Crash Course in Internet & Society: Technologies of Solidarity
11 December 2026, 00:00 – 13 December 2026, 00:00
V2_Groundfloor, V2_Lab for the Unstable Media
11 December 2026, 00:00 – 13 December 2026, 00:00
V2_Groundfloor, V2_Lab for the Unstable Media
For the past two years, the annual Crash Course in Art & Media Technology has explored how the internet shapes our daily lives. Across eight editions of keynotes, conversations, and performances, we’ve unpacked the wonder, confusion, and unease of its growing influence.
The internet once promised open knowledge, global connection, and individual empowerment by breaking down borders and enabling free, decentralized exchange. Today, with 75% of the world online, that promise feels more complicated than ever. We face rising dependence on digital systems, misinformation overload, surveillance capitalism, corporate dominance, and a flood of AI-generated content.
Together with engage Rotterdam, we developed a three-day program for engage in 2025, called Technologies of Solidarity. The event invited participants, including residents from the Cool district in central Rotterdam, to explore alternatives to corporate-driven technology and imagine what tech could look like outside capitalist logics. Through low-threshold talks, workshops, and performances, we examined open-source, ethical, and practical tools for human-centered, community-driven tech together with the local neighborhood.
In December 2026, we merge these two platforms to offer the next chapter:
A Crash Course in Internet & Society: Technologies of Solidarity.
Together with the local community, we turn to change. How do we challenge Big Tech and build a more open, ethical, and user-centered internet? Together with artists, designers, and digital activists, we’ll explore alternatives beyond corporate control.
During a three-day weekend program full of presentations, workshops, and artistic interventions, the Crash Course aims to equip you with the tools to reclaim your digital experience.
