The Life Ball in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

is the biggest charity event in Europe supporting people with

HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune ...

AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...

. The event is organized by the nonprofit organization AIDS LIFE, which was founded in 1992 by Gery Keszler and Torgom Petrosian. AIDS LIFE supports aid organizations devoted to helping people who are HIV-positive or have AIDS. The team entrusted with the allocation of funds thoroughly examines each petition. Moreover, it is an explicit goal of AIDS LIFE to raise public awareness.

The event

The Life Ball—one of the biggest annual charity events in the world—has attracted strong international interest and attention. The main priority of the Ball is, however, not only the celebration of the party people live acts, but the fight against AIDS. To ensure that the meaning of this major event is not forgotten, the opening ceremony on Vienna's city hall square includes moments of silence and speeches by international stars and partners, which focus on raising awareness for AIDS. Since the establishment of this society highlight, which has become a real tradition, numerous celebrities (designers, actors, musicians, politicians, and models) show their personal commitment to the issue with live performances and send a strong signal of solidarity. They make use of their popularity and position as role models for a good cause. The number of tickets for the Life Ball is limited to 3,780. To maintain the unique style of the event, different ticket categories are available: a fixed number of tickets called "Style Tickets" are available at half price and are for those who meet the dress code of the Life Ball Style Bible. The costumes should correspond to the theme of the Ball. These are also the only guests—besides the stars—who are allowed to walk down the red carpet, which leads from Ringstrasse Boulevard across city hall square to the main stage in front of Vienna's city hall. In the run-up to the 2008 Ball, Gery Keszler voiced the wish that guests try to be less provocative and more creative. As Chris Lohner put it: "A penis is not yet a costume". Guests can apply for Style Tickets on the Style Bible webpage. Guests in normal evening attire pay the full ticket price. In 2001, a ticket sales system in which interested parties register in a raffle for tickets via text message was introduced. Usually, as many as 60,000 ticket registrations are received within the two-day sales period. The ticket winners in both categories are selected randomly from all applications. A small number of tickets is issued through various campaigns (e.g., Life Ball Warm Up,

eBay eBay Inc. ( ) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that facilitates consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales through its website. eBay was founded by Pierre Omidyar in 1995 and became a ...

auctions, types of raffles where the ticket win is hidden in condom packages that are sold in selected bars and restaurants, a.s.o.) International guests can book Life Ball Packages including plane tickets and hotel as well as table bookings, which cost 4- to 5-figure euro amounts. In 2009, early table bookings slowed down due to the new Austrian anti-corruption act that entered into force in 2008. The opening gala features a wide variety of music, from

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...

to pop, national as well as international stars, and the fashion show on the huge

Red Ribbon The red ribbon, as an awareness ribbon, is used as the symbol for the solidarity of people living with HIV/AIDS, and for the awareness and prevention of drug abuse and drunk driving. In Canada the red ribbon represents Canadians with Multiple ...

stage. Until 2008, it could be viewed free of charge on city hall square, which could accommodate 45,000 people; in 2009, however, access to the first part of the opening ceremony was limited to those who had tickets to the Ball itself and a viewers' stand was constructed for those who wanted to view the opening ceremony. Guests can dance in the various patios and rooms of the city hall as they enjoy the offerings of the many bars and buffets. Some of the international stars perform on stages on the Ball premises. The charity event is known far beyond the Austrian borders today. By now, over 60 TV stations and a total of 500 national and international media representatives cover the event each year. In case of repeated accreditation, the organizers check whether the topic of AIDS was also addressed in the coverage to avoid that only stars and celebrities are mentioned. Austrian public broadcaster

ORF ORF or Orf may refer to: * Norfolk International Airport, IATA airport code ORF * Observer Research Foundation, an Indian research institute * One Race Films, a film production company founded by Vin Diesel * Open reading frame, a portion of the ...

1 has been covering the opening show live since 2007 as part of a "theme night" followed by interviews with famous guests after the opening, attracting around 400,000 viewers each year. Since 2007, the opening show has also been broadcast on

3sat In logic and computer science, the Boolean satisfiability problem (sometimes called propositional satisfiability problem and abbreviated SATISFIABILITY, SAT or B-SAT) is the problem of determining if there exists an interpretation that satisfie ...

with a time delay. In 2008, Austrian channel

Puls 4 Puls 4 is a terrestrial television channel in Austria. As its name implies, it is the fourth Austrian-wide full-service television channel, behind ORF eins, ORF 2, and ATV. History Puls 4 began as a local Vienna television station called "Puls ...

also had a live broadcast of the Ball after ORF's live broadcast. The new German TV station TIMM covered the event in 2009 in a 4-hour non-stop program, for which the ORF signal was used in part.

History

Organizer and founder Gery Keszler is the "face" and engine of the Life Ball. It is also mainly his achievement that fashion representatives and celebrities of the entertainment industry such as

Roseanne Barr Roseanne Cherrie Barr (born November 3, 1952) is an American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and former presidential candidate. Barr began her career in stand-up comedy before gaining acclaim in the television sitcom '' Roseanne'' (1988– ...

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...

Catherine Deneuve Catherine Fabienne Dorléac (born 22 October 1943), known professionally as Catherine Deneuve (, , ), is a French actress as well as an occasional singer, model, and producer, considered one of the greatest European actresses. She gained recogni ...

Liza Minnelli Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and choreographer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli is among a rare group of performers awarded an Emmy, Grammy ...

Sharon Stone Sharon Vonne Stone (born March 10, 1958) is an American actress. Known for primarily playing femme fatales and women of mystery on film and television, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1990s. She is the recipient of various ...

Dita von Teese Heather Renée Sweet (born September 28, 1972), known professionally as Dita Von Teese, is an American vedette, burlesque dancer, model, and businesswoman. She is credited with re-popularizing burlesque performance, earning the moniker "Queen ...

Anastacia Anastacia Lyn Newkirk ( ; born September 17, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter and former dancer. Her first two albums '' Not That Kind'' (2000) and '' Freak of Nature'' (2001) were released in quick succession to major success. Spurred o ...

Heidi Klum Heidi Klum (; born 1 June 1973) is a German-American model, television host, producer, and businesswoman. She appeared on the cover of the ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue'' in 1998 and was the first German model to become a Victoria's Secre ...

Naomi Campbell Naomi Elaine Campbell (born 22 May 1970) is an English model, actress, singer, and businesswoman. She began her career at the age of 15, and established herself amongst the most recognisable and in-demand models of the past four decades. Cam ...

and

Jenna Jameson Jenna Marie Massoli (born April 9, 1974), known professionally as Jenna Jameson (), is an American model, former pornographic film actress, businesswoman, and television personality. She has been named the world's most famous adult entertainme ...

attend the opening show. Some play an active role in the event's program, others just enjoy the party and celebrate. Gery Keszler chose the Vienna city hall as venue because he found it had great symbolic value. He felt that it should be part of the Viennese ball tradition, but be more provocative and glamorous. He was given the opportunity to present his project to then mayor

Helmut Zilk Helmut Zilk (9 June 1927, Vienna – 24 October 2008, Vienna) was an Austrian journalist and politician in the Austrian Social Democratic Party. He served as mayor of Vienna between 1984 and 1994. Biography Born in Vienna, Zilk was Mayor of ...

. Zilk was convinced of the positive effect of such an event and gave it a try. He agreed to let Keszler have the festival hall in the Vienna city hall and supported him despite all opposition.Petra Stuiber
‘’Das empfinde ich als feige’’
– Interview with Gery Keszler, derstandard.at & print edition, February 14, 2008 Zilk's stance was remarkable as support for this cause was not something that could be taken for granted at that time. There were also doubts as to whether the event would be a success. For Keszler it was exciting and nerve-racking until the opening, because the first guests arrived rather late. The first Life Ball took place on May 29, 1993. In addition to the Vienna city administration, the event had only two sponsors. The ATS 1,100,000 (EUR 79,940) raised by the first Ball were donated to the

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

AIDS LIFE, which was founded by Gery Keszler and Torgom Petrosian in 1992, to support other organizations helping people who are HIV-positive or have AIDS. Ever since the first Life Ball, a fashion show, then presented by

Thierry Mugler Manfred Thierry Mugler (; 21 December 1948 – 23 January 2022) was a French fashion designer, creative director and creative adviser of Mugler. In the 1970s, Mugler launched his eponymous fashion house; and quickly rose to prominence in the fo ...

, has become a key feature of the event. In the second year, at the Life Ball on May 28, 1994, the money raised through donations, sponsoring and ticket sales was doubled. The first two Balls were covered by TV stations in Austria and Germany. The third Ball on May 6, 1995, already attracted interest from French and Spanish broadcasters as well as

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

. In the subsequent years, the number of guests attending the opening show and the Ball as well as the number of journalists, radio stations, print media articles and sponsors rose steadily. This also increased the funds raised by the Life Ball to be donated to AIDS projects and research. In 1999, the Vienna city hall was renovated and the Ball took place in the

Hofburg The Hofburg is the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty. Located in the centre of Vienna, it was built in the 13th century and expanded several times afterwards. It also served as the imperial winter residence, as Schönbrunn ...

palace. A cornerstone was accomplished at the 8th Life Ball on May 13, 2000: it was the first time the funds raised broke the ATS 10,000,000 (EUR 726,728) barrier. It was also the first Ball at which the opening show took place on the city hall square and was publicly accessible. The next year, for the first time projects in Africa (cf. HIV/AIDS in Africa) were supported through a cooperation with the

Elton John Aids Foundation The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) is a nonprofit organization, established by rock musician Sir Elton John in 1992 in the United States and 1993 in the United Kingdom to support innovative HIV prevention, education programs, direct care a ...

(EJAF) – Elton John was himself a regular guest at the event from 2001 to 2005 and also held the opening speeches. The 13th Life Ball on May 21, 2005, for the first time exceeded the EUR 1 million mark with a total of EUR 1,017,600 generated by ticket sales, catering, auctions, raffle, stamp and record sales and the contributions of various donors and sponsors. Half of the proceeds are donated to international projects. Since 2006, the American Foundation for AIDS Research (

amfAR amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, known until 2005 as the American Foundation for AIDS Research, is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of ...

), which was founded by

Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...

and whose current president is

, has been a cooperation partner of the Life Ball. The main focus in 2006 was on the fight of HIV and AIDS in babies and toddlers. ViennaRainbowFlagTram

Compared to today, the Life Ball started as a small event from the gay community. In contrast to other events attended by Keszler back then, it was never intended to be an event only for the gay scene or jet-setters. It combines Viennese ball tradition with fancy-costume queer balls. Some of the gay community supported the project greatly, especially when it was still in its infancy, e.g., Café Berg (since its opening). However, the Ball has attracted a majority of heterosexual guests for some time now, and also many companies make a contribution. To avoid the potential worst case – that gay people do not get tickets to an event which had its origins in the gay scene—the lesbian and gay community has had a ticket quota for some years. Even though the Life Ball has not been a mere "gay" event for some time, just as much as AIDS is no longer a "gay" epidemic, it still has this reputation. The attribute "gay" has, however, not been detrimental to revenue. When not discussed in the equal rights context, "gays are considered creative and fun—and are said to throw better parties", which is a money-making cliché. Moreover, trend expert Bernhard Heinzlmaier adds that "it is considered hip to move in a gay environment. It indicates an open and modern set of mind." In addition to the charity aspect, the "gay hipness" surrounding the heterosexual guests is therefore another reason for donations. The

homosexuals Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to pe ...

in Austria alone would not be a big enough crowd to get companies to make such generous donations.Thomas Rottenberg
Heteros Freude mit dem Homo-Etikett
derstandard.at, May 16, 2008; print edition: June 17/18, 2008 At least two celebrity couples met at the event: Austrian professional swimmer

Markus Rogan Markus Antonius Rogan (born 4 May 1982 in Vienna) is a retired Austrian swimmer, who won two silver medals at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece and a gold medal for 200 m backstroke at the 2008 World Short Course Championships in ...

and then Miss Austria

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met at the 2007 Ball in which they both participated in the fashion show as models. At the Life Ball 2008, they celebrated their one-year anniversary and graced the runway in a partner-look outfit. The same night, TV presenter

Nazan Eckes Nazan Khol ( Üngör; born 9 May 1976), better known as Nazan Eckes, is a German television presenter. Career Eckes, daughter of Turkish immigrants from Eskişehir, completed her ''Abitur'' high school diploma in 1995 in Leverkusen, where her f ...

and Julian Khol, the Düsseldorf-based Austrian model, art student, and son of politician

Andreas Khol Andreas Khol (born 14 July 1941) is an Austrian politician of the centre-conservative Austrian People's Party, President of the National Council from 2002 to 2006. Andreas Khol was born in Bergen auf Rügen, Germany, and raised in the town of ...

, also met. From 2000 to 2007, a wedding chapel for couples of any

sexual orientation Sexual orientation is an enduring pattern of romantic or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. These attractions are generall ...

with famous "show priests" was hosted together with Austrian TV channel ATV to point out the unequal treatment of heterosexual and homosexual couples. On the occasion of the XVIII

International AIDS Conference The International AIDS Society (IAS) is the world's largest association of HIV/AIDS professionals, with 11,600 members from over 170 countries , including clinicians, people living with HIV, service providers, policy makers and others. It aims to r ...

that is beginning one day after the big event in Vienna, this year's Life Ball will be very special. On the 17th of July Europe's biggest AIDS charity event not only takes place in the Vienna City Hall and on City Hall Square, but also at the

Burgtheater The Burgtheater (literally:"Castle Theater" but alternatively translated as "(Imperial) Court Theater"), originally known as '' K.K. Theater an der Burg'', then until 1918 as the ''K.K. Hofburgtheater'', is the national theater of Austria in Vi ...

(the former imperial court theatre) and the

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

. The "concept of the three houses" unites three extraordinary events and important organizations; the

gala in the Parliament, the

Elton John AIDS Foundation The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) is a nonprofit organization, established by rock musician Sir Elton John in 1992 in the United States and 1993 in the United Kingdom to support innovative HIV prevention, education programs, direct care a ...

at the Red Ribbon Cotillion in the Burgtheater, and the William J. Clinton Foundation at the traditional Life Ball in the Vienna City Hall. With the support of many different personalities these three events together set a clear signal for tolerance and solidarity. Access to the Life Ball is extremely limited. Each year, thousands of requests for Life Ball Tickets are received and few are granted to this exclusive experience. Recently, the Life Ball opened their doors to international guests who want to attend. A few international travel representatives have been selected to exclusively represent a region in offering travel packages to the Life Ball. A notable event at the 2013 Life Ball was

Barbara Eden Barbara Eden (born Barbara Jean Morehead; August 23, 1931) is an American actress, singer, and producer best known for her starring role as Jeannie in the sitcom '' I Dream of Jeannie'' (1965-1970). Other notable roles include Roslyn Pierce opp ...

appearing, wearing her Jeannie outfit. In November 2015, Keszler said that there would be no Life Ball in 2016, and that the next ball would be held in the summer of 2017. However, the Red Ribbon Cotillion will still be held that year.

Campaigns

The event is usually accompanied by a number of campaigns. In 2006, guests from western Austria could for the first time make use of a dedicated " Ö3 Life Ball Express" train with a special party carriage and shuttle buses that brought them to Vienna's city hall, and also the specially modified "Life Ball Party Plane" premiered in 2008, flying in guests and media representatives from

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

to Vienna, already setting the right mood for the Ball. The dance club Volksgarten, located not far from the Ball venue, hosts the Life Ball Party and the after hour in the early hours of the morning for all those who did not get tickets to the Ball itself. The money from these campaigns also goes to the Life Ball. Also, there is a "

Diners Club A diner is a small, inexpensive restaurant found across the United States, as well as in Canada and parts of Western Europe. Diners offer a wide range of foods, mostly American cuisine, a casual atmosphere, and, characteristically, a comb ...

Life Ball" credit card carrying the Red Ribbon design, which automatically transfers 0.5% of each transaction to AIDS LIFE.

Special issue stamps

Limited edition stamps on the occasion of the Life Ball have been issued for a number of years now. The 2005 stamp bore

's picture, followed by

in 2006. In that year, also a limited edition of stamps featuring Naomi Campbell in comic style was sold on

. German supermodel

Nadja Auermann Nadja Auermann (born 19 March 1971) is a German supermodel and actress. Fashion designer Valentino once commented on her physical resemblance to Marlene Dietrich. A New York Times fashion columnist, Guy Trebay, wrote of her "ice maiden visage a ...

was the face of the 2007 Life Ball stamps.

Life Ball Song

The performance of the Life Ball Song marks the official opening of the Ball. * 2002: Live for the moment performed by Hot Pants Road Club, Dorretta Carter, Rounder Girls, Eddie Cole, Cedric Lee Bradley, Christian Kolonovits, and the Ambassade Orchester Wien * 2003: High Life performed by Gianna, Loud 9,

Sandra Pires Sandra Pires Tavares (born June 16, 1973, in Rio de Janeiro) is a female beach volleyball player from Brazil, who won the gold medal in the inaugural women's beach volleyball tournament at the 1996 Summer Olympics, partnering Jackie Silva. She ...

, and Family Bizz * 2004: Immer lauter (louder and louder) performed by

Nina Hagen Catharina "Nina" Hagen (; born 11 March 1955) is a German singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her theatrical vocals and rose to prominence during the Punk subculture, punk and New wave music, new wave movements in the late 1970s a ...

* 2005: instead of the traditional song, the

Vienna State Opera Ballet Vienna State Ballet, ''Wiener Staatsballett'', is considered one of the world's top Ballet company, ballet companies. It was formerly named the Vienna State Opera Ballet as it is based at the Vienna State Opera building. In 2005 the ballets of t ...

, choirs, singers and DJs performed an overture for the opening of the Ball in front of Vienna's city hall. * 2006: Everything Can Change performed by Rebekka Bakken * 2007: Get a Life – Get Alive, performed by Austrian casting show Starmania contestant

Eric Papilaya Austria participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 with the song "Get a Life – Get Alive" written by Greg Usek and Austin Howard. The song was performed by Eric Papilaya. In October 2006, the Austrian broadcaster Österreichischer Rundf ...

, was also Austria's contribution to the

Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...

. * 2008: The Life performed by

transgender A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through tr ...

icon

Amanda Lepore Amanda Lepore is an American model, singer, and performance artist. A former Club Kid, she has appeared in advertising for numerous companies. Lepore is noted as a regular subject in photographer David LaChapelle's work, serving as his muse, as ...

, club host, show host and singer Mel Merio and

Chicks on Speed Chicks on Speed is a feminist music and fine art ensemble, formed in Munich in 1997, after members Australian Alex Murray-Leslie and American Melissa Logan met at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts. Though Chicks on Speed reached cult status th ...

* 2009: I Bring You Love performed by Cindy Gomez together with composer Dave Stewart * 2011: Ask the Universe performed by

Cheyenne Jackson Cheyenne David Jackson (born July 12, 1975) is an American actor and singer. His credits include leading roles in Broadway musicals and other stage roles, as well as film and television roles, concert singing, and music recordings. After beginni ...

* 2012:

Melody Angel ''Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons'', often shortened to ''Captain Scarlet'', is a British science fiction television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company Century 21 Productions for distributor I ...

Judith Hill Judith Glory Hill is an American singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, California. She has provided backing vocals for such artists as Michael Jackson, Prince, and Josh Groban. In 2009, Hill was chosen as Jackson's duet partner for the song " I Just ...

, Truth Hurts und Natalia Kelly - ''Blindfold'' * 2013: Love Wins Over Glamour performed by

Adam Lambert Adam Mitchel Lambert (born January 29, 1982) is an American singer and songwriter. Since 2009, he has sold over 3 million albums and 5 million singles worldwide. Lambert is known for his dynamic vocal performances that fuse his theatrical tra ...

* 2014: Lust for Life performed by Candice Glover * 2015: Love Child performed by Trevor Jackson Since 2006, the Life Ball Fanfare, composed by Bela Fischer, has been played at the beginning of the opening show.

Fashion show

Each year, one or more famous fashion designers are responsible for the event's fashion show. Professional models on the catwalk such as

Marcus Schenkenberg Marcus Lodewijk Schenkenberg van Mierop (born 4 August 1968), known professionally as Marcus Schenkenberg, is a Swedish people, Swedish model, actor, singer, writer, and television personality. Early life Schenkenberg was born in Stockholm to ...

Alek Wek Alek Wek (born 16 April 1977) is a South Sudanese South Sudan is home to around 60 indigenous ethnic groups and 80 linguistic partitions among a population of around million. Historically, most ethnic groups were lacking in formal Wester ...

, Eva Padberg,

Eva Riccobono Eva Riccobono (born 7 February 1983) is an Italian model, actress, and television presenter. Early life Riccobono was born in Palermo, Sicily, the daughter of an Italian father and a German mother. She has three older sisters. Riccobono began ...

, and

appear alongside stars and celebrities such as

Udo Kier Udo Kierspe (born 14 October 1944), known professionally as Udo Kier, is a German actor. Known primarily as a character actor, Kier has appeared in more than 220 films in both leading and supporting roles throughout Europe and the Americas. He h ...

, Olivia Jones,

Til Schweiger Tilman Valentin Schweiger (; born 19 December 1963) is a German actor, voice actor and filmmaker. He runs his own production company, Barefoot Films, in Berlin. Early life Schweiger was born in Freiburg, West Germany, to two teachers. He grew ...

Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...

Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album ''She's So Unusual'' (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to achi ...

Dolly Buster Nora Baumberger ( née Dvořáková; born 23 October 1969), known by the stage name Dolly Buster, is a Czech-German former pornographic actress, filmmaker, and author. Career Buster has starred in over one hundred X-rated European movies. She i ...

, Austrian Health Minister Andrea Kdolsky. Fashion designers since the inception of the Life Ball: * 1993 -

* 1994 -

John Galliano John Charles Galliano (born 28 November 1960) is a British fashion designer from Gibraltar. He was the creative director of his eponymous label John Galliano and French fashion houses Givenchy and Dior. Since 2014, Galliano has been the creat ...

* 1995 -

Jean-Paul Gaultier Jean Paul Gaultier (; born 24 April 1952) is a French haute couture and Ready-to-wear, prêt-à-porter fashion designer. He is described as an "enfant terrible" of the fashion industry and is known for his unconventional designs with motifs inc ...

* 1996 -

Paco Rabanne Francisco Rabaneda Cuervo (born 18 February 1934), more commonly known under the pseudonym of Paco Rabanne (; ), is a Spanish fashion designer who became known as an ''enfant terrible'' of the 1960s French fashion world. Early life and educati ...

* 1997 -

Vivienne Westwood Dame Vivienne Isabel Westwood (née Swire; born 8 April 1941) is an English fashion designer and businesswoman, largely responsible for bringing modern punk and new wave fashions into the mainstream. Westwood came to public notice when she m ...

* 1998 -

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Jean-Charles, marquis de Castelbajac (born 28 November 1949), also known as JC/DC, is a Moroccan/French fashion designer. He has enjoyed international success with some of his creations, including a coat of teddy bears worn by pop star Madonna a ...

* 1999 -

Christian Lacroix Christian Marie Marc Lacroix (; born 16 May 1951) is a French fashion designer. The name may also refer to the company he founded. Lacroix's designs combine luxury and insouciance. He prefers artisanal trades, fringe, bead, and embroidery. He's ...

Philip Treacy Philip Anthony Treacy (born 26 May 1967) is an Irish haute couture milliner, or hat designer, who has been mostly based in London for his career, and who was described by ''Vogue'' magazine as "perhaps the greatest living milliner". In 2000, T ...

Jeremy Scott Jeremy Scott (born August 8, 1975) is an American fashion designer. He is the creative director of the fashion house Moschino and the sole owner of his namesake label. Since launching his brand in Paris in 1997, Scott has built a reputation as ...

and Julien Macdonald * 2000 -

Walter Van Beirendonck Walter Van Beirendonck (born 4 February 1957 in Brecht, Belgium) is a Belgian fashion designer. He is the head of the Fashion Department at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp. He graduated in 1980 from the Royal Arts Academy in Antwerp. ...

Olivier Theyskens Olivier Theyskens (; born January 4, 1977 in Brussels, Belgium) is a Belgian fashion designer who has worked with major design houses, including Rochas, Nina Ricci and Theory. Early life Theyskens was born to a Belgian chemical engineer and ...

, Seredin & Vasiliev, Shirtology and Benoit Méléard * 2001 -

Roberto Cavalli Roberto Cavalli (; born 15 November 1940) is an Italian fashion designer and inventor. He is known for exotic prints and for creating the sand-blasted look for jeans. The high-end Italian fashion house Roberto Cavalli sells luxury clothing, perfu ...

* 2002 -

Moschino Moschino () is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1983 by Franco Moschino in Milan known for over-the-top, campy designs. The company specializes in ready-to-wear, handbags, and fashion accessories. History Founding and 1990s Franco Mosc ...

* 2003 -

Missoni Missoni is an Italian luxury fashion house based in Varese, and known for its colorful knitwear designs. The company was founded by Ottavio ("Tai") and Rosita Missoni in 1953. History Early beginnings The business was founded in 1953, when O ...

* 2004 -

Gianfranco Ferré Gianfranco Ferré (; 15 August 1944 – 17 June 2007) was an Italian fashion designer also known as "the architect of fashion" for his background and his original attitude toward creating fashion design. Early life and education Ferré was born ...

* 2005 -

Donatella Versace Donatella Francesca Versace (; born 2 May 1955) is an Italian fashion designer, businesswoman, socialite, and model. She is the sister of Gianni Versace, founder of the luxury fashion company Versace, with whom she worked closely on the developm ...

* 2006 -

Renzo Rosso Renzo Rosso (born September 15, 1955) is an Italian fashion entrepreneur and businessman. He is the founder of Diesel (brand), Diesel and the president of OTB Group, the parent company of Maison Margiela, Marni (fashion house), Marni, Viktor & Ro ...

(

Diesel Diesel may refer to: * Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression * Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines * Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...

) * 2007 -

Heatherette Heatherette was an American fashion company that closed in 2008. It was founded in 1999 by Club Kid Richie Rich and Traver Rains. The pair first began designing T-shirts and leather goods. When Rich wore one of their leather tops to a party, he c ...

* 2008 -

Agent Provocateur An agent provocateur () is a person who commits, or who acts to entice another person to commit, an illegal or rash act or falsely implicate them in partaking in an illegal act, so as to ruin the reputation of, or entice legal action against, the ...

* 2009 -

Patricia Field Patricia Field (born February 12, 1942) is an American costume designer, stylist and fashion designer. Early life Field was born in 1942 in New York City to an Armenian father and a Greek mother, who emigrated from Plomari, Lesbos, Greece. Fi ...

presents The Blonds * 2010 -

Calvin Klein Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc., in 1968. In addition to clothing, he also has given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and ...

, Kenneth Cole,

Diane von Fürstenberg Diane von Fürstenberg (born Diane Simone Michele Halfin, 31 December 1946) is a Belgian fashion designer best known for her wrap dress. She initially rose to prominence in 1969 when she married into the German princely House of Fürstenberg, as ...

* 2011 -

DSquared² Dean and Dan Caten (né Catenacci; born December 19, 1964) are Canadian fashion designers, radio personalities, and businessmen. They are identical twin brothers and the founders and owners of Dsquared², an Italian luxury fashion house based in ...

* 2012 - VOGUE Italia hosts the 20th Anniversary Life Ball Fashion Show presented by MINI * 2013 -

* 2014 -

Givenchy Givenchy (, ) is a French luxury fashion and perfume house. It hosts the brand of haute couture and ready-to-wear clothing, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics of Parfums Givenchy. The house of Givenchy was founded in 1952 by designer Hubert de ...

Viktor & Rolf Viktor & Rolf is a Dutch avant-garde luxury fashion house founded in 1993 by Viktor Horsting (born 1969, Geldrop) and Rolf Snoeren (born 1969, Dongen). For more than twenty years, Viktor & Rolf have sought to challenge preconceptions of fashion an ...

Lanvin Lanvin () is a French Luxury goods, luxury fashion house based in Paris. Founded in 1889 by Jeanne Lanvin, it is the oldest French fashion house still in operation. Since 2018, it has been a subsidiary of Shanghai-based Lanvin Group. Bruno Sialel ...

Jean Paul Gaultier Jean Paul Gaultier (; born 24 April 1952) is a French haute couture and prêt-à-porter fashion designer. He is described as an "enfant terrible" of the fashion industry and is known for his unconventional designs with motifs including corsets, ...

Etro Etro is a family-managed Italian fashion house founded in 1968. It is mainly known for its paisley patterns, which the company started making in 1981. History Etro was founded in 1968 by Gerolamo "Gimmo" Etro as a textile design company. By the t ...

and

– under the direction of Franca Sozzani

Crystal of Hope donated by Swarovski, designed by Darko Mladenovic

The annual award of the "Crystal of Hope donated by

Swarovski Swarovski (, ) is an Austrian producer of glass based in Wattens, Austria, and has existed as a family-owned business since its founding in 1895 by Daniel Swarovski. The company is split into three major industry areas: the Swarovski Crystal ...

" during the Ball's opening ceremony has become a fixed item on the program. The EUR 100,000 decoration has been presented by a celebrity or head of an AIDS organization to honor achievements in the field of HIV/AIDS research since 2005. The Red Ribbon-shaped award is a tribute to extraordinary commitments in the fight against AIDS or outstanding AIDS projects of international partner organizations of AIDS Life. * 2005: Treat Asia Project by the American Foundation for AIDS Research (

) – presented by

Minnelli Minnelli (also spelled Minelli) is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Minelli, born Luisa Ionela Luca, Romanian singer, songwriter and lyricist. * Alessandro Minelli - multiple people * Liza Minnelli, American actress, ...

* 2006: SAMBA project by

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF; pronounced ), also known as Doctors Without Borders, is a humanitarian medical non-governmental organisation (NGO) or charity of French origin known for its projects in conflict zones and in countries affected by endemic diseases. M ...

– presented by

* 2007: Youth2Youth Project Uganda by the

German Foundation for World Population DSW (german: Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung) is an international non-governmental organisation addressing Sexual & Reproductive Health (SRH) and population dynamics. DSW funds its project and advocacy work from private donations and the finan ...

– presented by

* 2008: Yier Nigma (choose life), a

Kenyan ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

project for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV by international humanitarian organization CARE – presented by

Kim Cattrall Kim Victoria Cattrall (; born 21 August 1956) is a British-Canadian actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones on HBO's ''Sex and the City'' (1998–2004), for which she received five Emmy Award nominations and four Golden Globe A ...

* 2009: Trevor Peter, for his year-long efforts for the Clinton Foundation's Access Programs, within which he cooperated with governments in Africa and the Caribbean to introduce HIV tests for diagnosing the population and for checking the effectiveness of medication – presented by

Fran Drescher Francine Joy Drescher (born September 30, 1957) is an American actress, comedian, writer, activist, and trade union leader. She is known for her role as Fran Fine in the television sitcom ''The Nanny'' (1993–1999), which she created and produ ...

and

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...

* 2010: The Ukrainian NGO The Way Home (http://www.wayhome.org.ua/) and its founder Sergey Kostin, for helping street children, many of whom are HIV positive, in Odessa, Ukraine. The award was presented by

Nastassja Kinski Nastassja Aglaia Kinski (; , ; born 24 January 1961) is a German actress and former model who has appeared in more than 60 films in Europe and the United States. Her worldwide breakthrough was with ''Stay as You Are'' (1978). She then came to gl ...

. * 2011: The Andrey Rylkov Foundation for Health and Social Justice (http://rylkov-fond.org/) and its co-founder Anya Sarang for advocating for the protection of

human rights Human rights are Morality, moral principles or Social norm, normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for ce ...

of drug users and other vulnerable populations in the

Russian Federation Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

. The award was presented by

Brooke Shields Brooke Christa Shields (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress and model. She was initially a child model and gained critical acclaim at age 12 for her leading role in Louis Malle's film ''Pretty Baby'' (1978). She continued to model into ...

. * 2012: Jackie Branfield, Founder ''Operation Bobbi Bear'' - presented by

and

Antonio Banderas José Antonio Domínguez Bandera (born 10 August 1960), known professionally as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish actor and singer. Known for his work in films of several genres, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Antonio Ba ...

Facts & themes

* Press = total number of accredited news and media journalists * Radio = number of radio stations among press * TV = number of TV stations among press, including internet TV programs Since 1995, when Paris Premiere and a Spanish TV station joined the media crowd, the Life Ball has been broadcast on a pan-European level. In 1999, American TV stations (besides MTV) made the broadcast intercontinental. Internet TV started reporting on the event in 2001. Since 2002, stricter accreditation criteria have been applied and the number of media representatives has been limited to 500 due to capacity restrictions. In 2004, the first South African TV teams reported live from the Ball. Except for one Sunday in 2002, the Ball has always taken place on a Saturday. And apart from a short stint at

palace in 1999 due to renovations, the venue of the Ball has always been Vienna's city hall. Since 2000, the opening ceremony and the fashion show have taken place on the square in front of the city hall. The opening speech has been held by international celebrities since 2001.

Amount donated

The Life Ball is the most important source of income for AIDS LIFE. Since its inception, margins from annual proceeds and from the total sum of subsidized projects have been profitably invested to be able to finance national projects for another year, should the Life Ball have to be canceled one year. As proceeds are impossible to forecast, the organization does not finance infrastructure costs of the projects it supports, such as rent, personnel expenses, and operating costs. A failure of AIDS LIFE to produce financial support must not result in the cancellation of a project. On May 24, 2007, two days before the Life Ball, a formal dinner with

which was also attended by Austrian President

Heinz Fischer Heinz Fischer GColIH OMRI RSerafO GCollSE (; born 9 October 1938) is a former Austrian politician. He took office as President of Austria on 8 July 2004 and was re-elected for a second and last term on 25 April 2010, leaving office on 8 July 2 ...

and then Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer was held in the Great Gallery of Schönbrunn Palace. With the support of major Austrian companies, the total amount of donations could be raised even further. After dinner, guests enjoyed the Concert for Europe played by the

Vienna Philharmonic The Vienna Philharmonic (VPO; german: Wiener Philharmoniker, links=no) is an orchestra that was founded in 1842 and is considered to be one of the finest in the world. The Vienna Philharmonic is based at the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria. It ...

in the palace's park and a check worth US$1 million was presented to Clinton for the HIV/AIDS initiative (CHAI) of his William J. Clinton Foundation. The same program was planned for 2008 but had to be canceled because Clinton was busy with the US primaries. Since 2008, nine full-time employees of the Life Ball have worked on the acquisition of donations in money and kind and coordinated all volunteers and participants over the course of a year. There are almost 1,000 partners and staff for catering alone. 0A special audit of finances from 1994 to 2008 by auditing firm Hübner & Hübner in 2009 confirmed Life Ball's proper financial conduct. At a press conference, Andreas Röthlin also made it clear that "as opposed to many other charitable organizations, AIDS LIFE is very efficiently managed, also and especially with regard to expenses." At this occasion, AIDS LIFE also received the "Österreichisches Spendengütesiegel" (Reg. Nr. 05685), a quality seal for NPOs awarded by the Austrian auditors' chamber, valid as of August 24, 2009.Marion Hauser
"Trete als Aids-Life-Obmann zurück"
, Kurier.at, September 2, 2009

Awards

* 1997: Austrian tourism prize (Austrian Federal Economic Chamber) * 1997: Event Award GOLD - category "Event Marketing" (Eventwerkstatt: Austrian Event Award) * 1999: ÖKI Fundraising & Social Marketing Prize GOLD * 2000: special award by then Austrian Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Labour for the commercial spot series of the Austrian State Prize, for the 1999 spot "Life Ball 99" * 2003: Gery Keszler: Communicator of the Year 2002 (public relations association Austria) * 2003: Flair de Parfum (Austrian Federal Economic Chamber – retail in perfume products) * 2004: Event Award GOLD - category "Public Event" (Eventwerkstatt: Austrian Event Award) * 2005: Project Management Institute – "Project Excellence & Innovation" for humanitarian commitment * 2006: Gery Keszler: Gold Decoration of the City of Vienna * 2006: Event Award GOLD - category "Public Event" (Eventwerkstatt: Austrian Event Award) * 2008: Gery Keszler: Gold Decoration for Services Rendered to the Republic of Austria * 2012: Gery Keszler: Reminders Day Award, Berlin / Germany * 2012: Gery Keszler: HOPE Award, Dresden / Germany

Criticism

"Because Gery Keszler's 14th AIDS charity night was indeed great. But: that does not mean anything, as it is an intrinsic characteristic of the Life Ball to be super. In all spheres: the Life Ball is beyond criticism. Reporting about it means cheering, which is, to an extent, justified." –

Der Standard ''Der Standard'' is an Austrian daily newspaper published in Vienna. History and profile ''Der Standard'' was founded by Oscar Bronner as a financial newspaper and published its first edition on 19 October 1988. German media company Axel Springe ...

, May 21, 2006 "Some political gay rights activists and "fundamentalists" are skeptical about the way the idea and the ball are turned into a lifestyle and are diluted, but nobody speaks up to voice criticism." Gery Keszler is well aware of the delicate balancing act between the fun factor, which in turn attracts people and companies, creates publicity and, eventually, collects as much in donations as possible, and the message to be conveyed. For instance, only journalists who have reported not only about celebrities but also about HIV and AIDS are accredited again. Sometimes it is criticized+ that by now also certain conservative and/or right-wing politicians show up as guests or announce to attend the Ball. Keszler believes that a ball against discrimination should not discriminate against anyone. If these people manage to secure a ticket and believe they would enjoy the event, they will certainly not be stopped from attending it. And Keszler regards their potential plan of ganging up and making "all well" again as naïve.

Sources

External links

* * Gregor Auenhammer
Rettet den Life Ball!
derstandard.at, May 12, 2009 * Thomas Rottenberg
Ein Szene-Event geht in die Breite
derstandard.at, May 15, 2009
10 Fragen: Life Ball Etikette
mit Antworten von Thomas Schäfer-Elmayer und Mutter Daphne von O.S.P.I Berlin („Style-Police")
Life Ball 2006-2009
Stadtmagazin Wien-konkret

Videos: Life Ball 2009
{{Authority control HIV/AIDS organizations Balls in Austria LGBT culture in Vienna LGBT events in Austria Medical and health organisations based in Austria Recurring events established in 1993