022 or documented in a potential structure in order to write down the knowledge that forms the foundations of the house in a way that is both realistic and free-floating. It is about critical reflection and differently intended use. In the area of administration and organisation “under the foundations of the house”, serious issues have emerged this year: post-Corona, changing audience flows, the social public levels, new investments and technology, inflation and energy prices, fair pay and the related issues in the independent cultural sector. The project of a condensed body of knowledge started in 2022 and will continue in 2023.

Archiving data is a challenge for any arts organisation, but especially for those like STWST that work in experimental near-contemporary fields. In addition, STWST has a collective history of over 40 years. What is archived? How is the digital archive optimally set up? What software is used? At what point should data be moved to an archive? How does one avoid personal prioritisation? Over 40 years of data have been collected by the Stadtwerkstatt. Much of it is available. Different software solutions were used in different phases of the building. The data is distributed accordingly, and the fact is that some of the software is outdated and the operating systems are no longer up to date. The approach that was started in 2022 under the title Data Dorm is to illustrate these existing structures (“Where does the data live?”). It is about a newly organised and hierarchised digital file and folder structure, which is to be transferred to a large analogue paper collage as a design and orientation at the same time - to document access and collective organisation. Furthermore, it is to be tested whether the use of checksums and blockchain technology can prevent manipulation of the data. The data dormitory project started in 2022 and will continue in 2023. Whoever keeps records loses - that used to be the case.

In the process with the structures and foundations of the house, this year the STWST has dealt with new and old questions of art, autonomy and self-empowerment. Interesting here are the combinations of terms proclaimed by the STWST as early as the 1980s, such as “art-structure-development-mediation” - or rather the term “mediation”, which has since been given a completely different meaning. This year, the term was turned around - into the direct need for “unmediated art” and into questions about what “mediation” and “unmediated art” essentially mean in the context of art in research mode. “New” art as research and in artistic contemporaneity arises directly and immediately, beyond the market, beyond established networks, beyond an outside commission, and feeds on collective and social spheres of circumstances and conditions. The assertion is: unmediated art is there, makes itself, can take ALL forms and does not need to explain itself - it means direct connection and needs nothing and no one. This assertion takes up existing dynamics of self-empowerment and self-curation, playing itself out from the artists and critical producers to the audiences. In 2022, in addition to a theoretical and curatorial practice, the STWST was also approached as a living organism of art, and the house as an anti-white cube. During the year, the areas in the house were documented accordingly, in addition to all the concepts that were being developed, yet the prioritisation of a “Nur Kunst ist Chefin” was made and placarded as a feminist variant of the well-known quote “Nur Kunst ist Chef”. At the largest showcase, STWST48x8, which is taking place in parallel and in cooperation with Ars Electronica, this approach and that of an anti-white cube was accordingly offensively carried outwards. This process began in 2022 and will continue in 2023.

Infolab:
++ Infolab Time Dilation: Experimental setup in electromagnetic space, STWST Infolab-Research shown at STWST48x8, 9-11 Sept Minus Delta t' Infolab All
++ Non Fungible Pictures: The 11th edition of Gibling was generated as an NFP, a Non Fungible Picture and blockchain related project. STWST Infolab Research. Gibling as NFP Infolab All

Quasi-art:
++ Nik, the Sleeper: Sleep Movens Monitoring, Mind-Mining and Self-Fracking, STWST Quasi-art Research shown at STWST48x8, 9-11 Sept. Nik, the Sleeper Quasi-art All
++ I'm hanging the world around me: Terraforming Staccato. STWST Quasi-art Research, STWST Quasi-art Research shown at STWST48x8, 9-11 Sept. I hang the world around me Quasi-art All

++ Make Me A Signal Linzbase: The Linzbase for transmissions by 20 radio artists as part of the STWST-Stubnitz co-op project on the ship Stubnitz/Hamburg, 13-17 July 2022 Radiotopia - Make Me A Signal
++ Floating Receiving Station: Experimental setup in electromagnetic space on the Eleonore, STWST Infolab-Research, shown at STWST48x8, 9-11 Sept Minus Delta t'
++ entitate luzitransis [№ I+II]: phosphorescent mycelia and ecospheres, run in Sept 2022 during STWST48x8 entitate luzitransis [№ I+II]
++ Film Screening Unten: 10 June Unten (german)
++ ESSDC under water: postponed

++ we may destroy you - who cares? STWST+Eleonore residency in Jan/Feb 22 pa dares & mika bankomat
++ hoe work: Work in Progress, Dec 2022, sugar pa & ronit

DeckDock in January/February 2022
++ In Dark Gardens We Live: English-Japanese garden design by Andrea Lehmann
++ We have a SITuation here: Three mobile cabins as an installative setting for warmth, food, art by Leo Schatzl. Incl semester presentations for experimental art in the public space between.
++ Fluxus, Steam Bath and Sauner yr Art Again: Social life under Corona conditions. More artists and art producers. The art SITuation remains. Mobile sauna hut. Fluxus sauna on the birthday of art. The sauna has turned into a steam bath. Art cabin plus postlockdown punch, real fire.
++ ALL info: DeckDock Jan&Feb 2022

DeckDock Summer 2022
++ DeckDockSessions: In summer 2022, 3 DeckDockSessions were initiated by STWST Club and the STWST New Art Context, marking both the musical-social sphere of STWST and the entrance area to the urban-public sphere of the Danube area. DDSession#1 DDSession#2 DDSession#3

DeckDock end of October 2022
++ Kopfschnittgalerie – Wildfrucht: Sculptural exploitation process at the STWST Lände and in the Fyoer of the STWST - Kopfschnitt, Wildfrucht, Nest by Andrea Lehmann in co-op with the STWST.
Kopfschnittgalerie – Wildfrucht

DeckDock in December 2022
++ Undergroundel Release Fire: Presentation of the 2nd issue of the Undergroundel magazine, STWST lands, 8 Dec.

++ Kaputter Tivoli: Electric Halo / Architects living on plans - postponed.

Art as currency. Currency as Art. The Gibling is a community currency, similar to a regional currency and is art project. The Gibling 2022 as NFP: In 2022 the Gibling appears as a Non Fungible Picture (NFP) and was produced and designed by Franz Xaver. Valid from 15 June 2022, it was presented at the AMRO inauguration and then circulated through various promotions. Gibling as NFP

+++ Feminism&Riot on 8 March: The transcultural women*political alliance at Hauptplatz and STWST, co-op with Feminism&Riot Feminism&Riot
+++ Kreishell: An analogue drum machine by bicycle gyroscope, April 22 and as part of STWST48x8 from 9-11 Sept, co-op with Apephonie Productions Kreishell Circlehell at STWST48x8 Deep Sound Opera
+++ Media Mess(e): STWST New Art Context @MEDIA MESS(e). STWST is on its way to MEDIA MESS(e) in Nantes/F from 17-22 May. Four European art and technology labs between intermedia art, DIY, DIWO and media activism. In a large MEDIA MESS, people, media and networks will intervene with controls, screens and several sound systems on the current situation of the world. Coop with APO33/Nantes, Pixxel/Bergen, MADLab Cyprus MEDIA MESS(E)
+++ STWST No Discourse @AMRO: Coop with servus/Linz - STWST No Discourse @ servus' Art Meets Radical Openness. 15-18 June 22 Full Program AMRO Debug
+++ Make Me A Signal: Ca 20 radio artists and radio collaboration in Hamburg on the ship Stubnitz, 13-17 July 2022, Coop with Stubnitz/Hamburg Radiotopia - Make Me A Signal
+++ Boat office in the Danube/Vienna: Coop with Halfbit.org - postponed.

The 8th edition of the annual 48-hour non-stop showcase extravaganza
in parallel and in cooperation with Ars Electronica ran in 2022 under the title:

STWST48x8 DEEP. 48 Hours Disconnected Connecting.
9-11 September 2022

DEEP is the New Dark. Into the deep moves art and research. We mine and frack our minds.
In the dark, irrational and epistemic states of DEEP, human and non-human actors and an archaic mix of mud, gaia, meta, world spirit, wild thinking, dark mirrors and speculation combine.
STWST showcased in the Deep Open between Disconnected and Connecting:
48 hours of genre-free art and critical production in the house's anti-white cube.

++ 20 art acts, 10 sound acts plus discourse, texts, radio shows and more: STWST48x8 DEEP
++ 2 Open Calls have been announced for STWST48x8: 2 Calls see below
++ Info on STWST48 and all eight STWST48 issues: STWST48 ALL

Complete Documentation at: https://stwst48x8.stwst.at/en/dokumentation

++ Art Warehouse and Archive: continuous work on infrastructure
++ Digital Photo Archive and STWST Video Server: continuous work on infrastructure
++ The Lib - No Discourse Lib(retto) Minimal Noise Sound System, Previous Layers Equipment, Previous Layers Visuals, STWST Previous Layers project, performed in Nantes at Media Messe and further developed for STWST48x8 DEEP, shown as installation on 9-11 Sept MEDIA MESS(E) The Lib STWST48x8
++ Generative Void - Circulating multi-channel sound installation, STWST New Art Context and Previous Layers project, shown at STWST48x8 in Sept. Generative Void
++ Pre-project film: The Women in the Stadtwerkstatt: 40 years of autonomous cultural association from a feminist perspective, conception HerStory, Jan. to May 22
++ Herzblutwiese Stadtwerkstatt: 40 years of autonomous cultural association from a feminist perspective, public entry into the research project from November 2022, participation and announcement at the Nordico exhibition What the Fem*? Herzblutwiese Stadtwerkstatt, Herzblut in der Versorgerin 136
++ The Red Thread of Media Art: Extended media art timeline between collective and n+1 artists, November and December 2022.
++ New Short Chronologies/Folders:
German: STWST Folder 2022 English: STWST Folder 2022
++ Art terminal: Hidden technical biotopes - postponed

-
++ The former STWST: The STWST workshop in the graphic oeuvre of Hauenschild/Ritter, Albertina, opening Oct 2022
++ The former STWST: Some STWST projects in connection with Ars Electronica in '50 years ORF', exhibition at Francisco Carolinum, opening Oct 2022.

++ Art Warehouse and Archive: continuous work on infrastructure
++ Digital Photo Archive and STWST Video Server: continuous work on infrastructure
++ The Lib - No Discourse Lib(retto) Minimal Noise Sound System, Previous Layers Equipment, Previous Layers Visuals, STWST Previous Layers project, performed in Nantes at Media Messe and further developed for STWST48x8 DEEP, shown as installation on 9-11 Sept MEDIA MESS(E) The Lib STWST48x8
++ Generative Void - Circulating multi-channel sound installation, STWST New Art Context and Previous Layers project, shown at STWST48x8 in Sept. Generative Void
++ Pre-project film: The Women in the Stadtwerkstatt: 40 years of autonomous cultural association from a feminist perspective, conception HerStory, Jan. to May 22
++ Herzblutwiese Stadtwerkstatt: 40 years of autonomous cultural association from a feminist perspective, public entry into the research project from November 2022, participation and announcement at the Nordico exhibition What the Fem*? Herzblutwiese Stadtwerkstatt, Herzblut in der Versorgerin 136
++ The Red Thread of Media Art: Extended media art timeline between collective and n+1 artists, November and December 2022.
++ New Short Chronologies/Folders:
German: STWST Folder 2022 English: STWST Folder 2022
++ Art terminal: Hidden technical biotopes - postponed

-
++ The former STWST: The STWST workshop in the graphic oeuvre of Hauenschild/Ritter, Albertina, opening Oct 2022
++ The former STWST: Some STWST projects in connection with Ars Electronica in '50 years ORF', exhibition at Francisco Carolinum, opening Oct 2022.

As every year 4 issues of the Versorgerin: 4 x 24 pages large format, reports on STWST projects and contributions on the transformation of politics and society.
+++ Versorgerin #133
+++ Versorgerin #134
+++ Versorgerin #135
+++ Versorgerin #136

Concretely in numbers this means in 2022: A total of 78 (!) texts on art, transformation, discourse and society, 31 of which are directly attributable to the artistic production of the Stadtwerkstatt. The pages not directly dedicated to STWST production open up STWST topics and public issues of concern in the direction of the annual theme “Unter den Zuständen”, greater discourse, critique and theory. This year, an editorial focus was placed on texts by art-collaborating collectives.
In addition, the new website of the STWST newspaper Versorgerin went completely public in 2022. The Versorgerin website is a means of distributing the newspaper online - a good part of the (increasing) subscription requests probably come through it.

Some STWST events have been initiated directly in the context of die Versorgerin:
++ Murmel-Strom, 24 March, live sound installation and reading, S. Schmitzer and M. Maierhofer-Lischka.
++ Unten, 10 June, film screening on the Eleonore, film by Djordje Čenić
++ Inter* Pride, 24 June, book presentation and reading, in cooperation with HOSI
++ What's Your Nationality? , 23 Nov, Music. Reading, R. Schubert, J. Popržan, C. Scherrer

Versorgerin Provider Description Versorgerin Archive Provider Archive II

Cooperation with the newspaper Die Referentin.

All Arts and Discourse Events 2022

It should be noted at this point that in a pre-Corona year, between 100-120 evening events were held in the STWST events hall. The GREAT RECLAIM OPEN AIR in front of the STWST (KAPU co-op), which in 2 days really boosted the concert scene and social life, deserves special mention. Numerous formats, series and cooperations. Note: Some community formats and events run in the STWST Club are already mentioned in the list above because of the joint work of the different STWST departments.

+++ All 90 event nights: STWST CLUBS 2022
+++ All DJ lines: Cafe Strom 2022

STWST Annual Report 2022 as PDF (only German language):
stwst_taetigkeitsbericht_2022_web.pdf