A critical commentary on the Linzfest 2013
Every year and every year at Pentecost, not only does the Holy Spirit come upon us, all Christian afins know who I'm talking about - for everyone else: it's meant as an image - that the Linzfest also catches us like a wave and completely enraptures us.

Every year I'm always excited to see what the "people from the culture department" have come up with and somehow you could almost imagine that this year they've remembered a few "shots across the bow". in 2011, there was a lot of criticism about the low participation of female artists.
Women, if represented at all, had to make do with the smaller side stages, mixed formations were not announced as such and independent groups were fobbed off with a "sandwich". When asked about this, the organizing team reacted helplessly or even angrily.
in 2012, there was the FIFTITU% poster campaign "feminist concert of wishes" with two radio broadcasts in which a wealth of female artists had their say and pointed out what we (almost) all already knew anyway:
There is no shortage of women in art!
BUT I don't want to be vindictive - let's just see what's going on this year:
This year, Linzfest wants to be courageous and has also invited "courageous" female artists and cultural initiatives "who achieve and change a lot with their pioneering spirit, their commitment and their different thinking" - according to the announcement

Let's continue browsing through the program:
alternative groups discuss, make radio, sew, rebuild, repair, take gardens for a walk, make jam, swap books, and so on and so forth.

BUT please? I ask!
Where is the courage in doing what is socially accepted anyway?

For some years now, it has been hip to think / act sustainably - and that's a good thing.
But can it be that critical groups are invited to get unpleasant things out of the way in advance? Those who are there have to keep their mouths shut and in return there is pocket money and the chance of disruptions happening is also much lower.
The invited "dissenters" do their bit, in the truest sense of the word - me too - I keep myself in check here.

Not allowed or not thought of: Bicycles and bicycle parking spaces, which could restrict driving a bit: the meadow had to serve; no crazy clowns and clowns, fools and heralds, who were allowed to hold up a mirror to society and whoever, because the clown food workshop, where the participants wanted or should throw themselves into the masses in full costume and what they had learned, was rejected.
Reason: It would cause too much unrest.

The city calls out to us "Have courage! But it must not be disruptive and annoying -
to courage? - what could be better than anger!"

Next door on the Donaupark stage, the biggest stage on Sunday, the best-attended day - but almost only men are allowed to cavort up there.

Maybe it would be courageous if the artistic management team were to take on the main cooperation partner responsible, a well-known Austrian radio station, and talk straight? Maybe!

It's that quick.

Something is immediately declared courageous that should be self-evident,
I want positive examples, such as the Lentos Festival or this year's 4020 music festival!

It turns out that it's also down to the people involved and not just the structures - supposedly there are no musicians - Madonna, Lady Gaga, Mieze Medusa, Esrap, Billy Holiday? - all hallucinations?

Yes, the structures, it's supposedly nobody's fault and therefore they can't be changed.

Dear Linzfest! So you see, it's not the Holy Spirit that has come over me like a wave, nor has lightning struck me, but my alert, critical and feminist eye is watching you, take it as a compliment - I'm interested in you
and quite prepared to let a word of praise pass my lips -
as it was said so beautifully in May Fair Lady: "Run [...] or I'll put pepper in your A.

So ONLY COURAGE!

Photo: Courage lettering