Aisling Murray delivered a keynote address on Friday 5th September at this year’s prestigious Ars Electronica festival in Linz, Austria.
Titled “Beta Testing Democracy: When Systems Fail, Culture Steps In”, the talk explores the role of cultural spaces as “civic laboratories” in an age of eroding trust in democratic systems.
In her keynote, Murray,who is also the founder and director of Ireland’s Beta Festival, argues that while technology, surveillance, and disinformation challenge democratic ideals, culture provides a space for communities to reclaim agency. Through collaborative art, dialogue, and experimentation, grassroots practices can become a rehearsal ground for democracy itself. When democracy falters, Aisling believes the response shouldn’t be hopelessness but a collective reimagining of civic engagement.
Aisling Murray’s work at the intersection of art, technology and society has fostered close collaboration over the years. As the research partner for Beta Festival, ADAPT collaborates on projects like the Ethics Studio, an interactive exhibition that invites the public to engage with and reflect on the societal implications of AI and other digital technologies.
Aisling’s role as Innovation Catalyst for the STARTS4WaterII project coordinated by Laura Grehan, Head of Education, Engagement and Societal Impact at ADAPT in DCU further strengthens this partnership. This European initiative brings together artists, scientists and technologists to address complex environmental and societal challenges in Europe’s port cities. Three artists have spent the past year in residencies in Dublin, Belfast, and Galway ports, and their work will be featured in a special exhibition at the upcoming Beta Festival 2025 in November. Stay tuned to the Beta Festival website for the full programme announcement: https://betafestival.ie/
