Abstract
Festivals are inherently connected with the places in which they are held, shaping the image of the location and the identity of the inhabitants. They are often used by municipalities to achieve the goals of urban policy within the context of the "festivalising" of urban policy.
However, the relationship between city and festival is not one-sided. The location itself (local politics, subcultures, cultural background of residents, etc.) sets the conditions for the emergence and development of any cultural event.
This issue is closely related to the development of the City of Linz and its relationship to the Ars Electronica Festival. This paper is an excursion into the city history, with its multiple geopolitical, urban and socio-cultural changes of the last century, and the context in which the foundation of the Ars Electronica Festival is observed.