Skulpturenpark Artpark

The Skulpturenpark Artpark is a sculpture garden in Linz, Austria, encompassing over 5,000 square meters. Established in 2006, it features outdoor works created by more than 20 artists. As the only cultural institution in the Lenaupark quarter, the park serves as a significant cultural intervention in an area otherwise dominated by residential, commercial, and office spaces.

The project originated in 2004 alongside the Lenaupark urban renewal initiative, which transformed a 43,000 square meter area formerly occupied by a freight train station. When the Lenaupark City shopping and service center opened in 2005, local sculptor and photographer Manfred Kielnhofer conceived the idea of adding a cultural component to the district. He gathered a group of fellow artists to found the Artpark, which officially opened in 2006. The garden has expanded annually since its inception, with new sculptures introduced each year. The project was realized through the support of sponsors, artist and curator loans, and funding from the state of Upper Austria and the city of Linz. The association Verein Artpark oversees the park's management.

The collection focuses on contemporary outdoor sculpture, continually growing through annual additions. Holdings encompass a wide range of materials and approaches, from concrete, stainless steel, and polyester to readymades and light-based works. The park also features large-scale, site-specific installations. In addition to the permanent sculptures, the association integrates performing arts into the park's programming, with dancers, choreographers, and musicians participating in seasonal events.

Artists represented in the park include Jonathan Borofsky, dEmo (Eladio de Mora), Manfred Kielnhofer, Robert Mittringer, Arnold Pichler, Erwin Reiter, Martina Schettina, Manfred Schöller, Pinuccio Sciola, and Gerhard Wünsche. Specific works include Carlos Anglberger's concrete Five Letters (2006-2008), Kielnhofer's polyester and gypsum Wächter (2007), and Erwin Reiter's stainless steel Dancer (140x140x220 cm). Willi Kern, who died in 2009, is represented by multiple works, including a 250 cm high ceramic Venus created in 2006. A major installation is the Integrationsweltkugel (Globe of Integration), a 24-ton steel and linen structure measuring 12.5 meters in diameter, constructed on site in 2006.

The sculpture garden is uniquely situated on the roof of the Lenaupark City shopping and service center in the Makartviertel, a statistical district of Lustenau in Linz. The Lenaupark district renewal project is the largest inner-city development project in Austria outside of Vienna. Johann Brandstetter, the constructor of the buildings in the quarter, was an art collector and sponsor who helped the young artists' association realize the park on the rooftop.

The Skulpturenpark Artpark is open annually from April to October, with free admission. The new season is celebrated each year on the first Wednesday in April with an opening event that presents the latest additions to the collection.