About the challenge

Hack The Arts is a global, online hackathon inviting participants to explore how technology can unlock entirely new forms of creative expression. The challenge is centered on the theme: “Create art that couldn’t exist without technology.” Rather than using code as a tool to replicate traditional art, participants are encouraged to build projects that define new artistic mediums through interactivity, computation, and intelligent systems.

Submissions may include generative art, interactive experiences, creative coding tools, AI-assisted artistic workflows, or entirely new forms of digital expression. Strong projects will go beyond static outputs, emphasizing systems that respond, evolve, or engage users in meaningful ways. Participants are encouraged to experiment, take creative risks, and think critically about how technology shapes the way art is created and experienced.

 

Hack The Arts is open to beginners and experienced builders alike. Whether you are a developer, designer, or artist, the goal is to learn, build, and push the boundaries of what art can be in a digital world.

Get started

  1. Register for the hackathon on Devpost and join the Discord server.
  2. Form a team of up to four participants or work individually.
  3. Brainstorm ideas that align with the theme and explore creative directions.
  4. Start building during the official Build Period using any tools, frameworks, or technologies.
  5. Attend optional workshops, mentorship sessions, and community events for guidance and inspiration.
  6. Submit your project before the deadline, including a demo, source code, and project description.

 

If you are unsure where to begin, start by thinking about how art could respond to something dynamic, such as sound, movement, data, or user interaction, and build from there.

Requirements

What to Build

 

Build a project that aligns with the theme: “Create art that couldn’t exist without technology.” Your project should combine code and creativity to produce an interactive, generative, or computational form of art. This may include, but is not limited to, creative coding tools, AI-assisted artistic systems, immersive experiences, data-driven visuals, or experimental digital mediums. Projects should emphasize interactivity, evolution, or user engagement rather than static outputs. All work must be created substantially during the Build Period.

What to Submit

Each submission must include the following:

  • A working project demo, provided as a live link or a recorded video
  • A publicly accessible source code repository
  • A written project description explaining the concept, implementation, and technologies used
  • Clear attribution for any third-party assets, libraries, or APIs used

 

Submissions must be complete and submitted before the deadline. Incomplete, inaccessible, or non-compliant submissions may be disqualified at the organizer’s discretion.

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

5 non-cash prizes
Best Overall Project
1 winner

Prizes TBD

Best Interactive Experience
1 winner

Prizes TBD

Best Beginner Project
1 winner

Prizes TBD

Most Unique
1 winner

Prizes TBD

Crowd Favorite
1 winner

Prizes TBD

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judges

Taher Saife

Taher Saife

Gavin Jiang

Gavin Jiang

Judging Criteria

  • Creativity & Originality (30%)
    Is this a new form of art or interaction?
  • Use of Technology (25%)
    Does the project meaningfully leverage code/AI?
  • Interactivity & Experience (20%)
    Is the project engaging or immersive?
  • Execution (15%)
    How polished and functional is it?
  • Theme Alignment (10%)
    Does it embody “art that couldn’t exist without technology”?

Questions? Email the hackathon manager

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