Myth of Ore Vordernberg

With the international Artists in Residence project "MYTHOS ERZ VISION VORDERNBERG", Vordernberg once again becomes a meeting point for contemporary art. Artists from Austria, Croatia, Bulgaria, Italy, and Ukraine engage with the history of ore mining, the material iron, and the future perspectives of a place whose identity has been shaped by mining for centuries.
At the center is the question of how a post-industrial space can be rethought for future generations. Together with local craftsmen, associations, students, and the population, new artworks, performances, and projects are created that connect tradition, present, and future.
Vordernberg is one of the most significant historical industrial sites in Central Europe. For centuries, the ore mined from the Styrian Erzberg was processed into pig iron here. Today, numerous relics testify to this past and make the place a special venue for contemporary art and cultural engagement.
After the successful projects MYTHOS ERZ - Vordernberg (2024) and MYTHOS ERZ FUTURE VORDERNBERG (2025), the focus in 2026 will be even more strongly on the future of the place. Together with young people from the region, it will be explored what visions and concrete steps are necessary to further develop Vordernberg as a livable cultural and living space.

Funding by:
State of Styria Culture, Federal Ministry for Housing, Art, Culture, Media and Sports, State of Styria Education and Society, OeAD, Market Town of Vordernberg, VA Erzberg