Art in Humanity's Code

A large-scale empirical study analyzed 1.6 million public code repositories utilizing artist-led open-source libraries like Processing and openFrameworks. The research, which combined quantitative and qualitative methods, investigated diverse practices and practitioners, including code hosting, geographical distribution, characteristics of creative works, and their purposes. Key findings indicate a global presence of generative art and creative coding, with adoption evident in both commercial and educational sectors.

Why it matters

This study highlights the growing influence of open-source creative coding tools and the global proliferation of digital art practices. Understanding the landscape of these activities can inform future investments in digital platforms, creative technology education, and strategies for fostering innovation at the intersection of technology and creativity.

Key insights

• Artist-led open-source libraries significantly impact artists and designers using code creatively.
• The study analyzed 1,613,571 code repositories from the Software Heritage archive.
• Research combined quantitative and qualitative methods to understand practices and practitioners.
• Generative art and creative coding demonstrate worldwide presence.
• These practices are adopted across various sectors.

Source

arXiv — Computers and Society — https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.05174