Its specific orientation and the long-term continuity it has displayed have made Ars Electronica an internationally unique platform for digital art and media culture. It's made up of four divisions: an avant-garde festival, a competition that functions as a showcase of excellence, a museum dedicated to the mission of imparting knowledge & skills, and a media art lab that makes artistic expertise available for R&D purposes. Since 1979, the reciprocal inspiration of artistic, technical and scientific competence has been opening up new and surprising perspectives, as well as making possible completely new modes of collaboration.