Austrian Cultural Forum New York (ACFNY)

Mission and History

The Austrian Cultural Forum New York is the main cultural embassy of the Republic of Austria in New York and the United States. We are dedicated to showcasing Austrian art, music, film, theater, and literature, presenting “as much from our cultural past as necessary and as much contemporary art as possible”.

The ACFNY’s predecessor institution, the Austrian Institute, was established by Austrian emigres and exiles in 1942 in order to maintain an active cultural life and bond with a home that no longer existed. In 1955, Austria’s Ministry of Education tasked Wilhelm Schlag to set up an official Austrian cultural institute in the USA which moved to its present-day location in Midtown Manhattan in 1963. In the 1990s, the institute had outgrown its small townhouse on 52nd Street, which was replaced by a modern skyscraper designed by Raimund Abraham and which was opened in 2002.

Our main mission is to present contemporary Austrian culture and artists to an American audience, but the Austrian Cultural Forum New York also serves as a meeting place for Austrians and friends of Austria alike and for everyone who is interested in Austrian culture.
We want to foster Austrian-American relations and present a platform for artists & intellectuals to network and perform in front of an international audience.

An important task is to look into Austria’s complex history and past, and to address global issues of interest and concern with artistic means.

Programs and Activities

With its architectural landmark building the Austrian Cultural Forum New York is dedicated to innovative and cutting-edge programming, showcasing the best of Austrian contemporary art, music, literature, performance, and academic thought in New York and throughout the United States. In addition to presenting three group exhibitions per year in its multi-level gallery space, the ACFNY hosts around 10,000 volumes of Austriaca in its Frederic Morton Library, and presents around 100 free events per year in its own auditorium. The ACFNY also supports around 100 external projects with partners across the nation.

Our exhibitions are typically externally curated and address social, political, and cultural issues of interest. Our current transmedial show Women.Now, for example, offers a powerful commentary on women’s role in society and the arts today, showcasing seventeen contemporary female artists based in Austria and the United States.

Our concerts tend to focus on contemporary and new music, but we also feature other genres. All of our events are free and not-for-profit, with the overall objective to introduce emerging Austrian artists to an U.S. audience.