"Check every euro"

Whirl at the festival: New president wanted

Kristina Hammer can apply for the post again(Bild: Markus Tschepp)

The Salzburg Festival is looking for a president. The current Festival President, Kristina Hammer, can also reapply. This was announced by Governor Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) and Chair of the Board of Trustees Theresia Niedermüller at a press conference called at short notice on Tuesday afternoon. 

The post of Festival President will be advertised in February 2026. An external personnel consultancy will be involved in the selection process.

Decision to be made before Whitsun Festival
A decision is to be made before the Whitsun Festival in order to ensure that the summer season runs smoothly. Kristina Hammer can also reapply for the post. Whether she will do so is currently unknown.

In February 2026, a new director of drama will also be in office. This position will also be advertised beforehand.

Debate in the security concept
One topic that continues to preoccupy the Festival is the security concept. A disturbance took place at the opening of the last Festival. From now on, there will be a security officer who will be responsible for coordinating between the state, police and security personnel.  

Board of Trustees meeting in December
With regard to the expansion and conversion of the festival venues, interim solutions are currently being sought for the workshops and performance venues, for example. There will be another meeting of the Board of Trustees in December to re-evaluate the budgetary situation. "Every euro must be reviewed in a tight budgetary situation," said Governor Edtstadler.

One thing is certain: The flair of the city center should be preserved. An exodus from the city is therefore hardly conceivable. One sticking point: the capacity of the available venues.