This annual award, part of the S+T+ARTS (Science, Technology and the Arts) initiative funded by the European Commission, honours projects with the potential to significantly impact economic and social innovation. Since 2016, this S+T+ARTS has funded 189 residencies with €6 million and honoured 238 STARTS Prize projects.
The Prize awards two categories: The Grand Prize – Artistic Exploration, which recognises artistic research and works with the potential to influence or change the way technology is used, applied or perceived; and The Grand Prize – Innovative Collaboration, awarded to projects that merge industry or technology and the arts.
This year’s jury, consisting of Francesca Bria (IT), Fumi Hirota (JP), Manuela Naveau (AT), Katja Schechtner (AT), and Miha Turšič (SI/NL), selected the 2024 winners from 1308 applications submitted by participants from 81 countries.
The Grand Prize – Artistic Exploration was awarded to Kate Crawford (AU) and Vladan Joler (RS) for their work “Calculating Empires: A Genealogy of Power and Technology 1500-2025” (2023). This large-scale visual manifesto examines the relationship between technology and power over five centuries. The jury comments “By seeing how past powers have calculated, we can begin to calculate the costs of contemporary empires. (…). Calculating Empires challenges us to redefine our relationship with current socio-technical structures.”
Piercarlo Quecchia – DSL Studio / @piercarloquecchia – @dsl__studio, Courtesy: Fondazione Prada.
The Grand Prize – Innovative Collaboration was awarded to Arts at CERN, a programme part of the European Laboratory for Particle Physics in Geneva, Switzerland. It has been inviting artists since 2021 to explore how physicists and engineers use the world’s largest and most complex scientific instruments to investigate fundamental questions about the Universe. The jury comments “In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, (…) the integration of arts, science, and technology is crucial. Arts at CERN exemplifies how leveraging key scientific and technological infrastructures, multidisciplinary talent, and capacity in Europe can drive innovation and foster a collaborative innovation that truly serves the public interest.”
Each prize comes with a €20,000 award and the winning projects will be featured at Ars Electronica Festival from 4 to 8 September 2024, in Linz, Austria, as well as at other events organised by the consortium partners.
Cover image: Kate Crawford and Vladan Joler (2023), Courtesy of artists.
