XARTS promotes the critical and creative convergence of artistic expression and technological innovation. The initiative supports hybrid practices that extend the boundaries of art through computational media, interaction design, motion capture, and open-source tools.
XARTS foregrounds the role of research in artistic production, emphasising process-based methodologies, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the development of experimental forms grounded in both theory and practice.
Through summer schools, conferences, and workshops, XARTS cultivates a learning environment that brings together artists, designers, engineers, and theorists. It fosters a transdisciplinary community committed to critical inquiry and collective exploration in the extended arts.
The International Conference and Summer School on Extended Arts (XARTS) is an academic initiative that examines the integration of art, technology, and design. Established in 2013 by the Department of Product and Systems Design Engineering at the University of the Aegean, XARTS provides a platform for scholars, artists, and technologists to explore and develop innovative artistic practices employing new media technologies.
The inaugural event, XARTS 2013, titled “New Media in Art,” took place from 11 to 21 July 2013 in Syros, Greece. This summer school focused on the incorporation of contemporary communication technologies into the arts, emphasising the use of open-source computational tools and the creation of autonomous systems with appropriate human-body interfaces. Participants were encouraged to propose artistic projects, which were then developed during the programme. The curriculum was structured into five thematic units:
Notable speakers at XARTS 2013 included Maurice Benayoun, Roy Ascott, and Anne-Marie Duguet.
Subsequent editions continued to build on this foundation. XARTS 2015, themed “Re-Designing Interactive Art,” was held on 10–11 July 2015, focusing on the evolving nature of interactive art and addressing topics such as re-implementing existing works and developments in the field. XARTS 2023, marking the tenth anniversary, took place from 1–9 July 2023, featuring a two-day symposium on the history and practice of computer animation, followed by intensive workshops on new media technologies for artistic projects.
The upcoming XARTS 2025 is scheduled for 21–28 June 2025 in Syros, co-organised with the Ionian University and the University of the Peloponnese, within the framework of the research project IMAGINE MOCAP, funded by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation.
XARTS serves as a collaborative platform for advancing knowledge and practice at the convergence of art and technology.
XARTS 2025 Call for Communications Analytical considerations-Rationale Henry Jenkins, the inventor of the term Transmedia, explained eloquently the change in his creative practice over time: When I first started, you would pitch a story because without Read more
New Keynote Speakers Announced for XARTS 2025 Summer School and Conference The XARTS 2025 International Summer School and Conference on Extended Arts, to be held in Syros from 21 to 28 June 2025, has officially Read more
The International Conference and Summer School on Extended Arts is organized every two years by the Department of Product and Systems Design Engineering of the University of the Aegean. The 2025 symposium will explore ways Read more