The first 3GPP Long Term Evolution standard version is complete and ready to be deployed. Although it increases peak data rate and spectral efficiency compared to legacy techniques, cell-edge and average user throughputs are still significantly lower than the peak rates. In the LTE-Advanced Study Item, ways to extend LTE are being explored. However, some of the considered techniques are complex and significant research efforts are needed to bring these techniques to reality.The main ARTIST4G project objective is to improve the ubiquitous user experience of cellular mobile radio communications systems by satisfying the following requirements:¿\tHigh spectral efficiency and user data rate across the whole coverage area¿\tFairness between users¿\tLow cost per information bit¿\tLow latencyThis objective will be achieved by developing innovative concepts out of promising ideas from the research ecosystem, and benchmarking them with the state-of-the-art. The technologies identified to fulfil the above requirements are:¿\tInterference avoidance¿\tInterference exploitation¿\tAdvanced relay techniquesARTIST4G will build upon projects such as EASY-C, where first steps towards integration of these technologies in cellular systems have been made, but also address new aspects like:¿\tAdvanced multi-cell scheduling for adaptive and efficient usage of interference management and relaying techniques in appropriate scenarios¿\tImpact of the innovative concepts on the network architectureARTIST4G will not only use theoretical analysis and simulations to develop and validate innovative concepts based on these technologies, but also enable proof-of-concept via hardware prototypes and field trials in a representative testbed.It is expected that ARTIST4G will create a major impact on standardization and provide the partners with a technological head-start that will strengthen the European position in cellular communications.