Art Purchase House | Events & Program 2025

The Art Purchase House at Königstraße 25 is one of the most characteristic cultural addresses in Hof: a vibrant mix of pub, stage, and meeting point where the local scene and touring artists come together closely. Since 2010, this venue – created as a project against vacancy in the train station district – has become a staple for intimate concerts, readings, talks, and cabaret. The evening usually begins around 7 PM, the stage is small, the atmosphere is approachable and unpretentious, and the distances are short. Anyone wanting to experience culture in Hof without distance will find exactly the right place here: authentic evenings with personality, curated by operator Alexander Kaiser and supported by a loyal community. Conveniently, tickets are available directly at the venue, it is centrally located, the Altstadt-Passage parking garage is just a few minutes' walk away, and over 2,200 parking spaces are available in the city center – with the option to pay via app if desired.

Events and Program Variety: Concerts, Readings, Jam Sessions, and "Gwaaf zer Nacht"

The Art Purchase House features a diverse lineup: singer-songwriters, folk, indie, jazz, ska nights, benefit concerts, readings, and spontaneous sessions – always in an intimate setting, but with great closeness. A recurring format is the Jazz Jam Session on the first Tuesday of the month at 8:00 PM, where a core group is complemented by changing guests. The jam is typical of the venue's profile: not an elitist showcase, but an open interaction at eye level that strengthens the local scene and brings audiences and musicians into direct contact. Among its own formats is also "Gwaaf zer Nacht," a Hof late-night talk show without cameras that brings the essence of pub culture to the stage: sociability, curiosity, and good stories. Beyond the recurring series, the program spans from international touring acts to regional favorite bands and themed days. The local press aptly summarizes it as a "pub with a cabaret stage" – with a lineup that remains fresh and runs in waves: from powerful band nights to quiet singer-songwriter sets to literary evenings. This curation has produced hundreds of events; by 2024, it was already mentioned that there had been "almost 700" events since the opening. A notable milestone: In February 2025, the venue celebrated its 700th event with the crossover band Benjaming’s Clan – an evening that underscored the Art Purchase House's passion for stylistic boundaries. Those wishing to discover the program can find announcements regularly on the venue's Facebook page, in regional media, and in event calendars like hof-programm.de. It should be noted that the lineup varies seasonally, spontaneity has its place, and regular artists return time and again – a lively mix that makes the small stage feel grand.

Tickets, Opening Hours, and Admission: How Pre-Sale Works at the Venue

A deliberately simple ticketing process is part of the concept: According to regional reports, tickets are available exclusively directly at the Art Purchase House – Tuesday to Saturday from 7:00 PM, except on event days. This aligns with the size and intimacy of the stage: personal encounters instead of faceless online clicks. To be sure, it's best to plan a visit during the week in the evening to briefly stop by and pick up tickets at the counter. Exceptions may apply for certain partner projects, but the rule remains that tickets are sold at the venue. Opening hours are oriented around evening operations; typically, it is open from Tuesday to Saturday, with admission times on event days varying depending on the production. The Jazz Jam Session traditionally starts at 8:00 PM on the first Tuesday of the month, with other concerts following a similar rhythm. A tip from experience: Due to the free seating, arriving early is worthwhile, especially for singer-songwriter evenings and readings when many guests prefer the "front row" near the small stage. Since ticket sales are suspended on event days, it is advisable to purchase tickets on the days prior. Information about last-minute changes (e.g., rescheduled shows, additional dates, or adjusted admission times) is reliably published by the team via social media channels and regional event calendars. For those coming from outside, it is also possible to check local press pages on the day of the visit to confirm whether the program and times remain unchanged – the distances in Hof are short, and checking takes only minutes, ensuring relaxed evenings without surprises at the door.

Directions and Parking: Centrally Located, Many Parking Spaces, Parking App Usable

The address of the Art Purchase House is Königstraße 25, 95028 Hof. The venue is centrally located within walking distance of downtown offerings, dining, and several parking options. Particularly convenient is the Altstadt-Passage parking garage (Marienstraße 11–13): It offers numerous parking spaces, is located right in the center, and is reachable in just a few minutes on foot, depending on the route. Those wishing to travel independently of the weather will find sheltered spots and direct access towards the old town here. Additionally, the city of Hof operates a dense parking system with over 2,200 parking spaces in and around the city center, ranging from short-term zones with "rollover buttons" to longer-term parking areas. For payment, the official parking apps are recommended; the city uses, among others, EasyPark, which allows for precise starting, extending, and ending of parking time – within the local maximum parking duration. This way, one can flexibly time their entry without constantly running to the machine. Those arriving by train benefit from the fact that the venue originated from the train station district – the paths are urban and compact, and the walk from the train station towards the city center leads directly into the area where much cultural life has been concentrated for years. For navigation devices and taxis, the destination address is sufficient; for drivers preferring an alternative to the parking garage, the city additionally lists numbered parking areas (e.g., P2 underground garage at the town hall, P6 Altstadt-Passage parking garage, P10 parking lot Kreuzsteinstraße). Note for e-mobility: According to city information, the network of charging stations is continuously being expanded; a current overview can be found in relevant electric charging station directories. Thus, arriving – whether for a loud concert evening, a quiet reading, or the monthly jam – is as uncomplicated as purchasing tickets at the venue.

Seating Plan, Places, and Acoustics: Free Choice in the Cultural Pub with Cabaret Stage

The Art Purchase House is not a classic multipurpose hall with numbered seating, but a cultural pub with a small stage, bar, and flexibly usable dining area. Therefore, there is no fixed seating plan; placement depends on the respective format. For band evenings, standing places are common, supported by bar stools and niches, while additional seating is integrated for readings and quiet concerts. The intimacy of the space is an advantage: musicians and audience share an acoustic living room where nuances remain audible and the distance disappears. Those who value an unobstructed view should arrive early; those who enjoy sociability will find space for conversations at the bar and in the side areas before and after the set. Regular guests particularly appreciate this mix: a concert, but without formal seating; a reading, but without podium distance. For people with mobility restrictions, it is advisable to make a brief inquiry about the current conditions; the stage is low, and entry and exit are at ground level, but the room structure may vary depending on the setup. Acoustically, in small rooms, voices and acoustic instruments carry well, and electric sets are adjusted accordingly. The team has gained experience with the room's sound over the years; the closeness makes many things easier – including the spontaneous rearrangement of microphones or raising the reading lamp during literary evenings. Since there are no fixed rows, the question of the "best seats" has a pragmatic answer: front and center for the stage, side for quick access to the bar, and back for an overall view and conversation. No matter what one chooses – the atmosphere remains personal.

History, Team, and Special Features: From Vacancy Project to Reliable Off-Culture Stage

The history of the Art Purchase House begins as an idea against vacancy in the train station district: in 2010, the cultural pub opened its doors, driven by the belief that a small space with character can achieve more than a large one without soul. Operator Alexander Kaiser – humorously referred to in portraits as the "department store director" – has sharpened the profile over the years: less mass, more class; an open door for good bands passing through; formats that fit the city. A regional report described the development from experiment to institution for the tenth anniversary and located the venue in a renovated building in the train station district – a detail that explains why it feels so urban here. The number of events also tells the story: from "well over 500" in the early 2020s to "almost 700" by the end of 2024; in February 2025, the 700th event was celebrated with a cross-border rock-folk evening. The closeness to the audience has remained a trademark – visible in how artists return and formats grow: the jam session as a meeting point for the scene, the talk "Gwaaf zer Nacht" as a local institution, thematic series where literature, music, and conversations intertwine. The Art Purchase House is thus more than a stage: it is a social place where culture "happens," even when nothing is on the program – during game nights, conversations after the set, or the second drink at the bar. This continuity has firmly anchored the venue in the region while also keeping it open to new things, whether collaborations with associations, benefit evenings, or spontaneous tour stops. Those seeking something special will not find it here in grand effects, but in the sum of small, well-executed evenings that remain memorable.

Service for Your Visit: Practical Tips from Tickets to Parking

For a relaxed evening at the Art Purchase House, a few simple steps help. First: Secure tickets early on-site – sales begin according to press reports from Tuesday to Saturday at 7:00 PM and are paused on event days. Second: Arrive on time for popular dates; the free seating rewards early guests with the best view and short wait times at the bar. Third: Plan your arrival – the Altstadt-Passage parking garage is the most comfortable address for drivers, and those using the EasyPark app can keep track of times and costs easily. Fourth: Subscribe to program channels – the venue's Facebook page, the regional portal hof-programm.de, and local media updates keep you up to date. Fifth: Bring openness to diversity – the range spans from powerful band nights to quiet readings and discussion formats; it is precisely this mix that adds to the appeal. And one more tip for newcomers: Feel free to approach the team on the evening if you have questions about the process; in a small setting, quick answers are available without detours. For groups, a brief coordination is worthwhile to find contiguous seats, and for quiet formats, consideration for the room's acoustics is part of the special atmosphere. Those wishing to explore Hof's cultural landscape can also combine their visit with other addresses in the off-scene – many places are just a few minutes apart. This way, the individual evening becomes a small cultural route: park, stroll, drop in, stage – and in the end, return home with a good feeling.

Sources:

• Frankenpost – Full Program at the Art Purchase House (Editorial, 23.09.2024)
• Frankenpost – The Emperor's Cult Pub Turns Ten (Julia Ertel, 21.07.2020)
• StadtLandHof – Gallery House and Art Purchase House: Two Pubs for Concerts, Art, Culture (Dagmar Müller, 23.02.2020)
• Hochfranken Tonkünstler Association – Dates and Information on Events at KKH
• hof-programm.de – Jazz Jam Session (Sample Listing and Venue Profile)
• City of Hof – Parking in Hof (Overview of Downtown Parking)
• Altstadt-Passage Parking Garage – Information, Address, and Opening Hours
• The Phone Book – Art Purchase House, Königstraße 25 (Contact, Opening Hours)
• Art Purchase House Hof – Official Facebook Page