The Old Bread Factory - Vienna's contemporary art hub

The Ankerbrotfabrik (Anker Bread Factory, Absberggasse 27, 1100 Vienna) is a fabulous industrial building in what is now the edgy former worker’s 10^th district of Vienna. In the spaces once used for the baking of bread right up to 10 years ago, art has moved in, keeping the

Anker Bread Factory alive today with a renewed sense of cultural purpose.

Built at the beginning of the 20^th century, the spacious old Bread Factory lends itself well to the needs of galleries, studios, exhibitors and installations, accommodating artists, photographers and DJs and becoming a firm cultural point on art radar in Absberggasse.

Home to some of Austria’s most well established gallerists and art dealers, including Ernst Hilger, the space also plays host to “OstLicht” and “Galerie Anzenberger” – art spaces entirely devoted to photography. In addition, the former industrial ground floor also houses a space presenting design (Lichterloh) and a space run by “Loft 8” for young artists.

The following art institutions can be visited in the Ankerbrotfabrik:

+ Anzenberger Gallery specializes in photography and has set itself up in the Ankerbrotfabrik.

Ankerbrotfabrik, Vienna, art, gallery, music, culture

+ Loft 8 Kunstraum shows exhibitions of young Austrian artists or artists resident in Austria.

+ The Caritas of the Archdiocese of Vienna operates Atelier 10, an art studio with adjacent gallery, which gives socially disadvantaged people and people with disabilities the possibility to develop their artistic potentials.

+ Gallery Ernst Hilger now exhibits contemporary art on two exhibition areas of 400 square meters each in the Ankerbrotfabrik: the HilgerBROTKunsthalle and the gallery Hilger NEXT.

+ Schauraum 11/nullnull has tasked itself with the conception and implementation of artistic ideas and projects, which are also presented in exhibitions.

+ Vor Anker makes its studio available to artists for two months each for the purpose of displaying their work. This is always rounded off with an exhibition.

+ Fans of photography will get their money’s worth in the gallery OstLicht. The branch of the famous WestLicht gallery regularly shows special exhibitions.

+ Former Anker dispatch hall: Where horse-drawn vehicles came and went a hundred years ago to supply Vienna with bread, an exciting cultural and event location has been developed, where theater, dance and music performances as well as exhibitions are held on a regular basis (www.loftcity.at).

+ Galerie Photon acts as a center for contemporary photography (www.photongallery.at).

+ The studio of Daniel Sommergruber is a presentation and event room, studio and workshop in one. Apart from models of stage sets, props and pieces of equipment for his work as a set designer, visitors will also find visual art here (www.danielsommergruber.at).

+ The Verein Superar association has established a cultural center in the Brotfabrik, which offers singing, dancing and orchestral lessons as well as concerts (www.superar.eu).

+ The Kunstraum Sellemond organizes exhibitions on the topic of art and music.

+ The vintage furniture shop Lichterloh has also set up its own showroom in the Ankerbrotfabrik.

When in Vienna, check out the much loved Hotel Altstadt Vienna – a residence of bespoke luxury fittingly on the edge of the MuseumsQuartier (MQ) and the creative scene of the 7th district.

For more on all things art and Vienna, have a peek in our travel journal at contemporary Viennese art institution, TBA21, the hotspots that make up our Vienna Design Edit and read up on Austrian-born Josef Frank, ode-worthy designer extraordinnaire.

Images © Lichterloh, HilgerBROTKunsthalle & Anzenberger Gallery at Ankerbrotfabrik (Anker bread factory), Bryan Adams & Hotel Altstadt Vienna