Day 1: Let the games begin! Or: The Ars Electronica Festival 2019 is now open.

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It was the prelude to almost 550 events with over 1400 accredited artists, experts and speakers from 45 countries. The audience – you! – can explore the festival in a variety of ways on almost 250 individual guided tours, admiring 500 exhibits alone. So let’s get to the festival!

POSTCITY, Welcome Area, Credit: vog.photo

We shared the excitement about the beginning of the festival with a lot of people who probably couldn’t wait any more than we could. Competent support is available at the information desk!

ARS on the WIRE, It started with Cassette Culture, Credit: vog.photo

Another wonderful 40 year project is “ARS on the WIRE“. It shows different initiatives around net art of the last decades at probably the most contemplative place of POSTCITY – the roof top.

Rooftop, Credit: vog.photo

Here you can stroll around, chat, look into the distance and of course slide down!

Credit: vog.photo

The best thing to do yesterday was to slip right into the Create Your World Ceremony!

Create your World Ceremony, Credit: Jürgen Grünwald

Every year, the best young artists are honoured here. A creative future is therefore guaranteed in any case.

Human Limitations – Limited Humanity, Modified Paradise, Credit: vog.photo

Human Limitations – Limited Humanity. The name says it all at this year’s themed exhibition. A must for all festival visitors!

Human Limitations – Limited Humanity im Bunker, Radiosands, Credit: vog.photo

The deep shallows of POSTCITY – the bunker – are being climbed again this year. The focus here is on man’s relationship to his environment – just like his, our, borders.

Campus Exhibition, Sovar, Credit: tom mesic

We stroll on to the Campus Exhibition. This year there are 57 local universities showing their work here.

Campus Exhibition, Interface Cultures, Credit:

Of course also the Interface Cultures of the Kunstuni Linz.

CyberArts, Labor, Credit: tom mesic

We continue to the OÖ Kulturquartier to the CyberArts exhibition. On the way there we stop briefly at the OK Platz and enjoy a few moments of rest after the hustle and bustle in the POSTCITY. Then, however, we will go into the CyberArts exhibition, which shows the best from over 3,000 submitted projects of this year’s Prix Ars Electronica.

CyberArts, Muted Situation, Credit: tom mesic

Be it a journey through life with bipolar disturbance, an orchestra without sound or the smell of exploitation, as touching as it is enlightening…

Ars Electronica Center, Federal Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein and Federal Minister Iris Rauskala, Credit: tom mesic

We change to the other side of the Danube, into the Ars Electronica Center. The new Ars Electronica Center was the venue of a high-ranking visit: Federal Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein and Federal Minister Iris Rauskala.

Ars Electronica Center, Deep Quiz, Credit: tom mesic

Meanwhile, Deep Space mutated into a Deep Quiz. Who do you think won?

Gala, Hannes Leopoldseder, Credit: Jürgen Grünwald

Back in the POSTCITY we slowly went towards the end of the evening – and another highlight! At this year’s “Award Ceremony,” which already took place on Thursday, all artists who have won a prize in an Ars Electronica competition are honored. Hannes Leopoldseder, founder of Ars Electronica, opens the ceremony.

Gala, Federal Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein, Credit: Jürgen Grünwald

Very proud to have a presentation of the Federal Chancellor of Austria, Brigitte Bierlein.

POSTCITY Courtyard, Credit: vog.photo

After the gala everyone gathered in the inner courtyard, where we went straight on. Everyone was in a festive mood and enjoyed the opening with a varied program.

POSTCITY Courtyard, Credit: Philipp Greindl

Like Alex Braga’s A-Mint.

Credit: vog.photo

A wonderful Day 1 at the Ars Electronica Festival.

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