The Poolbar Festival is an annual music and culture festival in the city of Feldkirch in the Austrian province of Vorarlberg. Between 20,000 and 25,000 visitors attend the festival each year.[1][2]
The festival
It was first held in 1994 as a cultural summer-academy and is through organization and implementation of landscape and architecture very different to other open-air events.[1]
Placed at the geographical interface between Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, the "Altes Hallenbad" in Feldkirch becomes a cross-border hotspot every summer, when the poolbar festival opens its doors to all its visitors, cultural disputes and events for several weeks during July and August. In addition to concerts and parties, the festival offers for six weeks a broad variety of cinema and short films, cabaret, poetry slam, pop quiz, fashion performances and discussions.
The festival takes place in the city center in the former indoor pool (Altes Hallenbad) of the private school Stella Matutina in the Reichenfeld park. The furniture, which is renewed every summer, is determined by an international architecturecompetition. The competition is organized by the Vorarlberger Architekturinstitut (VAI; Institute of Vorarlberg Architecture) as well as the local Chamber of Commerce.[3] Art and fashion competitions are also held at the festival.[4][5][6]
Despite the COVID-19-pandemic, 10,000 visitors were able to attend the festival in 2020.[7]
Since 2020, the Poolbar Festival has been awarding the Vorarlberg Music Prize "Sound@V" together with ORF Vorarlberg and Wann&Wo. This is endowed with 20,000 euros in prize money.[8]
Awards
2013: Culture award of the City of Feldkirch ("Kulturpreis der Stadt Feldkirch")[9]
2014: Austrian culture award for cultural initiatives ("Österreichischer Kunstpreis für Kulturinitiativen")[1]
2009: Dropkick Murphys, Anti-Flag, Morcheeba, Art Brut
2008: The Wombats, The Notwist, Friska Viljor, Modeselektor, Iron and Wine
2007: Shout Out Louds, Kosheen, Final Fantasy, Slut, IAMX
2006: Calexico, Vendetta, Trail of Dead, Attwenger, Eagle*Seagull
References
^ a b c"Österreichischer Kunstpreis 2014 - Bundeskanzleramt Österreich". Bundesministerium für Kunst, Kultur, öffentlichen Dienst und Sport (in German). Retrieved 2022-05-11.
^"Poolbar Festival 2022". Stadt Feldkirch (in German). Retrieved 2022-05-11.