Long Nights / Kholod Hawash (IQ), Photo: Markus Schneeberger

“State of the ART(ist)” focuses on artists who face threats to their existence. These threats may come in the form of repression or political persecution by unjust regimes or democratically legitimized governments. They may also face danger due to open hostilities, loss of livelihood from environmental disasters or natural catastrophes, and precarious living conditions due to exploitation.

2024 Open Call 2024

In addition to two main prizes of €3,000 each and eight honorary mention prizes of €750 each, the Digital Deal Award offers the opportunity to win an additional €2,000. The winners will also have the opportunity to present their projects to an international audience both in the Virtual Kunsthalle and as part of an exhibition at the 2024 Ars Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria.

Deadline: May 20, 2024

“The brutal war of aggression against Ukraine and the repression against artists in Russia show that freedom of artistic expression cannot be taken for granted everywhere.
Together with Ars Electronica, we are sending a signal of solidarity and offering artists a space for their work that is denied to them elsewhere. In this way, we are creating an international platform to strengthen freedom of expression.”

Alexander Schallenberg, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Austria
Ars Electronica
Austrian Ministry of Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport
Austrian Ministry of European and International Affairs
European Digital Deal
Co-funded by the European Union

“State of the ART(ist)” includes an Open Call as well as a presentation of the winning projects at the Ars Electronica Festival – September 4 to 8, 2024. The project is a collaboration between Ars Electronica and the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Timeline

April 15, 2024Start of the worldwide Open Call
May 20, 2024Submission deadline
May and June 2024Jury Meeting
July 2024The 2024 winners are presented
September 4 – 8, 20242024 Ars Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria