Art Hack Day is a hackathon event focused on art. Fifty to sixty artists, engineers, researchers, and others selected through an open recruitment process come together over three days to create works that fuse art and technology.
On the first day, participants come up with project concepts and form teams of about five members who share an interest in the concept. This is followed by a two-week independent work period (used to procure parts, test technologies, etc.). On the second and third group work days, teams create their projects. Also on the third day, artists, researchers, and other leaders in fields such as technology, art, and mediacritique and judge the projects. All works are exhibited after Art Hack Day concludes, and participants whose projects were awarded a prize receive support in arranging individual exhibits and promoting their work in the media.
The event, Japan’s first hackathon focused exclusively on art, was launched in 2014 with the aim of encouraging the emergence of new art groups and art-oriented startups. Including co-sponsored events, Art Hack Day has taken place four times so far, with 237 individuals participating in 49 teams that have produced a total of 49 projects. Some of these projects have been exhibited at international art festivals or prominent galleries, and the event is gaining a reputation as an opportunity for artists to seek new methods of expression in collaboration with engineers and researchers, as well as for those working in fields outside of art to participate in making art.