STREET ART IN VILLACH: AN EXPRESSION OF URBAN CREATIVITY

Street art - large-scale murals and graffiti on building walls - is a significant urban art form and a powerful means of expression for the younger generation. Since 2020, Villach has actively promoted street art through a “Street Art Offensive.” Throughout the city, impressive projects can be found, transforming Villach into a vibrant, creative place. Additionally, the city administration provides legal spaces where artists can unleash their creativity. In this blog post, we’ll introduce some of these locations and the exciting projects that make Villach a hotspot for street art.

STREET ART WALK THROUGH DOWNTOWN VILLACH

Anyone looking to explore street art in Villach can discover numerous works on a 35-minute walk through downtown Villach:

Stauber’s Stadtschenke

The walk begins at Stauber’s Stadtschenke on Nikolaigasse. The façade, redesigned by artist Nino Werner, who won the bid for this project, catches the eye on the way to the city center. From there, continue walking toward the Drau Bridge for an ideal view of the next artwork.

CCV Bridge

In just six days, the northern side of the CCV pedestrian bridge was transformed in 2024 by the artist duo VIDEO.SCKRE into an 87-meter-long artwork. The 220-square-meter “canvas” reflects the liveliness of the Drau River and its surroundings and was selected from 63 designs by a jury. After crossing the Drau Bridge, head right into Lederergasse, where the next street art project awaits at the Stadthotel.

Stadthotel “Das Villach”

In Lederergasse, the façade of the Stadthotel “Das Villach” shines with vibrant colors. In 2023, Nino Weld “Grime” beautified the hotel as part of the “Walk of Art,” making it a visual highlight in downtown Villach. From Lederergasse, turn left into Widmanngasse and then left again into Leitegasse to admire the next graffiti.

The Banksy Balloon

The girl with the heart-shaped balloon is one of the best-known works by the elusive street artist Banksy. You can find this motif on a wall in Leitegasse in Villach. Whether the artwork is actually by Banksy or a talented imitator remains uncertain. From here, the walk continues toward Widmanngasse.

Widmanngasse

In Widmanngasse, artists "Ruin" and "Friend" brought a once-gray wall to life. Their colorful artwork, part of Villach’s Street Art Offensive, features fantastic motifs combined with graphic elements and shapes. The route continues along Widmanngasse into Italiener Straße and then to Marksgasse, where another graffiti piece can be found.

JUNO - Youth Shelter

The large façade of the JUNO youth shelter on Marksgasse in Villach is adorned with a colorful honeycomb-patterned graffiti. From there, head back a bit and take a right through Postgasse toward Mochoritschgasse.

Khevenhüller School

In 2020, renowned artist and Bruno Gironcoli Prize winner "Frau Isa," also known as Isabella Toman, created a giant mural at Khevenhüller School. Her work, located in the heart of the city, is a visible sign of the importance of street art in Villach. After Khevenhüller School, head back a bit before turning right into Freihausgasse to reach the Freihausgasse Gallery.

Freihausgasse Gallery

The exterior façade of the Freihausgasse Gallery attracts attention with its irrational pattern structure. This was designed in 2016 by media artist Kurt Hofstetter, who also exhibited his works at the gallery. Continue along Freihausgasse, turning right into Gerbergasse to reach the final artwork on this street art walk: the entrance to the Youth Center.

Youth Center

Since its opening in 2000, the Youth Center has been closely linked to graffiti art. Several walls, both inside and outside, have been adorned with graffiti over time. In 2019, Nino Weld created an impressive artwork in the entrance area, selected by a jury. The Youth Center also hosts free graffiti workshops with professionals for those interested.

ADDITIONAL STREET ART PROJECTS IN VILLACH

Lind Underpass

In 2018, elementary school children worked with children’s book illustrator Lisa Wagner to decorate part of the Lind underpass. Another section of the underpass was enhanced in 2019 by CHS Villach students as part of the “72 Hours Without Compromise” project.

Gas Turbine at the Sewage Treatment Plant

In 2019, a competition was held to design the gas turbine at the sewage treatment plant in St. Agathen. Villach artist Pia Dalitz won with her striking design depicting the diversity of existence. She spent weeks in the summer of 2020 completing the 600-square-meter artwork.

Völkendorf Middle School

Völkendorf Middle School is home to two impressive works. A large graffiti piece on the side facing the Spar parking lot was created in 2022 by Nino Weld after workshops with students. Another wall in the school’s courtyard has also been artistically enhanced.

LEGAL GRAFFITI SPACES

For anyone looking to try their hand at street art, Villach offers five legal graffiti spaces:

• Scholzstraße (behind the Stadthalle)
• SEZ Underpass towards Willroider parking lot
• Lower Drau Bridge (“War Bridge,” Wasenboden)
• Alte Richtstraße (side street of Richtstraße)
• Völkendorf Middle School (Paulapromenade side)

Spraying is only allowed within the marked areas, and offensive or discriminatory content is strictly prohibited. It is also requested that materials and waste are cleaned up after use.

VIDEO:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgEeRqWIJvg

Street art is a vibrant part of Villach’s culture that shows how creativity and community spirit come together here. The city not only supports the development of young talents but also provides spaces for artistic expression. Anyone in Villach should keep their eyes open to experience the diversity of urban art!