On the 20th of June, between 10:00 and 18:00, A4 will host a special workshop intended for those curious about using technology as a means of artistic expression. The Creative Programming workshop will provide an introductory outlook into how to bring an interactive artistic project to life, using P5.js, a JavaScript library, as a programming tool.
Learning how to code can often appear as a daunting task to creatives, who may be less “scientifically inclined”. Thanks to remarkable efforts made by members of the open-source community, what was once a medium reserved to mathematicians and developers has become a powerful and more accessible tool for artistic expression. Consequently, technology became increasingly seamlessly integrated within the arts. Motion graphics, interactive web applications, audio and video, typography, 3D modelling, even the use of algorithms in design, architecture and art, are developing at a swift pace.
Such an impressive effort was made with Processing, an open-source development environment started in 2001 with the aim of enabling a wide audience to start programming with a quick, easy to setup and intuitive tool. Later on, to bring Processing’s efficiency to the web, P5.js, a JavaScript library heavily built on Processing’s functions, was developed.
As any journey can become easier when you have company, A4 will be hosting an Introductory Creative Programming Workshop, for those who wish to bring their projects to life with the help of a computer. This introductory workshop will focus on working with graphics and simple interactivity in P5.js.
The workshop will be led by Alexandra Verzier, a recent graduate from the Media Technology MSc at Leiden University (NL). Alexandra’s journey into programming began not long ago, while she was still a university student. According to her, as with any new skill, programming can feel particularly confusing at first. However, with today’s resources and help from the community, it is a skill that anyone can learn given enough time and dedication.
“Programming has a particularly steep learning curve. When you start, you can quickly get overloaded by information and lose motivation. But through time, your brain gets the logic behind it and then it becomes extremely worthwhile. You open doors to learning any new technology, program, software, anything that has to do with computers really.” says Alexandra.
Even without a specific project in mind, learning a programming language is still a task worth taking on. It can provide you with a new outlook on your daily life. For Alexandra, programming made her more persistent because while learning how to code you have to get used to failing. A lot. Then you have to try to figure out what went wrong and try again. For others it may mean better problem solving skills or even an increased attention to detail.
The class will be carried out in English, and it is open to people with programming skills varying from beginner to intermediate level. The admission fee for the class is 10 €. In order to ensure a “one to one” teaching experience, the maximum number of participants who will be able to attend the workshop is 10. In order to register for the workshop participants will have to send an email to workshop@a4.sk.
This seminar is part of the international cooperation project Re-Imagine Europe, co-financed by the EU program Creative Europe, Supported using public funding by Slovak Arts Council and Bratislava – capital of SR. The event takes place also thanks to support from the European Solidarity Corps program.
About A4: A4 – Space for Contemporary Culture is an independent cultural centre focusing on contemporary forms of professional theatre, dance, music, film, visual art and new media. Established in 2004 as a result of a joint effort between several civic cultural organisations, it became one of the first cultural centres in Slovakia founded by a bottom-up initiative. Since its beginning, A4 has been a vivid and active location on the Central European cultural scene, an open field for creative experimentation as well as a home for fresh and unique experiences. Besides presenting innovative contemporary art, it actively supports the new creative activities and education. A4 engages in public debate on important social issues, and attempts to foster conditions for non-commercial cultural activities, culturing of public space, urban development, etc.
Contact info: workshop@a4.sk