Arts Datathon: Knowledge - Presented by LA County Dept of Arts & Culture

Arts Datathon returns on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 with a day of data exploration, collaboration, and creation. will feature hands-on workshops designed to help our arts and culture communities explore how we can build and maintain knowledge in a time when facts and reality are under attack. Arts Datathon: Knowledge is open to the public. Registration fee of $20 (plus Eventbrite fee) per participant includes two workshop sessions - one plenary session for all attendees in the morning and one breakout session in the afternoon - as well as coffee and lunch.

Ticket cost should not prohibit attendance. If you are unable to pay the registration fee, waivers are available upon request. Please contact [email protected].

This year’s event features six unique workshops to choose from, where participants will explore the intersection of arts and data:
More detailed descriptions of the breakout sessions can be found at this link.
Session 1: Guerrilla Data Lab

Learn how to turn everyday numbers into street‑level conversation starters in this hands-on crash course.

Facilitators: Jason Forrest and Jen Ray, Data Vandals

Session 2: Arts at Work: Protecting Government Data Together

Discover how government data is being preserved and why this matters for the arts and cultural record. Then take action to save real-world datasets.

Facilitators: Erin Meyer and Annalee Shelton, Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research

Session 3: No Numbers Without a Story: Case-Making When Trust Is Fragile

Explore practical ways to pair evidence with storytelling, to build trust with decision-makers and funders for real-world impact in the arts.

Facilitators: Randy Cohen and Genna Styles-Lyas, Americans for the Arts

Session 4: Data Embodied: Building Knowledge Through Hands-on Techniques

Engage in a series of hands-on techniques and artful thinking exercises to encourage the physical as a means for understanding.

Facilitators: Kim Abeles, Elly Dallas, and Amy Ben-Kiki

Session 5: Filling Archival Silences

Create a digital publication to share hidden histories, inspired by Soviet-era samizdat and built from archival materials.

Facilitators: Sarah Richardson, Christine Rank, and Kathryn Ung, Wende Museum

Session 6: Connections as Data: Strengthening Your Social Networks

Reflect on and visualize the social networks (and the data behind them) that shape your work and create new connections.

Facilitators: Theresa Hyuna Hwang and Matthew Agustin

Bios of all breakout session facilitators and steering committee members can be found at this link.

Since its inception in 2017, the Arts Datathon has been a catalyst for collaboration, bringing together a diverse array of participants including arts administrators, artists, educators, data scientists, students, community advocates, researchers, civic technologists, members of the tech community, and others. The event aims to explore how data can be leveraged to improve access to the arts and enhance cultural experiences for all.

Arts Datathon: Knowledge is presented by the LA County Department of Arts and Culture in partnership with Americans for the Arts, Arts for LA, Data Vandals, Department of Beloved Places, Inner-City Arts, Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research, LA County Office of Immigrant Affairs, Metro Art, Wende Museum, and POIETO.

This year’s event is produced by POIETO, a woman-owned and BIPOC-led company dedicated to building collective intelligence for a more creative and responsible AI future.

Visit the Arts Datathon Website at: https://www.lacountyarts.org/learning/arts-datathon

Info: Welcome by Shelby Williams-Gonzalez, President and CEO, Inner-City Arts and Opening Remarks by Kristin Sakoda, Director, LA County Dept of Arts and Culture

Info: How we Build Knowledge in Arts and Culture

Info: Learn how to turn everyday numbers into street‑level conversation starters in this hands-on crash course.

Info: Learn how to turn everyday numbers into street‑level conversation starters in this hands-on crash course.

Info: Explore practical ways to pair evidence with storytelling, to build trust with decision-makers and funders for real-world impact in the arts.

Info: Engage in a series of hands-on techniques and artful thinking exercises to encourage the physical as a means for understanding.

Info: Create a digital publication to share hidden histories, inspired by Soviet-era samizdat and built from archival materials. Presented by the Wende Museum.

Info: Reflect on and visualize the social networks (and the data behind them) that shape your work and create new connections.

Info: Participants will have the opportunity to present and discuss their insights, findings, and creations from the break out sessions.

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