Elisabeth Gürtler at the head of the KiS association.

April 2023. With the founding of KiS – Association for the Promotion of Contemporary Art in Seefeld, the initiator of the exhibitions in the old fire station in Seefeld, Rafael Jablonka, achieved a decisive step in establishing his initiative. Elisabeth Gürtler, head of the Alpin Resort Sacher Seefeld, serves as chairwoman at the helm of an enthusiastic team.

In mid-2021, a joint idea of the art collector Rafael Jablonka, who lives in Seefeld, and his wife Teresa became a reality. They were able to spark the interest of the former mayor Werner Frießer, and thanks to the support of the municipality of Seefeld, the old fire station in the town center transformed into a stage for contemporary art. A municipal council decision provides for the use of the hall for seven years (until 2028), and Jablonka exhibits works from his internationally renowned art collection in this newly created art hotspot.

The first exhibition by the American Philipp Taaffe already attracted significant visitor interest, and it quickly became clear that this unusual exhibition space could develop a radiance for the entire region as well as for Seefeld's international audience. "I wanted to create a financial basis to promote contemporary art in Seefeld and the surrounding area and to convey it to as broad an audience as possible, especially young people," said Rafael Jablonka. Thanks to his excellent network of art enthusiasts, nine founding members came together to establish the KiS Association for the Promotion of Contemporary Art in Seefeld in early 2022: Besides Jablonka himself, these include Elisabeth Gürtler, Hans Peter Haselsteiner, Christian Jäger, Renate Labak, Alexander Meissl, Ernst Mitterndorfer, Klaus Ortner, and Clemens Rhomberg.

Elisabeth Gürtler, who continuously welcomes art-loving guests at the Alpin Resort Sacher, serves as chairwoman of the association. At the annual event "Bergauf mit Cultour" organized by her, artists and numerous media representatives, who are also enthusiastic about this unusual exhibition venue, meet. The board of the association is completed by gallery owner Clemens Rhomberg and successful entrepreneur Christian Jäger (Euroinvest Servicing GmbH) from Seefeld.

"In this role, I want to achieve something for Seefeld that contributes to distinguishing us from other tourism destinations," outlines the charismatic chairwoman her goal. "The promotion of contemporary art at such an international level, as shown by Rafael Jablonka, should inspire the people who live here and attract new guests." The gifted networker gladly makes herself available for the young art initiative. She is supported by the founders, who regularly meet in Seefeld to advance the KiS Association not only financially but also with their knowledge, valuable contacts, and ideas. Last but not least, the growing number of association members, regular and Cercle members, significantly contributes to the recognition and success of the KiS Association.