Em. O.Univ.-Prof.

Helmi Vent

Em. Univ.-Prof. of Experimental Space-Sound-Body Theater

Helmi Vent is an artist, researcher, and university teacher whose interdisciplinary work explores the intersections of movement, music, theatre, and cultural studies. From 1983 to 2013, she was Professor of Experimental Space–Sound–Body Theatre at the Mozarteum University Salzburg. She founded the DanceMusicTheatre-Lab and later the LIA – Lab Inter Arts Institute, pioneering innovative forms of arts-based research and teaching. In 2013, she was awarded Austria’s Ars Docendi State Prize for Excellence in Teaching for her groundbreaking “Lab Inter Arts” concept.

Born in Hamburg in 1945, Helmi Vent was appointed Full Professor of Experimental Space–Sound–Body Theatre at the Mozarteum University in 1983 and held the position until her retirement in 2013. Her work spans interdisciplinary art and culture projects, experimental music and movement theatre, transdisciplinary teaching, and audiovisual arts-based research.

In 1983, she founded the DanceMusicTheatre-Lab, which evolved in 2008 into the LIA – Lab Inter Arts Institute, an experimental platform for seminars, performances, and research. By integrating artistic practice, theory, and video documentation across disciplines and institutions, LIA established a pioneering model for arts education in the German-speaking world.

Vent has presented lectures, seminars, screenings, and performances at universities and cultural institutions worldwide. Extensive research and study journeys to Africa, North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Central Asia have informed her ongoing exploration of intercultural forms of expression and the fundamental human dimensions of communication and creativity.
Further information is available at helmi-vent.com.

(Status 2025)

Founding and direction of the experimental workshop “LIA – Lab Inter Arts” in 1983, a pioneering institution at universities of the arts in German-speaking countries. Precursor workshops of Lab Inter Arts at the Mozarteum: Dance Music Lab (1983–1992, interdisciplinary); Dance Music Theater Lab (1993–2008, across departments and universities); Institute LIA – Lab Inter Arts (2008–2013, across universities and continents).
Establishment and curricular design of the new course type “Interdisciplinary Projects” (1993), later “Interdisciplinary Projects” (1998), within the framework of “Elective Courses,” open to students from all departments of the Mozarteum University (since 2006 with networked ECTS enrollment) and the faculties of the University of Salzburg.
Management and continous implementation of Lab Inter Arts projects (1983–2016) as part of the art university format “Development and Exploration of the Arts” (process- and participant-oriented, usually two-semester project development; public project presentations [performance and/or AV screening format]; international guest performances; cooperation with universities and cultural institutions as well as various guest artists).
Management and implementation of intercultural Lab Inter Arts joint projects: e.g. Accra, Ghana/Africa 1989; Casamance, Senegal/West Africa 1992; Cape Town/South Africa 1997; Grand Erg, Tunisia/North Africa 2004; Ulanbaator/Mongolia 2006; Panjim, Goa/India 2009; Kumasi, Ghana/Africa 2009; Mumbai/India 2009 and 2010; New Delhi/India 2011; Manado/Indonesia 2012 and 2013.
Conception and initial establishment of the AV media area at the Mozarteum University in connection with various renovation measures, financed by the Federal Ministry of Science & Research, Vienna, within the framework of the appointment procedure of H. Vent (concept proposal 1983 with the prospective objective of AV-supported analysis, evaluation and publication of interdisciplinary teaching and learning processes.
Development and content management of the LIA Film Archive, continuously updated in terms of editorial aesthetics and documentation by a specialist. The first project archive item: "Please, Take a Seat" (1983-85). Current data volume of the entire archive: 55 TB (as of 2025) https://www.helmi-vent.com/en/films-overview.html
Development and AV-documented exploration of the interdisciplinary performance genre SpaceSoundBody-Theater (from 1996), a novelty at art universities in German-speaking countries, example: https://www.helmi-vent.com/en/projects-films/in-endless-halls.html. Further new areas of focus: "Experimental Instrumental and Vocal Theater"; "Experimental Music and Dance Theater".
Establishment of the course “Aesthetic Theories,” a first-time networking platform for inter-arts practice and theory in the sense of aesthetic concepts in the arts (held since 2002; available for enrollment as an “elective” since 2004).
Implementation and supervision of art-based, AV-documentation-supported research projects in connection with applied humanities and cultural studies. Related projects: “Art is when ...”, Salzburg, Munich, Cologne, Athens (1987, 2024); “Where are you, Adam?” Salzburg, Enschede/NL (1989); “Will you play your lyre to my songs?” Salzburg, Melbourne/AUS, Cape Town/ZAF (1995-97); “Strings in Conversation,” Ulanbaator/Mongolia (2006).
First-time cooperation between the Lab Inter Arts (LIA) Institute at Mozarteum University and the MultiMediaArt (MMA) degree program at Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, unofficially starting in 2007 and officially beginning in the 2010-11 winter semester with the interdisciplinary project “Multi-Stage Theater” in conjunction with the lecture series “From Dada to Date,” winter semester 2011-12.
Management and editing concept for all film productions – from processual project developments to final performances. Public presentations since 1983 with the help of media partners, since 1992 for the first time with Mozarteum equipment in the performance project “Tischreden” (Table Talks).
Ongoing recontextualization of archival materials in the form of theme-oriented film modules in connection with international exchange, cooperation, lecture, mediation, and aesthetic research activities (to date).