Around 1950 Friedrich M. Welz dealt more and more with the idea of founding a summer academy for fine arts in Salzburg and winning Oskar Kokoschka as artistic director. The idea could be realized. In 1953, Friedrich M. Welz and Oskar Kokoschka founded the International Summer Academy for Fine Arts “School of Seeing” in Salzburg.
Their aim was to provide impetus. Through contact with personalities in the arts, students should learn to see and find their own way.
In addition to Kokoschka, Giacomo Manzù, Emilio Greco and Fritz Wotruba, among others, were able to be won over as teachers. Welz headed the summer academy until Oskar Kokoschka left in 1963.