Computer programming is the designing and writing of source code for computer software; code is the building block for every piece of technology around us. A growing, coordinated effort to build “code literacy” has gained momentum in recent years with the launch of numerous local workshops and free online programs aimed to teach anyone any kind of programming language. All this activity has raised important questions concerning how we interact with our increasingly programmed world.

This August, Rhizome is pleased to host Kitchen Table Coders Presents: Learn to Code from an Artist. This is a two-part event: the first part is a panel discussion, the second is a workshop exploring the practice of teaching and utilizing code in an artistic context. The event will take place over the course of two days in the New Museum Theater.

In this first event, the Kitchen Table Coders will present their teaching philosophy and methodology, which emphasizes collaborative learning experiences by blurring the line between student and teacher, and will discuss the issues and trends in code and computer literacy in the arts with a panel of educators and artists in the field. Panelist include Amit Pitaru of Kitchen Table Coders; Jer Thorpe, artist and educator; Sonali Sridhar of Hacker School; and moderated by Douglas Rushkoff, educator and author of Program or Be Programmed: Ten Commands for a Digital Age

The following day, small Kitchen Table Coders-style workshops, hosted by artists working with code, will provide a gentle introduction to the basics of code and programming. Space is limited and seats are on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Kitchen Table Coders are Amit Pitaru, David Nolan, Jeff Crouse, and Ted Hayes - a group of professional programmers with a passion for knowledge sharing, began to host small workshops around a kitchen table in their Brooklyn studio space. Open to anyone interested in learning code, the Kitchen Table Coders keep their workshop classes small to create personalized and collaborative learning experiences. kitchentablecoders.com

Organized by Rhizome, the New Silent Series receives major support from The Rockefeller Foundation, and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Additional support is provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and the New York State Council on the Arts.

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