SUMMER FESTIVAL 2026
Already for the fourth time, the "Klinik unter Palmen" summer festival took place on the last weekend of July. For two days, the Semmelweisklinik became a lively place full of music, art, lovely encounters and children's laughter.
With a lot of heart, love and sweat, the members of the Kulturverein Semmelweisklinik transform the former clinic grounds in Vienna's 18th district into a very special oasis for art, culture and community. And you can feel it at the festival: behind "Klinik unter Palmen" is a community that wants to create a place where everyone feels welcome.
Crazy Creatures
This year's motto, "Crazy Creatures", was impossible to miss on arrival. All over the grounds, visitors met funny, quirky and imaginative creatures, brought to life with great attention to detail by Ute Zaunbauer, Ebrahim Eskandari, Mia Mayer and other artists from the Semmelweisklinik, among others.
A particular eye-catcher was the oversized fox head enthroned above the main stage, gazing down at the visitors. When the lights and fog set in during the evening, the stage turned into a downright magical backdrop.
Music, variety and plenty to discover
On the two outdoor stages, 19 acts provided a varied programme. Besides numerous concerts by Viennese artists, there was the variety show MIAO, a DJ workshop for FLINTA* people, dance performances by Dafne Moreno and a show by the rapper Koko Cappelle, whose grand performance moved the audience to cheering and tears.
But there was plenty to experience away from the stages as well. All over the grounds, small and large discoveries awaited: home-built mini-golf courses, a ball pit and a screen-printing station invited visitors to join in.
In the kids' corner, the youngest visitors could get creative in workshops and readings and watch a performance by Clown Wully. Under shady trees, a large canvas became a fairy-tale "Kritzelwald" (doodle forest), where small and large artists could immortalise themselves with their drawings. Anyone wanting to try something new could practise juggling with clubs and balls in the circus corner. In the nearby sculpture garden, visitors could discover works in clay and other materials by artists from the house, and take a little souvenir home at the end.
And anyone who needed a break from the hustle and bustle could simply laze in the shade in one of the many hammocks, or sit down on the big carpet of the Common Ground community, which keeps growing through continuous weaving, and chat with others.
In the cool laundry room, the Radical Relaxation Resort was a very special retreat. Besides an exhibition by various artists, visitors could relax with a foot bath. There were also fantastic, extra-galactic laser projections that made the walls glow.
A festival that connects
More than 1,000 visitors came over the two days and celebrated the existence of the Kunst- und Kulturverein Semmelweisklinik together with us. It is a place that we want to keep filling with life, art, culture and lovely encounters in the future.
A festival like this is only possible thanks to the many people who contributed their time, their ideas and their energy: 28 artists helped shape the grounds and the programme, and 62 Helping Hands pulled the festival off, from planning through set-up and supervision to cleaning up together. In the end, what remains are not only memories of two beautiful summer days, but above all the feeling of having created something special together.
Thank you to everyone who was there, took part, helped, marvelled, danced, laughed and filled this place with life. We are already looking forward to next time!
Photos: Elisabeth Blum, Johanna Lea Lassnig, Markus Gesierich
