Organizer Information
Ars Electronica and the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs jointly organise State of the ART(ist) – Cultural Diplomacy and the Freedom of Art, an international initiative supporting artists and cultural practitioners working under conditions of risk, repression, and instability. Ars Electronica, based in Linz, is internationally recognised for its pioneering role in media art, digital culture, technology-based artistic practices, and interdisciplinary cultural dialogue. Since 1979, the organization has operated one of the world’s leading platforms for experimental and socially engaged art through exhibitions, festivals, research programs, and archives.
The initiative combines cultural diplomacy with artistic advocacy by creating visibility and professional support for artists whose work is affected by war, censorship, environmental crisis, systemic exploitation, digital surveillance, or social inequality. Through this programme, Ars Electronica seeks to strengthen international solidarity and encourage artistic freedom as a fundamental human right.
Title & Description
State of the ART(ist) 2026 – Cultural Diplomacy and the Freedom of Art
State of the ART(ist) 2026 is an international open call supporting artists, collectives, activists, researchers, curators, and interdisciplinary practitioners whose work engages with urgent political, social, environmental, and human rights issues. The initiative explores the relationship between artistic expression, activism, resistance, and freedom of expression in times of increasing global instability.
The programme specifically supports practitioners whose livelihoods or creative freedom are endangered by political persecution, censorship, armed conflict, displacement, digital surveillance, ecological destruction, systemic inequality, or exploitative working conditions. Rather than focusing on conventional artistic production, the open call emphasizes projects that function as acts of witnessing, intervention, advocacy, and social dialogue.
The initiative welcomes a broad spectrum of formats and practices, including socially engaged art, media art, advocacy projects, AI-based works, community actions, performances, grassroots interventions, social software projects, curatorial initiatives, and experimental interdisciplinary formats. There are no medium restrictions, provided the submitted work meaningfully addresses themes related to freedom, risk, and human rights.
Selected winning projects will receive financial awards, international visibility, exhibition opportunities at the Ars Electronica Festival 2026, networking support, and long-term archival inclusion within the internationally renowned Ars Electronica Archive.
Categories
- Media Art
- Digital Art
- AI & Technology-Based Art
- Interdisciplinary Arts
- Performance
- Human Rights & Social Practice
- Curatorial Practice
- Activism & Advocacy Projects
- Multimedia
- Installation
- Research-Based Art
- Community & Participatory Art
- Experimental Practices
- Hybrid & Cross-Disciplinary Projects
Eligibility
The open call is international and open to both individuals and collectives working in artistic, cultural, social, academic, activist, or interdisciplinary fields.
Eligible applicants include:
- Artists and artist collectives
- Curators and cultural practitioners
- Writers and critics
- Scientists and researchers
- NGOs and activist groups
- Public institutions and associations
- Entrepreneurs and interdisciplinary practitioners
Applicants must demonstrate that their work or livelihood is directly affected by conditions such as:
- Political repression or censorship
- War, violence, or forced displacement
- Environmental crisis or ecological destruction
- Digital surveillance or restrictions on freedom of expression
- Economic exploitation or systemic inequality
Anonymous submissions are permitted. Applicants are only required to provide a valid email address for communication purposes.
Commercial or propagandistic projects are not eligible.
Program Benefits & Awards
Selected winners will receive substantial international visibility and financial support, including:
- Main Prize: €6,000
- Award of Distinction: €4,000
Additional benefits include:
- Exhibition and presentation at the Ars Electronica Festival 2026 in Austria
- International networking opportunities with curators, institutions, and media art professionals
- Invitation for one representative from each winning project to attend the festival in Linz
- Access to one of the world’s most important digital media art communities
- Inclusion in the Ars Electronica Archive, documenting media art practices since 1979
- Professional exposure through talks, presentations, and festival programming
The initiative also facilitates long-term professional connections between participating artists and international curators.
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Project proposal or artwork documentation
- Description of the project concept and context
- Information explaining the risks or threats connected to the applicant’s situation
- Portfolio or supporting visual/documentary materials
- Biography or collective profile (optional for anonymous submissions)
- Contact email address
Applications may include completed works, ongoing projects, actions, performances, advocacy initiatives, or experimental concepts.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 24 May 2026
- Winner Announcement: End of July 2026
- Ars Electronica Festival: September 9–13, 2026
- Festival Location: Linz, Austria
Location
Linz, Austria
Additional Details
State of the ART(ist) places strong emphasis on ethical participation and international human rights principles. The initiative explicitly rejects discrimination based on nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or political context, while also maintaining a curatorial review process to ensure participant safety and project authenticity.
The programme understands artistic practice as a tool for dialogue, empathy, critical reflection, and transnational understanding. Submitted projects are evaluated based on artistic quality rather than the severity of the applicant’s circumstances, although proof of risk or instability remains a basic eligibility requirement.
A major strength of the initiative is its openness to unconventional and experimental formats. Projects can range from AI systems and digital activism tools to performances, social interventions, curatorial research, or grassroots collective actions. The focus remains on artistic impact, critical engagement, and the role of art within contemporary global crises.