Course contents: The course introduces Computer Science students to the core concepts and practices of creative computing and new media art. It explores how computation, code, and digital technologies can be utilized not only for problem-solving but also as means of expression, storytelling, and conceptual exploration. Emphasis is placed on the interdisciplinary nature of the field, fostering computational thinking, visual perception, experience design, and collaborative skills.

The course cultivates a critical understanding of technology as a human and cultural practice, using art as a tool for reflection and conceptual design of algorithms and computational systems. Topics covered include: creative computing and computational creativity, history and theory of new media art, conceptual design, information visualization and cultural inquiry, algorithmic compositions, applications of machine learning in art, critical analysis of AI, and the study of interaction and embodied experience through interfaces.

At the end of the course the student will be able to:

• Describe key artistic and theoretical concepts of creative computing and new media art.
• Develop original creative coding projects with aesthetic and conceptual intent.
• Use creative computing tools, such as data visualization and basic machine learning techniques, to produce artistic works.
• Analyze social, cultural, and ethical dimensions of technology and AI systems.
• Combine theoretical understanding and technical skills to design and implement personal and collaborative artistic projects.
• Critically evaluate the aesthetic and cultural implications of algorithmic and AI-based artistic practices.

Assessment: Course evaluation is based on short assignments and/or a midterm progress assessment during the semester, with a total weight of up to 40%. The final semester project (code and technical report) accounts for 60%. These percentages may vary (by up to ±10%) from year to year. To pass the course, students must achieve a passing grade both in the final project and in the overall grade. The assignments may be accompanied by an oral examination.