As part of the exhibition “Sie war(en) da”¹ at the art space Frau* schafft Raum, a participatory picnic will take place during Vienna Art Week. It will be held under the title “A Ray of Hope” in cooperation with the ASH-Forum.

The meeting point is the exhibition (Nussdorferstraße 4, 1090 Vienna) on Monday, November 9 at 6:00 pm. There will be an information stand by StoP on site, already distributing information from 5:30 pm onwards. At 6:00 pm, the event will begin with the Samba Sisters and a brief introduction to the exhibition & topic. Accompanied by drumming, we will walk together for approx. 25 minutes to the club room of the Albert Schweitzer Haus (Garnisongasse 14–16, 1090 Vienna). There will be a brief introduction to the institutions present. Afterwards, each representative of an institution will go to their own table, and the picnic and conversation (in smaller, more informal, personal groups) will begin.

Representatives of the following institutions will be present: ASH-Forum, AÖF (Autonomous Austrian Women’s Shelters), StoP, Frauenhelpline, Women’s Shelters Vienna, Violence Protection Centre, Samba Sisters, and others.

In the spirit of empowerment, support services for women* (who have experienced violence) in Vienna will be presented. This initiative sees itself as a ray of hope and aims to bring together those affected*, survivors*, bereaved people*, those commemorating*, helpers*, and interested people* for a respectful exchange and to show who provides help, where, and how. To learn from one another – to strengthen one another.

By September 12, 2026 alone, eighteen (!) femicides had already been recorded in Austria. This violence is not an exception, but an expression of patriarchal power relations in which fear is part of everyday life for many people read as female – on the way home, at the workplace, in digital spaces, or in intimate relationships. Here, fear is not an individual feeling, but a social structure that shapes perception, movement, and possibilities for action.

Based on the curatorial guiding theme “Navigating Angst”, this format is not intended as a mere engagement with violence, but rather as a search for possibilities for action – ideally a positive outlook – within this reality (and a way out of scenarios of violence). At the centre are questions such as: How can fear be navigated without becoming paralysed by it? What spaces of safety, solidarity, and support can be created? How do we deal with it? How can we keep going?

Especially in view of media coverage, which is often characterised by escalation, failure, and powerlessness (“he was known to the authorities”, “intervention did not happen in time”), this format deliberately aims to set a different focus: not on resignation, but on making help, collective strength, and concrete support structures visible.

With the thoughts “You are not alone. You are not alone. There are people and places that can help you” in mind, we come together for a picnic that brings together people and initiatives actively working against violence against women* and enabling spaces of protection.

Registration required: Click here to register.

¹In this installation, women* who were murdered are not reduced to being victims. “Sie war(en) da” is an immersive, audio-visual installation that gives space to the memories and lives of these women*. From whispered memories of people close to them, an atmospheric soundscape emerges, which continues to grow through the active participation of visitors*. The installation is complemented by drawings that make fragments of the lives told visible – a quiet counterpoint to forgetting.