An Award-Winning Stage: The 30th AUSTRIAN EVENT AWARD will take place at VIECON in 2027
Online since: 04. November 2026
On 1 April 2027, VIECON – Vienna Congress & Convention Center, a Wien Holding company, will become the meeting place for Austria’s live marketing industry. The 30th anniversary edition of the AUSTRIAN EVENT AWARD will bring agencies, companies and event organisers together in Vienna. As venue host, VIECON will join forces with Gerstner Exhibition & Congress Catering and Concept Solutions to create the setting for a gala evening in which spatial flexibility, hospitality and technical production come together seamlessly. The venue already has a special connection to the award: at the 2026 AUSTRIAN EVENT AWARD, VIECON was named Austria’s best event venue.
The anniversary edition will bring one of Austria’s leading live marketing awards to VIECON Center and the Austrian capital. The venue’s wide range of flexible spaces and modern infrastructure provide an ideal setting for an event format that combines an awards ceremony, gala dinner, experiential exhibition and business networking in a single evening. The focus will be on the industry’s outstanding projects as well as personal exchange among agencies, companies and event organisers.
“Bringing the 30th anniversary edition of the AUSTRIAN EVENT AWARD to VIECON in Vienna is both an honour and a commitment for us: to give the industry an exceptional stage for coming together, exchanging ideas and celebrating award-winning projects,” says Katharina Weishaupt, Managing Director of VIECON.
A Proven Partnership: VIECON, Gerstner and Concept Solutions
An event of this scale is shaped by more than spaces, equipment and staging alone. Close collaboration among everyone involved is essential. For the anniversary gala, VIECON will work with two partners whose teams, processes and expertise are closely integrated into the venue’s event operations: Gerstner Exhibition & Congress Catering will deliver the culinary hospitality, while Concept Solutions will be responsible for the event’s technical production.
Direct communication, in-depth knowledge of the venue and a shared commitment to service and quality provide the foundation for bringing these different disciplines together into one cohesive event experience. From the preparations and guest reception to the gala dinner and the technical staging of the awards ceremony, venue operations, catering and event technology will work together seamlessly.
Under the leadership of Thomas Huszar, Gerstner Exhibition & Congress Catering will accompany the gala evening with a hospitality and catering concept befitting the celebratory character of the anniversary edition.
Led by CEO Florian Weber, the Concept Solutions team will set the stage for the 30th edition and bring the awards ceremony to life through lighting, sound, video and stage technology.
As venue host, VIECON will provide the spatial and organisational framework while coordinating the contributions of all partners involved.
“As an award-winning event venue, our ambition is not simply to provide space, but to work with our partners to create the conditions for events that leave a lasting impression. We are therefore especially looking forward to showing the industry what becomes possible when venue, culinary hospitality and technology operate as one team,” says Martina Candillo, Managing Director of the VIECON Center.
Celebrating 30 Editions of an Award with Industry-Wide Impact
Since 1996, the AUSTRIAN EVENT AWARD has recognised outstanding achievements in Austrian live marketing. For its 30th edition, the award sees itself not only as a stage for award-winning projects, but also as a meeting place for decisionmakers from the fields of marketing, communications and business.
“An awards ceremony that sets the highest standards for event excellence needs partners who not only understand this level of quality but embody it. I am therefore delighted that we have secured three outstanding partners for our 30th anniversary edition. Together, we are laying the foundations for a gala evening worthy of both our industry and this special anniversary,” says Christoph Berndl, Brand Owner and organizer of the AUSTRIAN EVENT AWARD.
The programme will begin at 5:30 p.m. with “AEA Planet Live”. The accompanying experiential exhibition will provide technology providers, event destinations and specialized service providers with a platform to showcase their services and solutions. The focus will be on personal encounters, inspiration and new business connections. The awards ceremony and gala dinner will begin at 7:00 p.m. Afterwards, the “Winners Party” will continue the evening with celebrations and business networking until midnight.
Entries Open Until 15 January 2027
The AUSTRIAN EVENT AWARD recognizes live marketing projects across eight categories. Special awards are also presented in areas including sustainability, event safety, event venues, supplier performance, congresses and award shows. A new special award, “Events in Tourism”, will be introduced for the 2027 edition.
Entries are open to Austrian agencies, companies and event organizers with projects staged in Austria or abroad, as well as international companies and agencies with events held in Austria. Eligible projects must have taken place between 1 January 2025 and 15 January 2027. The entry deadline is midnight on 15 January 2027. Further information is available on the AUSTRIAN EVENT AWARD website www.austrianeventaward.at.
Save the Date
30th AUSTRIAN EVENT AWARD – Awards Ceremony and Gala
Date: Thursday, 1 April 2027
Venue: VIECON Center, Messeplatz 1, 1020 Vienna
5:30 p.m.: Check-in and AEA Planet Live
7:00 p.m.: Awards ceremony and gala dinner
Followed by: Winners Party and business networking until midnight
Advance reservations for gala and VIP tables: office@comtain.at
AUSTRIAN EVENT AWARD entry deadline: 15 January 2027, midnight
www.awardix.com/event/aea27
About VIECON
VIECON – Vienna Congress & Convention Center is Austria’s largest event venue and has been part of Wien Holding. Located in the heart of Vienna, VIECON offers a total of 73,000 m² of flexible space and a state-of-the-art technical infrastructure. Whether trade fair, congress or product presentation: hospitality is at the core, making the venue the ideal choice for national and international event organizers. VIECON creates lasting experiences – true to its corporate motto: “create unique memories.” For more information, visit vieconcenter.at
Media Contact
Kathrin Kremser
Head of Communications & Marketing, VIECON
Phone: +43 1 72720 3114
Mobile: +43 676 82 32 3114
Email: kathrin.kremser@vieconcenter.at
Website: www.vieconcenter.at
About the AUSTRIAN EVENT AWARD
Since 1996, the AUSTRIAN EVENT AWARD has recognised outstanding projects and achievements in Austrian live marketing. The award focuses on creativity, strategic quality, innovation, excellence in execution and impact. The winners are selected by an independent panel of industry experts. As an established industry award, the AUSTRIAN EVENT AWARD serves as a stage for excellence, a mark of quality for clients and a catalyst for the continued development of Austria’s events industry.
Media Contact
Christoph Berndl
Organizer AUSTRIAN EVENT AWARD, COMTAIN Communications & Entertainment GmbH
T: +43 664 390 09 49
E: office@comtain.at
www.austrianeventaward.at