Artists Running Data Centers: Hacktivist Infrastructure and servus.at

Edited by Davide Bevilacqua, the book 'Artists Running Data Centers' delves into the global hacktivist movement that managed servers from before the internet to its public phase. It highlights servus.at, a historical collective for internet systems and services situated in Linz, Austria, within the autonomous cultural center Stadtwerkstatt, directly across from the Ars Electronica Centre. This volume features interviews with prominent members of servus.at, discussing their virtual machines for artists, connections to the AMRO – Art Meets Radical Openness event, and related groups. These discussions uncover the history of public networks, their political and relational aspects, collaborative infrastructure efforts, economic challenges, and the innovative spirit of their projects. The 96-page English publication (ISBN 978-3950420036), released by servus.at in 2024, captures a scene where critical theory and technical expertise intersect.