As we put all eyes on culture from 8 October 2018 until the pre-Christmas period, Munich offered a wide array of inspiring artistic and cultural events. Many of the events in 2018 have been shaped by extraordinary women.
Oktoberfest might currently be the event on everyone’s lips, but the city will get to show its cultural side again in just a few weeks. During the Kulturherbst (Autumn of Culture) from 8 October until the pre-Christmas period, Munich will host a wide array of inspiring artistic and cultural events. Many of this year’s events have been shaped by extraordinary women. Marie-Sophie Pollak and Anna Feith, two exceptional sopranos, will be performing at the Munich City Palace during the Residenzwoche (Residence Week) from 13 to 21 October 2018.
The renowned Filmschoolfest, organised by Diane Iljine, will be held at the Filmmuseum München from 18 to 24 November 2018, giving the directors of tomorrow the chance to showcase their skills. Bibliophiles are eagerly awaiting the Literature Festival from 14 November to 2 December 2018. Over 80 international authors will be reciting some of their work, including the Spanish writer Almudena Grandes and the children’s and teen author Kirsten Boie. The new official city of Munich guest cards “Munich City Pass” and “Munich Card” now let visitors and locals experience the many facets of Munich’s culture and even save money in the process. You can find more information at Kulturherbst and guest cards.
Munich’s Kulturherbst is a great opportunity for guests to immerse themselves in the life and atmosphere of the Bavarian state capital. In 2018 Munich hosts the first edition of Various Others. It is a cooperative project between galleries, off-spaces and museums. Participating galleries and project spaces invited international partner-galleries to develop an exhibition project together, while the participating museums offer a comprehensive thematic program – also with international guests – ranging from discussions, artist talks to lectures and presentations. Artists like Jutta Koether and Sophie Calle can be experienced in person during the event. While joint openings and the event’s focus are on the weekend of 14 to 16 September the whole program spans over a period of five weeks, until 21 October 2018 (www.variousothers.com).
The people of Munich and the city’s visitors will be able to enjoy living history during the Residenzwoche from 13 to 21 October 2018. Classical concerts, talks and special guided tours will be held at the Stadtschloss, offering insights into Munich’s royal past. There’s lots to discover this year, as a large section of the royal building was reopened in summer 2018 after ten years of renovation work. This means the staterooms of Queen Therese can be accessed once again (www.residenzwoche.de).
From 17 to 21 October 2018, some of the world’s most renowned dealers in art will get together at the Residenz (City Palace) as part of the Highlights International Art Fair in Munich. Some of the new exhibitors include the two founders of the Kovacek and Zetter Gallery in Vienna, who are specialised in Austrian art of the 19th and 20th centuries (www.munichhighlights.com).
The Plateau München event offers insights into Munich’s gallery scene. Over 50 galleries will open up their doors until 21:00 on 19 October and from 11:00 to 18:00 on 20 October. They will present Munich’s gallery scene with exhibitions, artist interviews, readings and guided tours. One participating gallery will be Gudrun Spielvogel’s Galerie & Edition on Maximilianstraße, which specialises in post-war concrete, lyrically abstract and constructive art (www.plateau-muenchen.de).
The Long Night of Munich’s Museums will take place for the 20th time on 20 October 2018. Over 90 museums, collections and galleries offer night owls special events like concerts, guided tours, installations and performances alongside their current exhibitions. It’s particularly worth visiting the Alte Pinakothek art museum with its important collection of European paintings from the 14th to 18th centuries, as well as the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum (Bavarian National Museum) with its treasures from the Baroque and Rococo periods. Each of these museums boasts a brilliant new design following extensive renovation work (www.muenchner.de/museumsnacht).
The Filmschoolfest (from 18 to 24 November 2018) is a meeting point for the top international directors of the future. Oscar award-winning director Karoline Link also presented her first short films here. 46 works from film schools around the world will be shown this year at the Filmmuseum München (www.filmschoolfest-munich.de).
The Literature Festival (from 14 November to 2 December 2018) is a particular attraction for book lovers. This year’s festival will be curated by the Büchner award-winning author Jan Wagner under the banner “Schönes Babel. Europäische Lektüren” (“Beautiful Babel. European Readings”). Over 80 international authors will be reciting some of their work in Munich, and around 300 publishing houses will invite guests to browse 20,000 new releases at the book fair in Gasteig (Culture Centre) (www.literaturfest-muenchen.de).
The new offical guest cards of the city of Munich, the Munich Card and the Munich City Pass are the perfect companions throughout the Kulturherbst. 80 sights, attractions and experiences take part, among them all municipal, state and many other large museums. The Munich Card starts at 9.90 Euro and offers discounts, while the Munich City Pass starts at 39.90 Euro and grants free entry. Both cards offer free travel on local public transport. For those wishing to include travel to and from the airport the “Gästekarte Gesamnetz” (Guest Card Entire Network) is the best option.
You can request printable photos for tourist reports about Munich through our film and photo service.
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