Each year we orient our collaborative installations, workshops, and art show around a theme. We are pleased to announce for 2022 our theme is A Midsummer Night’s Tempest.

From fairies to trolls, from halcyon glades to tempestuous storms, from star-crossed lovers to contentious queens and kings — nature has long been imbued with the magical, mystical manifestations of our imagination, coming alive as we play and tell stories in the woods. Through our arsenal of new art and tech mediums and tools, we will reimagine those embodiments of human fancy that dwell amongst the forest, the sky, the river, and the earth during our encounters with the great outdoors.

How it Works

For our group installations, we provide a basic framework around the theme, and then recruit artists, technologists, scientists, and designers to take on aspects of that theme, playing with technologically-infused, sensing, interactive and self-illuminated elements.

In the style of hackathons, you may bring your own piece to work on, you may join other emergent collaborations, or you may just show up to enjoy the show. Projects are shared during our Saturday night art show and party.

Participating artists and technology creatives may include light, sound, video, performance, landscaping, architectural elements, in addition to visual art, however we encourage all projects incorporate an electronic, sensing, interactive, or self-illuminated component, to be seen at night. For 2022, we further encourage wearable projects, think “Fairy Prom” for our Saturday night art show and party!

Apply for a Microgrant or Free Tickets

If you are excited by the idea of creating an individual or collaborative project around our theme “A Midsummer Night’s Tempest” but do not have the funds for tickets or material supplies, we invite you to apply to be a supported participating artist or creative technologist, to receive funds up to $500 and free tickets to support your project. Learn more about our requirements and find instructions to apply here.  Application date is Friday, June 10th, 2022.

These microgrants are made possible through a grant by 4Culture.

Here are a few of our favorite photos from Electric Sky 2021, with the Game On theme! As you can see, there were a lot of great, interactive projects and some very lively workshops.

After a year long delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and waiting with bated breath for enough people to get vaccinated, we are GAME ON For 2021! After a year stuck inside, come ready to play….!

What about masks and social distancing? If you are not vaccinated — well, get vaccinated. Otherwise, yes, if you are not vaccinated, or spend a lot of time with unvaccinated people, masks and social distancing are required until further notice.

We have pushed this event to the end of August hoping King County will be in at least Phase 3, which allows for events up to 50 people.

Anticipating we may be in only Phase 3, we are planning for a smaller version of this event this year, capping attendance at 50 people.

Since the event is outdoors we do not anticipate it will be difficult to maintain social distancing across camps. The lab, workshops and group meal will be modified as needed to assure people may safely participate in compliance with King County’s recommendations for the current phase.

If we are not in at least Phase 3, the event will be cancelled. In this case all tickets will be reimbursed. We will work with a venue to host a winter version of the show, so you may still show off your amazing projects.

Stay safe!

After a year long delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Electric Sky 2021 is GAME ON!

Our collaborative installations, workshops, and art show will be oriented around the theme “Game On!”. We will explore the art and tech of games, with everything that goes into playful interactivity, ranging from the buttons, switches, and buzzers of electro-mechanical machines, to the 3D art of immersive reality.

How it Works

For our group installations, we provide a basic framework around the theme, and then recruit artists, technologists, scientists, and designers to take on aspects of that theme, playing with technologically-infused, sensing, interactive and self-illuminated sculptural elements.

In the style of hackathons, you may bring your own piece to work on, you may join other emergent collaborations, or you may just show up to enjoy the show.

Participating artists and technology creatives may include light, sound, video, performance, landscaping, architectural elements, in addition to visual art, however all projects should incorporate an electronic, sensing, interactive, or self-illuminated component.

Apply for a Microgrant or Free Tickets

If you are excited by the idea of creating an individual or collaborative project around our theme “Game On!” but do not have the funds for tickets or material supplies, we invite you to apply to be a supported participating artist or creative technologist, to receive funds up to $500 and free tickets to support your project. Learn more about our requirements and find instructions to apply here.  Application date is Friday, July 9th, 2021.

These microgrants are made possible through a grant by 4Culture.

Workshops

We had a great turn out for our workshops, including “Solar Powered LEDs for Art in Trees”, “ASKXXI Digital Field-based Methods in Botanical Illustration“, and “Nature Kaleidoscope Making”. Thanks so much for our Workshop hosts for organizing these learning opportunities!

Creativity Lab / Hackathon

As always, the lab and the surrounding picnic benches were filled with creative efforts as people geared up to our group show!

Group Art Show

Our group show had a compelling mix of art around our “BioZoom” theme — focusing in or telescoping out into the magic of nature.

Camping and Socializing

Of course, people were also there to have fun camping with friends in the beautiful Skykomish Ballpark in the Cascade Mountains.

Electric Sky 2018 — The Digital Frontier from Shelly D. Farnham, Ph.D.

Our fourth Electric Sky was a swimming success, and we can’t thank everyone enough for all their great participation in making this special event happen! Be sure to check out our slides from 2018 to get a sense for what it was like.