Program

"u19 – freestyle computing" is Austria’s largest computer competition for young people. It’s been held annually since 1998 in conjunction with the Prix Ars Electronica and has successfully established itself as a setting in which the creative spirit of youth can interface with our digital future. The growing number and diversity of submissions each year—including Internet applications, websites, graphics, computer animation, sounds and homebrew hardware & software—bespeak an unconventional and creative encounter with our mediatized society.

During the Festival, this year’s winners will be on display in the Simulation Lab (2nd Upper Level).

In the permanent exhibition on the 1st Upper Level, visitors can use an interactive card table to get an overview of the 2007 prizewinning projects. Exemplary efforts from prior years and the 3- to 19-year old artists who created them are showcased on the Wall of Fame.
The Simulation Lab features an array of stations that let visitors get a close-up look at these innovative ideas and follow the development of prizewinning projects. Here, u19 fans can also try out games and Web applications—a great way to check out some talented young people’s approaches to Web 2.0 and social software. Imagination and creativity blend with implementation possibilities oriented on actual practice, and show—among other things—that learning really can be a lot of fun.