When we think about the practice and impact of art in times of upheaval, we need to consider not only the artists, but also the institutions that support them. So what role does Ars Electronica play – and what does it actually want to achieve?
Initially founded as just a festival in 1979, Ars Electronica has developed into a unique ecosystem over the decades. Today, it is many things at once: a platform for artists that supports, disseminates and celebrates their work. A forum for activists and initiatives that blur the boundaries between art, science and technology and aim to improve our everyday lives. A learning space that enables students, job seekers and everyone else to engage playfully and critically with new technologies. A laboratory-atelier that develops prototypes that aim to initiate social innovation. A creative partner for companies that helps them not only generate profits, but also create meaning and social benefit. All of this is driven by the question: How do we want to live in the future and how can we make this future a reality?
As part of this year’s festival, we not only want to introduce you to the Ars Electronica ecosystem, but also invite you to talk to us about our current projects. You can talk to the researchers, developers and artists of the Ars Electronica Futurelab, who are experimenting with exciting prototypes at the interface of art, technology and society. Or with the team members of Ars Electronica Solutions, who are working on innovative storytelling for science lighthouses such as the ESA or interactive installations for museums such as the Gasometer Oberhausen or the Pinakothek Munich as well as events such as EXPO 2020 Dubai. Right next door, in the Art Thinking Lounge, we invite you and anyone else interested to take part in various workshops and town halls.
