Heterogeneous Communities: International art museums discuss at the Belvedere, Vienna.
2026-01-07 The third workshop of the “Expanding Art Museums” project of the Leuphana Innovation Community Art and Culture took place on November 10-11 at the Belvedere in Vienna. The workshop focused on “heterogeneous communities.” Using the Belvedere as an example, the workshop examined the dynamic and contradictory task of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a Baroque jewel, one of the oldest museums in the world, and a showcase for contemporary art.
On this basis, participants discussed and reflected on the opportunities and challenges that arise from navigating the heterogeneous contexts of artistic production and presentation—as well as the implications for audience development and participation. This included an in-depth look at the relationship between the spaces of the Belvedere and its surrounding communities, neighborhoods, and artistic networks.
In addition to researchers from Leuphana, workshop participants came from the Zentrum Paul Klee in Bern, the Munch Museum in Oslo, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebæk, Denmark, the MUDAM in Luxembourg, the Lenbachhaus in Munich, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The workshops are a central component of the Expanding Art Museums project as a platform for exchange and learning. Previous meetings took place at the Zentrum Paul Klee and the Lenbachhaus. Further workshops are planned for May (Louisiana) and November (MUDAM) in 2026.
