From Linz to Dubai

Ars Electronica: Change at the top

The Ars Electronica Center is also known as the "Museum of the Future"(Bild: Nicolas Ferrando, Lois Lammerhuber)

A change in the Ars Electronica's personnel line-up: Martin Honzik, previously head of the "Festival-Prix-Exhibitions" division and a member of the festival's management team, is leaving the company after more than 20 years and moving to Dubai. Media expert Veronika Liebl is taking his place.

"His conviction that a media art festival must not hide away in ivory towers, but must push out into the public space and reach out to people, has shaped the character of Ars Electronica and led to numerous spectacular events," says Gerfried Stocker, Director of Ars Electronica, about his long-time colleague Martin Honzik, who is now leaving Linz.

Martin Honzik was responsible for the exhibitions(Bild: Tom Mesic photography)

"Veteran" of the media scene
Honzik, internationally renowned in the media scene, started out as an artist in the Ars Electronica Futurelab. From 2006 onwards, he played a key role in shaping the Ars Electronica media festival and the Ars Electronica Center with his activities and research focus.

Veronika Liebl, media expert and long-time employee(Bild: Martin Hieslmair)

But now he is taking on a new challenge and is taking up the position of Managing Director of Festival X, an interdisciplinary platform for media art in Dubai (United Arab Emirates). However, he will remain associated with Ars Electronica Linz as a media ambassador.

The festival leadership becomes more female
Veronika Liebl, who has been with Ars Electronica since 2011, succeeds Honzik. Most recently, she was in charge of European collaborations, currently 20 projects, including the STARTS Prize, the European Union Prize for Citizen Science and the European Digital Deal.