There are no formal restrictions on who can apply. Individuals and teams from any country and background are welcome. What matters most is genuine interest in the challenge and the ability to develop the proposed project.

There is no strict limit on team size, but each member’s role and contribution should be clearly described in the application. In our experience, teams of up to five people tend to work best.

Individual applications are also welcome if you feel confident you can develop the project on your own. Based on past editions, we know this is absolutely possible.

Your team should have the background needed to realistically develop the proposed project. The School phase provides mentorship and new knowledge, but the Lab is not intended as a full course in programming or artistic training.

Today there are many ways to quickly start working with AI tools, and during the School phase we introduce those most relevant for prototyping ideas. However, we strongly encourage applicants to team up with someone who already has experience with such technologies.

Yes. CultTech Lab is designed as a journey from idea to showcase, so applying with an early concept is completely appropriate. What matters most is that you can clearly explain the idea and how you plan to develop it during the Lab.

The application does not need to be long. One to two pages are enough, as long as the proposal clearly explains the project idea, how it responds to the track’s cultural challenge, the intended outcome, the technologies you plan to use, and the artistic or cultural context it builds on.

Projects can enter the Lab at any stage, including the idea stage. However, if a project is created, further developed, or improved during the CultTech Lab, it should acknowledge the Lab’s role in future presentations.

Yes, the application should indicate the intended format of the outcome, even if it may evolve during development. This helps the selection committee understand the essence of the proposed project. Alternative formats can also be suggested, with a short explanation of how they would affect the realization of the idea.

The application should indicate the expected technical approach. If some aspects still require exploration, this can be noted in the proposal.

It is possible to submit several project ideas within one application, but no more than three. The proposal should clearly show that all team members are interested in and committed to developing any of the ideas presented.

Yes, there are no formal restrictions. However, we encourage participants to realistically assess their time commitment and ability to contribute to each project.

We strongly prefer that the team composition remains unchanged. However, if it turns out that a change is necessary, please inform the selection committee by email at lab@culttech.at

Yes. You can apply to both tracks. Each application should present a project idea relevant to the specific challenge of the track and will be reviewed separately by the respective track team.

Yes, of course.

We consider how clearly the idea is described, how well it responds to the industry challenge, and whether it addresses the cultural question explored by the track. We also look at the team’s background and experience. Ultimately, we seek strong ideas and highly motivated teams ready to develop them.

No. All submitted applications are automatically considered for participation fee support.

The selection committee first chooses applications with ideas relevant to the track challenge. The limited support fund is then distributed among the strongest proposals, where the idea, motivation, and team background are most clearly described.

Regardless of whether a team receives participation support, all selected teams work on their ideas during the School phase and compete for the Studio phase on equal terms.

The School phase concludes with a project pitch where teams present their developed project ideas and plans for realization. Projects advancing to the Studio phase are selected through a competitive process by a jury of internal and external experts. The main criteria are how strongly the project responds to the track challenge, its artistic value, and whether it can be successfully realized within the available time and resources.

Each track is supported by a Learning Team that leads the School phase. The Art Curator and Tech Curator mentor teams as they develop their ideas, supported by the Learning Lead, who facilitates the learning process and exchange between participants. During the Studio phase, the Producer works with the selected teams on production and helps explore opportunities to present their projects on other platforms. Partner Advisors participate throughout the program, bringing the perspective of organizations directly interested in solutions to the cultural challenges addressed by the Lab’s tracks.

CultTech Lab Weekly is an experimental online show series documenting how projects evolve from idea to result and how the teams’ thinking changes along the way. It is also a way to make your project visible beyond the Lab long before the final showcase — in a sense, the public journey begins as soon as a team is admitted. The series is shaped by the CultTech Lab Weekly Director, who works with participants to find the most compelling ways to tell and show their stories.

CultTech Lab Camp marks the beginning of the Studio phase. It brings together the teams selected for Studio from both Lab tracks, along with their curators, mentors, advisors, and invited representatives of partner platforms. The Camp is a space for networking, exchange, and feedback — but above all it is where teams work on planning the production phase of their projects.

All sessions in the School phase take place online. The Studio phase begins with a four-day in-person meeting at the CultTech Lab Camp, after which the production work continues online.

The School phase includes 9 online sessions, plus the final project pitch. Sessions take place once a week in the evening (CET). Participants can also request individual consultations with the track’s learning team when needed.

CultTech Lab works best when teams stay engaged throughout the program. We therefore ask participants to attend the School sessions regularly and remain actively involved during the Studio phase if selected. If you already know that you may be unavailable for part of the program, please mention this in your application so we can take it into account.

The time commitment depends on the project, the size of the team, and the amount of research or exploration needed to develop the idea for the final pitch. As a minimum, teams should expect to dedicate about 5–7 hours per week. In practice, the more time teams invest in their project, the stronger the results and the more they gain from the Lab.

The time commitment depends on the project and the size of the team. During the Studio phase, participants have four months to develop their project into a showcase prototype. Planning the production so that the project can be successfully realized within the available time is one of the key tasks of the Lab, supported by the learning team and the producer.

English.

Yes, of course. We’re always happy to see CultTech Lab projects included in participants’ portfolios.

Yes. We would be very happy to see projects continue their life beyond the Lab — this is one of our goals. During the Studio phase we help teams explore opportunities to present their work on other platforms.

Intellectual property created within the Lab remains the property of its creators. Participants agree to acknowledge the Lab in any future use of resulting works or products by including the credit “Created in CultTech Lab.” If projects developed in the Lab lead to commercial opportunities, any related arrangements are discussed separately. At the beginning of the program, teams sign an agreement with the CultTech Association outlining the general terms of collaboration.