When Culture and the Energy Transition Come Together

An open-air event in the heart of Vöcklabruck, made possible by volunteer efforts, organized as a green event, and held at a cultural center that has been putting sustainability into practice for many years:

From July 23 to 25, 2026, the area surrounding the Vöcklabruck Open Art and Culture Center will once again become an open-air stage.

The program features literature, family activities, jazz, and a concert evening. The OKH Open Air also demonstrates how culture, volunteerism, regional responsibility, and sustainability can work together.

Two clubs that are on the same wavelength

At first glance, a technical office for renewable energy and an open cultural center seem to come from different worlds. In fact, the Energiewerkstatt and the OKH have more in common than one might initially suspect: Both are self-governing associations, both rely on individual initiative, and both are concerned with the question of how to shape the region’s future.

“The OKH and the Energiewerkstatt are very much on the same page in many respects,” says Andreas Krenn, managing director of the Energiewerkstatt.“Both are deeply committed to sustainability, and both create opportunities for forward-looking projects.”

The Energiewerkstatt focuses on projects and technologies for the energy sector, particularly in the fields of renewable energy and wind power. At the OKH, new formats are emerging in the arts, culture, and social participation. The common ground lies in the careful use of resources, the further development of existing structures, bringing people together, and the courage to actually put new ideas into practice.

Jolanda de Wit, co-spokesperson for the OKH, also sees the partnership as more than just a traditional sponsorship relationship:

“With Energiewerkstatt, it was clear that their approach to climate-friendly power generation was a good fit for us. But beyond that, we’re very much on the same page overall: We don’t just focus on technical aspects, but always consider the social benefits as well.”

The OKH as a vibrant space for ideas

Andreas Krenn is himself an active volunteer with the OKH and knows the town not only from a sponsor’s perspective.

“The OKH is a very lively space. All kinds of people meet there; the place is buzzing with energy,” says Krenn. “Many new ideas emerge that can be put into action on people’s own initiative because the space is available.”

This space is central to the OKH. The center views culture not merely as a stage for pre-planned programs, but as a testing ground. People with ideas should be able to come here, experiment, network, and develop new projects.

“We don’t think of culture solely as high culture,” says Jolanda de Wit. “We engage with society and ask: How do we want to live? What should our future look like? The OKH is a space for experimentation where we try things out.”

The fact that this approach fits well with the Energiewerkstatt is also evident in the building’s history. The repurposing of the former hospital is a sustainability project in and of itself: rather than abandoning an existing building, it was gradually renovated, put to new use, and given a new lease on life. New windows, a solar power system, energy-saving measures, and a variety of uses make the OKH an example of how existing buildings can be meaningfully redeveloped.

Green Event is not an add-on in OKH

The OKH Open Air will be organized as a green event. This is not about isolated symbolic measures, but rather a well-thought-out overall concept. For more than ten years, the OKH has been organizing its events according to green event criteria. This applies not only to the open-air festival, but also to the organization’s own events throughout the year.

Climate-friendly travel options, reusable cups, regional and organic offerings, meat-free dishes, waste reduction, waste separation, recycled paper, barrier-free accessibility, and discounted tickets have long been part of the OKH’s mission. Event organizers who rent spaces in the building also receive concrete support.

Solar power from the roof and energy for the campus

This shared commitment to sustainability is particularly evident in the energy projects at the OKH site. Since mid-January 2025, a photovoltaic system on the roof of the building has been generating environmentally friendly electricity.

But the development doesn’t end there. In the future, surplus electricity will be distributed to other facilities on the site—including a youth center and the municipality’s after-school care containers— as part of a community-based power generation system. In this way, the OKH will not only become a cultural hub but also part of a local energy solution.

The partnership with Energiewerkstatt is also reflected in concrete measures on site. For example, publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations were installed at the OKH with support from Energiewerkstatt. They are available not only to visitors to the building but to everyone on the premises.

A festival weekend right in the heart of the city

The OKH Open Air is the biggest event on the OKH’s annual calendar. What makes it special is not only the program, but also the atmosphere: several days of culture right in the heart of the city, easily accessible, brought to life by people who know the venue and help shape it.

“You can tell that there isn’t a profit-maximizing company behind this,” says Jolanda de Wit. “It’s about having a good time, good music, literature, and a short break. To some extent, it’s also meant to feel like a vacation right in the middle of the city.”

The 2026 program showcases this diversity:

• The event kicks off on Thursday with an open-air reading by Vea Kaiser.
• On Friday, the Family Open Air event will take place, featuring Randale, creative activities, and programs for children.
• The Jazz Picnic will make its debut on Saturday morning.
• Fiva MC, Filiah, and Li Velvet will be performing on the open-air stage this evening.

This isn’t just a festival format for a single target audience. It’s a program for families, music fans, literature enthusiasts, jazz lovers, and people who simply want to spend a special summer evening in the OKH garden.

Why Regional Partnerships Are Important

The collaboration between Energiewerkstatt and OKH is a long-term partnership between two organizations that aim to shape the region’s future: Energiewerkstatt through renewable energy and sustainable technologies, and OKH through culture, community engagement, volunteerism, and climate-conscious event planning.