The intervention CIA/Community in Arbeit (CIA/Community at Work) in the public/social space deals with “working on the community.” Through artistic and at the same time scientific accesses and formats of representation — photography, graphics, text, interview, discussion — the theme “community work” in Vienna’s Sandleiten area (Ottakring) was worked on. By involving players on the spot, the research, interviews and their artistic realization contributed to inciting a reflection on varied aspects of communitywork in Sandleiten.

The Sandleitenhof was selected by the artists because of its advanced planning as “city within the city” and the — also architecturally and spatially visible — commitment to communitization with a rich public life. Yet today the squares are deserted and the lavish open spaces are only seldom used. So the Sandleitenhof mirrors how physically present public life shifts into the most varied micro-communities. The few visible local community initiatives integrate only a small number of residents.

Results of CIA/Community in Arbeit have been continuously transformed into posters and made visible on site. In addition, residents and everybody interested could formulate notes, suggestions, pointers and wishes. To this end, special unprinted posters were available. The discussion evening World Café — as an interdisciplinary method to generate collective knowledge — served to get to know one another, to discuss and to formulate goals.