CODE Programme 2026
Reclaiming Digital Agency
Initiated in 2021, CODE was fashioned as a response to growing concerns about the loss of agency on digital platforms that have become integral components of contemporary life. Drawing its participants largely from Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, CODE brings together artists and non-artists, politicians and policy-makers, researchers, citizens, and any bright-eyed, passionate supporter of our digital autonomy to engage in critical discourse and artistic intervention.
Driven by the motivation to influence public policy at both the national and international levels, as well as raise awareness of those issues that concern our digital citizenship, CODE foregrounds interdisciplinary collaboration between diverse personal profiles to construct new perspectives and recalibrate old ones.
Each instance of CODE begins with an open-call for applicants. The selected participants then have the opportunity to work closely together over a three month long co-creation process consisting of a series of events including workshops, a hackathon, an online exhibition, and more.
During this period too, IMPAKT develops interventions and campaigns intended to expose and highlight the power of Big-Tech companies and compel politicians, policy-makers, and citizens to take action.
CODE 2026 is a five-month co-creation trajectory running from April to July 2026. Participants will work in interdisciplinary groups, guided by mentors, through a series of physical and remote meetings. The programme consists of five on-site appointments, two remote working moments with mentors, and a final three-day hackathon, which will take place at the end of the co-creation process.
Meetings and activities
1st session: Saturday 25 April 2026
2nd session: Saturday 2 May 2026
3rd session: Saturday 23 May 2026
4th session: Saturday 6 June 2026
5th session: Saturday 27 June 2026
Final hackathon: Friday, Saturday & Sunday 10–12 July 2026
CODE 2026 is the sixth edition of CODE, and is organised by IMPAKT [Centre for Media Culture], Werktank (Leuven), In-Fine (Geneva) and PrivacySalon (Brussels). CODE 2026 is realised thanks to the kind support of Creative Industries Fund NL, Flemisch Authorities and ProHelvetia.