Participate

Third Place Technologies, in partnership with PublicDisplay.ART and Src Material, hosted Electric SEA, an extended weekend arts and technology hackathon and pop-up showcase exhibition that took place place March 26–28, 2026, in the heart of downtown Seattle at PublicDisplay.ART and the ArtLove Salon event space.

More about ElectricSEA

Electric SEA is an arts-oriented hackathon—part creative retreat, part pop-up lab, part public art salon—bringing together artists, technologists, designers, makers, and researchers and friends from across the Pacific Northwest. The event builds on more than a decade of Electric SKY gatherings in Skykomish, WA, while reimagining the format for an urban, civic context.

Participants were invited to bring interdisciplinary, art- and design-driven projects which can draw from a wide range of creative technologies and practices, including creative code, interactive installation, data visualization, light-based projection, sound art, light art, wearables, performance-based and kinetic works, physical computing, generative systems, vibe coding, mixed reality, Internet of Things, ethical AI tools, digital tool-building, and other emerging hybrid practices. Individuals of all backgrounds are welcome! In the spirit of hackathons, the emphasis is on experimentation, interdisciplinary collaboration, shared problem-solving, and learning by doing.

The hackathon culminated in a free, public showcase and celebratory reception that gives hackathon participants the opportunity to share their work and creative process with a larger audience, while offering the broader community visibility into this vibrant art and technology ecosystem.   

HACKATHON PARTICIPATION

Anyone may join the hackathon, and we encourage a diversity of backgrounds to participate as long as you are curious about interdisciplinary collaboration. Practitioners with existing or partial projects are invited to bring them to experiment, teach and gather collaborators, you may plan to join in on other attendee’s projects, or you may find a project that emerges from the shared interests of other attendees. Thanks to the support of 4Culture, ArtsFund, the ArtLove Salon / Conru Arts Foundation, Passable Art, and SrcMaterial and the generous contributions of time and expertise from organizers and volunteers, Electric SEA will be free to attend. However, space is limited so registration is required.

In the style of hackathons, you may bring a project to work on and recruit collaborators, or join a team creating a new project that emerges from your shared interests and skills.

Scenes from the ArtLove Salon and PublicDisplay.Art offices. There is a lot of space for projects small and large, including wall space, floor space, stages, breakout rooms, and various nooks and crannies.

Participating projects requiring advance preparation are eligible to use the tools and resources at the Passable Art fab lab, availability permitting (see tool list). 

Schedule

The bulk of the hackathon was on Friday and Saturday, with additional time on Thursday and Sunday for setup, workshops, and takedown. The showcase exhibition is Saturday evening. Please see the full, detailed schedule now posted here.

Registration

This event is now in the past. Thanks to the support of 4Culture, ArtsFund, the ArtLove Salon / Conru Arts Foundation, Passable Art, SrcMaterial, and generous contributions of time and expertise from organizers and volunteers, Electric SEA was be free to attend. However, space is limited so registration was required. 

This event was designed primarily for adults, but avid youth under 18 could join if accompanied by a parent or guardian. The reception on Saturday includes an under 21 preview 6:30pm to 7:30pm, but is 21+ after 7:30pm when the bar opens.

CALLS FOR HACKATHON WORKSHOP INSTRUCTORS AND PROJECT MICRO GRANTS

Anyone may join the Electric SEA hackathon and sign up for workshops simply by registering. In addition, we had two calls for participation for potential workshop instructors and larger-scale projects that might require support to enable ambitious ideas. However the deadline for proposals is now past due.

VOLUNTEER

This is a largely volunteer-run event and we are always looking for more help for install, takedown, reception, project coordination, projects support, event production, and so forth. The 2026 event is past, but we are always looking forward to the next year. If you find the idea of getting involved behind the curtains appealing, please fill out our volunteer form.