When we consider these various facets of the genesis of innovation—how, where and by whom—our attention inevitably turns to the younger generation.

They’re witty, offbeat, serious and unconventional—there are lots of young people out there work¬ing on exciting projects that get across powerful messages, weave compelling narratives and dis¬play an astoundingly high level of technical skill. Imbued with the creative spirit of youth, they’re going about exploring their environment and self-confidently staking their claim to having a say in how things are.
In this spirit, Ars Electronica is launching a “festival within the Festival” expressly for youngsters. CREATE YOUR WORLD is the title of this future festival of the next generation that is meant to inspire young people, to get them interconnected, and simply to encourage them to give some thought to the world of tomorrow, to come up with new ways of configuring life on this part of the planet, and to experimentally implement their innovations. CREATE YOUR WORLD is an endeavor to initiate a long-term process of design in a regional context—the local settings of everyday life, the technologies we need, our social fabric and our art—and to provide encouragement, advice, aid and infrastructure to youngsters as they go about creating their world. Particular emphasis is placed on cultural education, cooperation among educational and cultural institutions, as well as science edu¬cation for young people.

And the focal-point theme doesn’t just manifest itself as subject matter. The Ars Electronica Quarter consisting of the Ars Electronica Center’s premises and the public spaces surrounding them will become a physical setting designed with youngsters in mind. The venues include Deep Space, the Main Deck and other areas of the museum. Other structures will be going up in between: a tent city consisting of black yurts as well as configurations of vehicles and containers in which the workshops and get-togethers will be held. And as colorfully diverse as the ideas and the festival program itself will be the creative regional offerings served up at the CREATE YOUR WORLD food court!