course
description

This will be a 12-week course consisting of slides, class discussions, and hands-on workshopping supplemented by optional readings. By the end of the program, everyone will have worked toward developing a collection of self-hosted tools and infrastructure that complements their practice. Together we will each develop a personalized toolkit that may consist of servers, networks, AI systems, communication tools, and new ways of thinking about digital creativity and autonomy.

Class time will consist of both discussions and hands-on workshop sessions. Lectures will provide context on movements toward technological self-sufficiency and the politics of infrastructure. Workshop sessions will serve as practical introductions to the software and hardware needed for building our own systems. Outside of class, we will have suggested readings to help deepen our understanding of concepts learned in class.

Throughout the course, students will have the opportunity to ask questions, share ideas, and receive feedback on their work as we progress. Ultimately the goal is to gain both the technical skills and conceptual framework to build, maintain, and share digital tools that assist us in our creative and activist practices.

in this program you’ll explore

• Creative and critical perspectives on visual and networked communications

• Hands-on collaborative group work

• Critical and conceptual development of projects for group exhibition

• A variety of guest speakers with varying perspectives and relevant practices around critical tools and technologies

• Mentorship and professional development for artists and creatives

• An opportunity for introspection and self-reflection with others

• An amazing network and community of like-minded creative beings and potential future collaboration

courses

YOUR TITLE HERE
Tuesdays, 3. February - 8. May

This course takes a practical approach to media making, focusing on the creative misuse of technology for art and activism. The goal is to become critical makers who understand and can manipulate the systems around us. We will avoid corporate software in favor of a DIY/open-source framework, building our own tools around our ideas. Over twelve(?) weeks, the curriculum builds toward a final project where students create works that blur the boundaries between digital and physical space. We will bridge the gap between hardware and software starting with basic electronics and 3D fabrication, and evolving into complex systems where the physical world speaks to the virtual.

Learning Objectives

• Develop a critical maker mindset to deconstruct and manipulate technological systems.

• Learn to build custom physical instruments and controllers from scratch.

• Gain the coding literacy required to creatively use and misuse digital tools.

• Understand the workflow between physical inputs (sensors) and digital outputs (software/audio/video).

• Create projects that facilitate bidirectional communication between the physical and virtual worlds.

Core Technical Areas

• Physical computing and electronics (Arduino, sensors, actuators).

• Digital fabrication (3D modeling and 3D printing).

• Creative coding and software integration.

• Communication protocols (MIDI, Serial, network messaging).

• Projection mapping and video manipulation.

• Automation and bot creation (Discord API).

• General internet mischief and open-source tool usage.

YOUR TITLE HERE
Thursdays, 5. February - 8. May

This course explores how to develop your own digital tools - from self-hosted services to custom scripts and alternative infrastructure. Moving beyond being passive users of corporate platforms, we'll learn to set up our own servers, networks, AI systems, and communication tools. Questions around control of data, software, hardware and infrastructure will be tied to larger themes of autonomy, resilience, and community self-sufficiency. An ethos of artistry and activism will be infused throughout as students develop their own toolkit of custom tools, self-hosted services, and alternative infrastructure.

Learning Objectives

• Gain foundational command line skills and systems administration knowledge

• Learn to set up and manage your own web servers and self-hosted applications

• Understand how to run your own local AI/LLM infrastructure

• Build alternative communication networks (mesh, peer-to-peer, radio)

• How to identify which tools serve your practice and assemble them into your own personalized toolkit

Core Technical Areas

• Command line interface and basic scripting

• Self-hosted web servers and applications (Yunohost)

• Local knowledge management (Obsidian)

• Self-hosted LLMs (Ollama) and integration strategies

• Mesh networking (Meshtastic)

• Peer-to-peer protocols (IPFS)

• Radio communication and alternative networks

• Embedded computing with Raspberry Pi

• Additional tools and topics based on student needs and collective curiosity

who is this program for?

This course is for you if you want to understand how the systems you rely on actually work, explore the creative potential of these technologies in your practice, or gain the skills to build and maintain alternatives that serve your communities. No previous experience is necessary, although a willingness to go behind the GUI and get your hands dirty will help you get the most out of this course.

Plan for approximately 5 - 8 hours per week including class time, readings, and project development.

program
instructors

Rachel Uwa
Artist, Educator

Rachel Uwa is an artist and educator with a background in audio engineering and visual effects. She founded the School of Machines, Making & Make-Believe in Berlin, Germany in 2014, an independent school hovering at the intersection of art, technology, design, and human connection. Rachel specializes in working with communities and through her work aims to make the technical sector more diverse and inclusive. She uses technology as a catalyst to encourage others to become more critically-minded, and more deeply engaged with their surroundings and with themselves.