The first press conference for the festival 2017 took place on Wednesday, 16 November 2016, in the Landhaus in Linz, the seat of the provincial government of Upper Austria. Governor Josef Pühringer and Cultural Director Reinhold Kräter presented the new SCHÄXPIR team of directors to the public.

The hottest SCHÄXPIR Festival of all times has ended, and all the participants are delighted by a sensational reception from the audience despite the heat. The festival direction and team are pleased by an audience capacity filled to 90 percent. A total of about 20,000 people visited SCHÄXPIR this year.

Not only the festival, but also our SCHÄXPIR head now goes into the ninth round! From the beginning of SCHÄXPIR in 2002 this head has been the significant symbol and proverbial face of the festival. From year to year, from one festival to the next, it continues to change and further develop – just like the festival itself.

Following eight successful festivals (2002 to 2015), at SCHÄXPIR we are happy to welcome a new generation: Stephan Rabl has passed on the artistic agendas of the festival to the two young theater-makers Julia Ransmayr and Sara Ostertag.