For participants
SIGNUP HERE – If you already know you are going to participate, fill out what you can!
Participation in the festival is open to members of the association Independent Space Index. If your space is not yet a member and would like to join, find information on www.independentspaceindex.at or reach out to us.
Festival Dates: May 30 – June 1, 2025
Signup Sheet: https://forms.gle/4EBUTHr59reGoXRT7
Signup Deadline: April 19, 2025
Festival Website: 2025.index.wien
Public Launch Event: TBD
Team Contact: contact@independentspaceindex.at
Press Contact: press@independentspaceindex.at
Requirements
Participation in the festival is open to members of the association Independent Space Index. Participants MUST be open and freely accessible on all three days, without exception, during festival hours:
- Friday, 30 May 14:00 until 18:00
- Saturday, 31 May 14:00 until 18:00
- Sunday, 1 June 14:00 until 18:00
Every participating space must have the same exhibition on display on all days. Opening and closing dates of the exhibition will be communicated as part of the festival program.
Events
Everybody is encouraged to organize events (openings, readings, screenings, etc) during the festival weekend. Events will be communicated as part of the festival program – online and in the printed festival guide. All exhibition openings and events that happen on Thursday 29 May will be communicated. Related events and exhibition openings may also be listed as part of the program.
Compensation
Participants receive a compensation of € 150,- to help cover the opening hours of their space. To receive compensation: register your participation by 19th of April and send an invoice by July 1 as directed after the festival.
FAQ
Q: Can I already sign up even if I don’t know what the show will be?
Yes! Please fill out as much as you can. Exact details can be added until April 19, 2025. The more info we have, the better we can communicate the festival in advance.
Q: Can I apply as an artist / collective?
No, only members can fill out the application. If you’re going to have an exhibition at an independent space during the festival, please tell the operators to reach out.
Q: Can our studio collective, restaurant, agency, cinema, event venue, … participate? Can I participate with a one-off exhibition at my apartment/studio/office?
No, only members can participate. If you host a regular public program with its own separate identity at your location, you may apply to become a network member – see below.
Q: I run an independent space, why is it not included on the Independent Space Index website?
Independent Space Index doesn’t actively “recruit” members. You are invited to use the form linked on the website footer to request a listing if your space fits the criteria outlined on our website. In case your space was listed in the past but not anymore, please reach out and confirm that you are still active.
Q: I want to network with colleagues and see what other spaces are up to during the festival weekend, do I have to stay at the space the entire time?
You can choose to keep your space open yourself and engage with visitors, or to find help with opening hours while you take a tour – as long as the space is open during the whole festival. There is a budget of € 150 (Excl. VAT) reserved for each participating space to help cover the opening hours.
There will be an additional chance to meet at the public launch event a week before the festival, dates TBD.
Q: The opening hours are inconvenient, can our space open a bit later? Can we close our space early, or take a day off during the festival weekend?
No, the opening hours on Friday until Sunday from 14-18h are mandatory without exception.
Q: Our exhibition opens on Friday evening, do we still need to keep the space open during the day?
Yes, the space must be open to the public Friday until Sunday from 14-18h – even if the official opening, or closing, should happen during that time. We recommend scheduling exhibition openings for Thursday, May 29th.
Q: Will there be a photo/video documentation of exhibitions and events?
The team of independent space Index will be taking photo documentation of the exhibitions at all spaces, and of selected events. It is required that participants agree to this material to be freely used by the Independent Space Index team for promotional, press, and archival purposes.
The space operators are responsible to communicate the conditions to participating artists, and to inform visitors about it. Photos will be shared with all participants after the festival. The team will not be taking comprehensive documentation of your exhibition or event.
Q: Do you provide a budget for production/travel/transport/artist fees/…?
Every participating space that signed up before April 19 will receive € 150 (excl. VAT). This budget is meant to help with opening hours, but can be spent as you please. The compensation is paid after the festival in accordance with the participation terms. There is no additional budget available.
Q: My space doesn’t have a fixed location (i.e. in the back of a van), can I participate?
Yes, as long as your space is a member of Independent Space Index you can participate. During the festival you will need to be at the same fixed address in Vienna on all three days.
Q: How will the festival be communicated to visitors?
There will be a printed festival guide featuring details about the spaces, exhibitions, and events, in addition to the online program map at 2025.index.wien. (Compare 2024.index.wien, 2023.index.wien)
Q: How will the festival be advertised?
We are launching an ad campaign featuring posters and flyers in the city, as well as social media, and advertisements and reports in selected printed matter and online magazines.
Q: Is this a curated festival program?
No, the spaces themselves are responsible for the contents of their exhibitions and events.
Q: Who is behind the festival?
The festival has been self-organized since 2018. The current format has been conceived through many iterations and countless meetings within the network of independent spaces in Vienna, and is managed by the association Independent Space Index – Netzwerk unabhängiger Räume.
Q: Are there ways that I can help with organization?
You can help promote the festival by sharing information on social media and in your newsletter, and by distributing printed matter through your space during the festival and the months leading up to it. A festival graphic will be available for sharing. Posters, flyers and the printed guide can be picked up at designated member spaces and at the launch event a week before the festival TBD.
You or your space can become a member of the association, and/or join the discussions at our upcoming regular meetings to shape the future of the initiative.
Reach out to the festival team at contact@independentspaceindex.at with feedback, concern, questions, and other input.