Inspired by
anarchist pedagogies, the school grew out of the
LungA Art Festival, and was founded by Danish artist Jonatan Spejlborg Juelsbo and Icelandic artist and musician Björt Sigfinnsdóttir, the festival's co-founder and director. Like the festival before it, the school's name is a
portmanteau of the Icelandic words 'lista' (art), 'ungur' (young) and 'Austurlandi' (East). The school was formalized in 2013 with the first program launching in 2014, and is one of only two
folk high schools in Iceland, joined by
Lýðháskólinn á Flateyri in 2017. It takes applicants aged 18 years and over from around the world. Programs at the school were originally named '84' after the number of days of their duration. In early 2024 the school started a Land program focused on ideas of land, environment and ecology, with 84 renamed as the Art program. Also in 2024, the school announced they were starting a Radio School to take place entirely on-air from February 2025. ==Facilities==