Since its inception in 1979, Ars Electronica has been a global hub for groundbreaking innovation, blending art, science, and technology. Each year, it brings scientists, developers, entrepreneurs, activists, and artists worldwide to the vibrant city of Linz, Austria. This year, the festival’s theme was HOPE—who will turn the tide, helping to spread optimism for the future, and the IMPETUS project was thrilled to participate again, playing a role alongside our fantastic partners as part of the European Union’s Prize for Citizen Science.
2024 marks the second year of the prize, and the IMPETUS team was fortunate to experience this incredible event firsthand. We celebrated the fantastic citizen science projects that were recognised, whether as award winners or honourable mentions and were immersed in the festival’s lively atmosphere.
A Global Collaboration
This year, Ars Electronica drew over 1,260 contributors from 67 countries, with nearly 500 events taking place across Linz. From exhibitions and workshops to discussions and performances, the festival was a sensory overload for its 112,000 attendees. They could test their “road-crossing skills” by trying not to get detected by driverless car sensors, sample food made from edible compost, and even raise funds for climate change charities by cold-calling executives from oil companies, or could cool off a little and watch floating fish “swim” through the basement of POSTCITY.
Whether through AI-driven art installations or cutting-edge research on climate change, the festival created a bridge between art and science, igniting fresh perspectives on our future.
The 2024 Ars Electronica opening ceremony took place at the stunning St. Mary’s Cathedral in the heart of Linz, where attendees were treated to the organ concert “BruQner – The Sound of Entanglement.” This unique performance featured Anton Bruckner’s Perger Präludium, played by two church organs, with entangled photons acting as the conductor. The experimental setup, involving lasers, mirrors, polarizers, and non-linear crystals, was the result of collaboration between artists, organists, computer scientists, and physicists—a true fusion of art and technology.
The night continued with a performance by the Bruckner Orchestra Linz and the 12-piece ensemble “NoFive,” who delivered a bold mash-up of Bruckner’s Fifth Symphony with The White Stripes’ iconic Seven Nation Army, dubbed “Bruckner x Pop x No Wave.”
Citizen Science in the Spotlight
Citizen science took centre stage throughout the festival, and we at IMPETUS were especially excited to see so many old and new friends from the community. On Thursday, we organised a meet-and-greet at the Science Through Society exhibition, where attendees could explore projects spotlighted by the 2024 European Citizen Science Prize and engage with interactive displays, from beans and playground equipment to AI-powered musical instruments.
Later, we attended a citizen science networking event where citizen science practitioners and researchers from across the EU could discuss their project work, share insights, and get to know each other better. It was hosted by our friend and IMPETUS colleague, Vanessa Hannesschläger, who was dressed perfectly for the occasion.
It was a fantastic opportunity to deepen our relationships with European partners, with conversations revolving around Horizon Europe and future collaborations aimed at pushing the boundaries of innovation.
The growing momentum of the Citizen Science movement is undeniable, and we were inspired by the energy and passion radiating from every corner of the festival. It reaffirmed our commitment to collaborative research and innovation as we continue working with some of the brightest minds from across the globe.
The Main Event: Prix Ars Electronica Award Ceremony
After a quick refresh and a change of outfits, it was time for the main event, the Prix Ars Electronica Award Ceremony, the world’s longest-running media art competition celebrating the interface between art, technology and society.
The evening was packed with performances, including a rap performance detailing the impacts of AI on the environment, a captivating dance duo (one partner being a robot), and the powerful music video Smoke and Mirrors by Golden Nica award winner Beatie Wolfe. The video featured a compelling visual narrative of the misinformation spread by significant polluters, paired with alarming data on CO2 production over recent decades.
This year’s Prix Ars Electronica winners included:
In addition to the above awards, this year’s winners of the EU prizes for citizen science were also presented. Click on the links below to learn more about this year’s winners.
The grand prize was awarded to the Increase – Researching how different beans and pulses grow in various areas of Europe and encouraging citizens to plant and nurture novel species.
Diversity and Collaboration Award: SeaPaCS – Working with coastal communities to provide data on the impact of plastic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea and using art to help demonstrate these effects.
Digital Community Award: CoAct for Mental Health— Listening to the lived experience of those suffering from mental health issues to create a chatbot to help share these microstories with others.
We’d like to offer our huge congratulations to all the award winners this year and to all the projects that received honourable mentions!
A Festival for the Senses
This year’s Ars Electronica Festival was truly an immersive experience, featuring everything from concerts by the Cello Octet Amsterdam performing in a robotic cocoon to dance parties where attendees could blow off steam to a mix of rap, techno, and reggaeton.
What Comes Next?
For the IMPETUS team, Ars Electronica has become a yearly pilgrimage—an opportunity to gather in person, share ideas, and map out the future of our project. Next year is set to be even more exciting, as Ars Electronica will host the IMPETUS final conference, where we will showcase the achievements of our Accelerator program and the EU Citizen Science Prize. With a busy year ahead, we can’t wait to return to Linz!
