EMIL e.V.

Zittau isn’t a big town, but Emil is proof that size has nothing to do with what goes on inside. An association and cultural space rolled into one, it has been running since 1993, in which time it has become a vital part of the independent scene across the border region.

Downstairs a relaxed café, upstairs a concert hall, with a lineup of pretty much everything the mainstream ignores: punk, post-punk, hardcore, metal, electronic, folk, and indie. Alongside the music, you’ll find readings, exhibitions, theatre performances, and workshops. The whole place runs on the volunteer work of the association’s members, with no operating subsidies and no commercial backing.