Werner Binnenstein-Bachstein

Artist, Concerned citizen, Connector, Idea generator, Parent, Philanthropist, Social entrepreneur

Werner Binnenstein-Bachstein joined Porticus in 2013 as Regional Director for CEE/MENAT. In 2016, he assumed a new role as Director of the Community Arts Laboratory (CAL) within Porticus. CAL concentrates on arts initiatives with a social impact and on creating an international network in this field. He is the co-founder of the Community Arts Network. Until 2013, Werner worked at Caritas Vienna, where he fulfilled multiple roles: Starting as a socio-political advisor and head of the Immigration Department, he ultimately became the CEO. Previously, he was director of the Competence Centre for NPOs at the Vienna Business University and Assistant Professor at the Department for Social Policy. Werner has always had a close connection to the world of arts. He initiated "Tanz die Toleranz", ((superar)) and the community art location "brunnen.passage". Werner collaborates with many renowned artists and institutions such as Royston Maldoom, Marin Alsop, Martin Grubinger, Gustavo Dudamel, Maestro José Antonio Abreu, Wiener Konzerthaus, Vienna State Opera, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Carnegie Hall.

the power of the arts/music: “Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.” – Plato

the arts/artists are most probably the best way of communicating many important and urgent issues - like climate change - to a much broader audience: touching not only the minds, but the hearts! Experience is more important than information (neuroscience is clear about that) and therefore we have to re-think our communication to really aim for different actions against climate change by much more than the usual suspects...

Arts as such, Community Arts, Music education, Nonprofit Organisations, Social Policy