Crisis & Resilience: Cultural survival, independence, and adaptation in times of disruption
Vienna | October 30th, 31st & November 1st, 2025
In every era of upheaval, art has not merely persisted—it has prophesied, resisted, and reimagined the very fabric of our world. It is the heartbeat of cultural survival, the defiant voice in the face of oppression, and the innovative spark in times of collapse. In an age defined by systemic crises, a pivotal question emerges: What is the role of art now, and how can it forge new paths forward?
Welcome to the 8th edition of the Arts & Cultural Management Conference (ACMC), where we confront this question head-on. Join us in the historic city of Vienna this autumn to explore our urgent and timely theme: Crisis & Resilience: Cultural survival, independence, and adaptation in times of disruption.
Today, the global cultural sector stands at such a juncture, navigating a perfect storm of economic instability, political repression, climate emergencies, and the lingering effects of a pandemic. These forces are compounded by growing censorship, shrinking funding, and the commercial pressures of the art market, which often devalue artistic labor and challenge creative independence. In this complex landscape, digital platforms offer both a lifeline and a new frontier of challenges, from algorithmic control to the struggle for genuine visibility. This critical moment demands we ask: What is—and what could and should be—the role of the cultural sector in shaping holistic, humanistic responses to these converging crises?
True resilience is embedded with adaptability—the power to overcome crises and reinvent artistic phenomena for new conditions. It allows traditions to evolve while retaining their essence, ensuring their sustainability for future generations. This ability to resist, adapt, and re-imagine is the core of resilience, transforming art into a transcendent force for societal change.
Join the Decisive Conversation in Vienna
The 8th Arts & Cultural Management Conference is not just another event; it is a gathering of pivotal voices. From October 30th to November 1st, 2025, we will convene at the Amerlinghaus Cultural Centre in Vienna to deconstruct these ideas, share strategies, and build a collective vision for the future.
What to expect? Presentations of young professionals and emerginf scholars on the topics of Crisis & Resilience, networking and an art exhibition.
Four pannel sessions will structure the conference:
- Culture for Change | 30.10
- Can Culture Survive When Democracy Falters? | 31.10
- Spaces for Culture | 31.10
- Funding Futures: Autonomy Beyond Public Money | 1.11
Art Exhibition – Sanctscapes: Spaces of the Sublime
SanctScapes will run parallel to the ACMC conference, offering audiences a unique experience that bridges academic discourse with artistic practice. This edition seeks to create immersive spaces where art and research converge, exploring the sublime across sound, image, and form. From 31.10 to 2.11 we invite you to GB*Stadtteilbüro 10 to our exhibiton. Curator: Alitza Cardona, Aux Curator: Afreen Khan
Secure Your Place at the Turning Point
Your participation is essential to this vital dialogue. Participation in ACMC 2025 is made possible through a contribution to our hosting organization, Salon de la Sagesse (Salon der Weisheit). Your donation directly secures your place and fuels the conference’s rich cultural programming, enabling us to foster this crucial platform for change. The team behind ACMC are volunteers making this conference a reality!
Register here: https://forms.gle/2PpD5qA1UWn2VpVE9
This is more than a conference—it is a decisive moment for our community. It is a call to all cultural managers, artists, academics, and advocates who believe in the resilient power of art to shape a more humane and imaginative future.
Be part of the turning point!
