Created in 1987 by Hannes Leopoldseder, the Prix Ars Electronica has become one of the most prestigious media arts awards in the world, standing out as an important indicator and promoter of the artistic work developed at the intersection of art, technology, and society.

Part of the annual Ars Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria, the Prix Ars Electronica honors artists from all over the world in three main categories:

• New Animation Art for works that explore and experiment with visual expression at the intersection of animation, art and technology.

• Artificial Life & Intelligence for artistic proposals and thinking related to Artificial Life, Artificial Intelligence, and Life Sciences. This category includes artwork engaging with Biotech, Genetic Engineering, Synthetic Biology, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and any other form of Artificial Intelligence Research.

• Digital Musics & Sound Art for contemporary digital music & sound productions from the broad spectrum of electronica. Works combining sound and media, computer compositions ranging from electro-acoustic to experimental music, and sound installations are also included.​

The winning artists in each of these categories will receive the coveted Golden Nica statuettes, a prize worth €10,000 per category, and the opportunity to have their work exhibited at the Ars Electronica Festival exhibition programme, taking place in Linz (Austria) from September 3 to 7, 2025. Participation in the Prix Ars Electronica is free of charge and takes place exclusively online. Each work can only be submitted to one category, although each artist can compete with more than one proposal. 

In addition to these categories, the Prix Ars Electronica also presents the u19 - Create Your World category, aimed at young artists up to the age of 19 living in Austria. This award recognizes Young Creatives - young people up to the age of 14, with prizes of between €450 and €500 - and Young Professionals - young people aged 14 to 19, with a Golden Nica statuette + €3,000 and prizes of €800.

The open call closes on March 5 and the results will be announced on July 5. More information about the prize and submissions is available at ars.electronica.art.