Beta Festival
Beta Festival is Ireland's annual art and technology festival, founded in 2023 in Dublin, delivering exhibitions, performances, workshops, and conferences across multiple venues. It serves artists, researchers, policymakers, and the general public, exploring emerging technologies (AI, VR/AR, quantum) and their societal implications.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersDublin, Ireland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Beta Festival does
Beta Festival is an Irish non-profit arts festival founded in 2023 and headquartered in Dublin, positioned as Ireland's only festival critically engaging with art and technology. The organisation operates an annual multi-venue programme spanning exhibitions, performances, workshops, and conferences, with the 2025 edition running 7-23 November across venues including IMMA, Dublin Port's The Substation, The Digital Hub (Digital Depot and The Bank), Project Arts Centre, Pallas Projects, Alliance Française, and partner locations in Belfast (Riddel's Warehouse) and Galway (Port of Galway). Editorial focus centres on emerging technologies — AI, VR/AR, quantum, 3D scanning, mixed reality, live coding — and their societal and ecological implications, with explicit alignment to Ireland's National AI Strategy and National Digital Strategy.
The festival does not build proprietary technology products. Its core assets are curatorial: a programmed portfolio of artist residencies, commissions, and interactive exhibitions such as the Ethics Studio, AI Art Assembly, Undercurrent: As Below So Above, Local Artists Network, and Beta x Living Canvas at IMMA. The festival's Research Lead is a postdoctoral AI ethics fellow at the ADAPT Centre (University College Dublin), and ADAPT co-designs the Ethics Studio as a research partnership.
Beta Festival's go-to-market is event-driven: an annual flagship festival supplemented by year-round programme strands (AI Art Assembly, Ethics Studio, Algowatch, residency exchanges). The revenue model is overwhelmingly grant-funded, with primary sources including The Digital Hub (state agency, five-year commitment 2023-2028), Arts Council of Ireland, Science Week / Research Ireland, the European Commission (S+T+ARTS, Creative Europe / STUDIOTOPIA), French Embassy, Institut Français, British Council, Coimisiún na Meán, and Science Foundation Ireland. Earned revenue from ticketing is explicitly minor — conference day tickets priced at €25 (Friday) and €30 (Saturday) — and most festival events are free, indicating a public-engagement orientation over revenue maximisation. The festival is led by Founder & Director Aisling Murray, with Event Manager Anne Kearns and Research Lead Paul O'Neill, supplemented by volunteers during festival periods.
Beta Festival firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Beta Festival
- Legal name
- Beta Festival
- Website
- https://betafestival.ie
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Beta Festival is Ireland's annual art and technology festival, founded in 2023 in Dublin, delivering exhibitions, performances, workshops, and conferences across multiple venues. It serves artists, researchers, policymakers, and the general public, exploring emerging technologies (AI, VR/AR, quantum) and their societal implications.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Beta Festival industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Arts and Technology Festival Events
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arts & Culture Community Festivals (Multidisciplinary Arts Weeks) (MPAGAEAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Fan Conventions Organizers (THAHABAN), Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI)
Keywords
Where Beta Festival is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dublin
- HQ country
- Ireland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Beta Festival business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Festival Tickets and Events: Beta Festival charges for conference day tickets (€25-30) and some events, while many events offer free admission. Revenue from ticket sales is a minor component compared to grant funding.
- Public and Private Grant Funding: Primary funding comes from The Digital Hub, Science Week, The Arts Council, European Commission programmes (S+T+ARTS, Creative Europe, Studiotopia), Science Foundation Ireland, and international cultural bodies including French Embassy, British Council, and Institut Français.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | One-time | Conference Day Tickets - Friday and Saturday |
| Freemium | One-time | AI Art Assembly |
| Freemium | One-time | AI, Design & Cultural Heritage Panel |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Beta Festival product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Beta Festival operates Ireland's annual festival of art and technology, presenting exhibitions, performances, workshops, talks, and conferences that critically engage with emerging technologies and their societal implications. Programming is delivered across multiple Dublin venues and partner locations in Belfast and Galway, supported by ticket sales, a separate annual conference, and the AI Art Assembly initiative. Core offerings include the festival itself, the annual conference, the Ethics Studio interactive space, the Local Artists Network strand, and pan-European residency exchanges through S+T+ARTS and STUDIOTOPIA.
Product overview
Beta Festival is Ireland's annual festival of art and technology, critically engaging with technology's impact on society through creativity, debate, and experimentation. The festival operates as a portfolio of interconnected programmes: the core Beta Festival event (with annual editions like 2025); the annual Conference exploring art, technology and ecological themes; the Ethics Studio interactive research space; the AI Art Assembly initiative examining AI's impact on the arts; and the Local Artists Network supporting emerging Irish artists. The 2025 edition runs 7th-23rd November featuring exhibitions including Undercurrent: As Below, So Above (S+T+ART4WaterII residencies), Beta x Living Canvas at IMMA collaborations, and multiple interactive Ethics Studio installations exploring AI literacy, algorithmic awareness, and digital ethics.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Beta Festival (Annual Festival) Ireland's annual festival of art and technology, critically engaging with the impact of emerging technologies on society through exhibitions, performances, talks, workshops, and conferences delivered across multiple Dublin venues and partner locations in Belfast and Galway. Aimed at the general public, artists, researchers, and institutional partners.
- Beta Festival Conference Annual conference bringing together artists, researchers, policymakers, and technologists to explore how art can shape and be shaped by technological and ecological realities, featuring keynotes, panels, workshops, and performances. Conference day tickets priced at €25 (Friday) and €30 (Saturday), with limited €5 door tickets.
- AI Art Assembly Initiative comprising roundtable discussions with artists, researchers, educators, policymakers, and technologists examining the impact of artificial intelligence on artistic practice and cultural institutions. Free to attend with separate registration.
- S+T+ARTS4WaterII Residencies (Irish strand) Residency programme pairing artists with research and harbour partners in Dublin, Galway, and Belfast to develop new work on water, technology, and ecology, presented as part of the Undercurrent exhibition at the festival.
- STUDIOTOPIA Residencies Two 12-month artist-in-residence placements pairing emerging artists with established scientists, with exhibitions through 2027, delivered in partnership with The Digital Hub and supported by Creative Europe.
Quantifiable outcome
- Festival runs annually for 2+ weeks overlapping with Science Week and Irish Design Week
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Beta Festival
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Beta Festival technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Beta Festival partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- The Digital HubcoreCo-founder and primary institutional partner of Beta Festival. The Digital Hub, managed by the Digital Hub Development Agency (state agency), has made a five-year commitment to the festival (2023-2028). Provides venue space (Digital Depot, The Bank), incubation support, and ongoing operational backing. Beta Festival is incubated by and supported by The Digital Hub.
- ADAPT Research Centre (DCU)coreResearch partner for Beta Festival, providing ongoing collaboration on AI, ethics, and digital culture. ADAPT (SFI Research Centre for AI-Driven Digital Content) co-designs the Ethics Studio exhibition space, supports artist residencies, and provides academic framing for festival programming. ADAPT and Beta collaborated on S+T+ARTS4WaterII residencies and AI Art Assembly.
- European Commission S+T+ARTS ProgrammecoreEuropean Commission initiative (Science, Technology and Arts) supporting innovation addressing global challenges. Beta Festival serves as Irish hub for S+T+ARTS4WaterII programme, facilitating 3 of 20 European residencies on the island of Ireland (Dublin Port, Port of Galway, Belfast Harbour). Provides €40,000 budget per residency.
- French Embassy in Ireland / Institut FrançaismajorPartner through Novembre Numérique programme supporting French cultural programming at the festival. Provides support for events including HeartBeat installation by Bonnie Lisbon and Harry Clunet-Farlow, and French Tech Dublin collaborations. Also supported Kat Austen residency.
- transmediale (Berlin)majorBeta x transmediale residency exchange programme for artists between Dublin and Berlin. Funded by Arts Council of Ireland International Residency Initiatives. Four artists selected (2023): Bassam Issa Al-Sabah, bela and Kloxii, Mac Andre Arboleda, Nadia J. Armstrong.
- STUDIOTOPIA ProgrammemajorEuropean art-science residency programme supported by Creative Europe. Beta Festival and The Digital Hub facilitate two 12-month residencies pairing emerging artists with established scientists. Supported by Creative Europe CREA-CULT-2023-COOP-3 grant. Programme runs December 2024-December 2025 with exhibitions through 2027.
- Creative Futures AcademyminorEducational partner supporting festival programming and student engagement including CFA Digital Making Showcase at iD8 Studio.
- Dublin Port CompanymajorS+T+ARTS4WaterII residency partner hosting Siobhán McDonald's SHAPESHIFTER project. Venue partner for The Substation hosting Undercurrent exhibition. Dublin Port provides support through Smart Dublin and Waterways Ireland partnerships.
- Port of Galway / Galway Culture CompanymajorS+T+ARTS4WaterII residency partner hosting Kat Austen's project which premiered at Galway International Arts Festival 2025. Supported by Galway City Council and Culture Works.
- Belfast Harbour / Maritime MilemajorS+T+ARTS4WaterII residency partner hosting Lauren Moffatt's Chorcorallium project. Supported by Digital Arts Studios Belfast, Maritime Trust Belfast, and Belfast City Council.
- Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA)majorLiving Canvas venue partner for Beta x IMMA dual screening programme presenting DISNOVATION.ORG's Counter-narratives of Water and Liam Young's The Great Endeavour. Festival-first partnership for 2025.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Beta Festival competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- MUTEK: Montreal-origin international festival for digital art and electronic music. Comparable as an art+technology festival with international footprint, though with stronger music/DJ orientation.
Direct peers
- STRP Festival: Eindhoven-based festival exploring the relationship between art, technology, and science. Directly comparable as a European art+technology festival with critical/ethical framing.
- transmediale: Berlin-based annual festival for art and digital culture, with a residency exchange programme directly partnering with Beta Festival. Highly comparable as a peer art+technology festival focused on critical engagement with technology.
- Sónar: Barcelona-based festival of advanced music, art, and technology. Comparable as an established art+technology festival combining creative programming with critical engagement and commercial appeal.
- CTM Festival: Berlin-based festival for adventurous music and art, with strong focus on technology, networks, and critical discourse. Comparable peer festival at the art+technology intersection.
- Science Gallery Dublin: Trinity College Dublin-affiliated venue that pioneered the art-science-public engagement format in Ireland. Beta Festival Founder Aisling Murray previously worked here, and it serves as a direct precedent for Beta's positioning.
Regional players
- Dublin Fringe Festival: Ireland's leading multi-disciplinary performance festival. Comparable as a Dublin-based multi-arts festival, though with broader performance focus rather than art+technology specialization.
- Galway International Arts Festival: Major Irish multi-disciplinary arts festival where Beta Festival's S+T+ARTS4WaterII residency work premiered. Comparable as an Irish arts festival with similar partnership-based model.
- Body & Soul: Irish arts and music festival where Beta Festival Founder Aisling Murray previously worked as Programme Manager. Comparable as a peer Irish festival, though with broader music focus rather than art+technology specialization.
Broad incumbents
- Ars Electronica: Long-established Linz-based festival and research institution for art, technology, and society. A larger, more established incumbent in the same art+technology festival category, with broader scope and global recognition.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Beta Festival social profiles
Digital presenceBeta Festival financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Beta Festival leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Beta Festival funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Beta Festival M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Beta Festival
What does Beta Festival do?
Beta Festival operates Ireland's annual festival of art and technology, presenting exhibitions, performances, workshops, talks, and conferences that critically engage with emerging technologies and their societal implications. Programming is delivered across multiple Dublin venues and partner locations in Belfast and Galway, supported by ticket sales, a separate annual conference, and the AI Art Assembly initiative. Core offerings include the festival itself, the annual conference, the Ethics Studio interactive space, the Local Artists Network strand, and pan-European residency exchanges through S+T+ARTS and STUDIOTOPIA.
Is Beta Festival a public or private company?
Beta Festival is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Beta Festival founded?
Beta Festival was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Beta Festival based?
Beta Festival is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, in the Europe region.
How does Beta Festival make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Festival Tickets and Events are the primary driver. The others are public and Private Grant Funding.
Who are Beta Festival's main competitors?
MUTEK is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are STRP Festival, transmediale, Sónar, CTM Festival and Science Gallery Dublin. Regional players are Dublin Fringe Festival, Galway International Arts Festival and Body & Soul. Ars Electronica is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Beta Festival have an API?
No public API is recorded for Beta Festival.
What industry is Beta Festival in?
Beta Festival's product category is Arts and Technology Festival Events. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAEAG, Arts & Culture Community Festivals (Multidisciplinary Arts Weeks), with a secondary code of THAHABAN, Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Fan Conventions Organizers. Its NAICS code is 711320 and its SIC code is 7990.