Linz FMR 19: New Biennial for Digital Art in Public Spaces Launches in Ars Electronica's Hometown

Linz FMR 19, a new biennial dedicated to digital art in public spaces, will take place from March 27 to 30 in the Donaupark area along the Danube in Linz, Austria. The event is organized by a collective of five local cultural institutions: qujOchÖ, servus.at, Atelierhaus Salzamt, the Department of Cultural Studies at the University of Art and Design Linz, and the private gallery Sturm und Drang. It features a group exhibition with about 20 artists, accompanied by a four-day festival program including guided tours, conferences, artist talks, concerts, and parties. The biennial aims to make visible the presence of technologies in daily life and foster public debate. Unlike Ars Electronica, which focuses on economically viable projects and takes place indoors, Linz FMR emphasizes ephemeral, digital-born works in open-air settings. Participating artists include Suzanne Treister, Clemens Valla, Filippo Minelli, the collective Hybris, the Italian duo The Cool Couple, and Isabella Auer. The organizers describe the format as dedicated to the ephemeral and transitory, with works often originating online and being recontextualized in public space.