Performing Code

Creative Programming for the Stage

📅 November 3-4, 2025
📍 Weizenbaum Institute (Berlin, Germany)

About the Workshop

This two-day workshop brings together artists, researchers, and practitioners working at the intersection of creative coding, live performance, and artificial intelligence. Through presentations and discussions, we explore how programming becomes a performative practice – whether in live coding performances, AI-augmented theater, interactive installations, or real-time media systems.

The workshop examines the critical dimensions of these practices: How do we maintain artistic agency when working with AI systems? What new forms of expression emerge from live programming? How can creative coding serve as a critical lens for understanding technology's role in contemporary culture?

Venue

Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society

Hardenbergstraße 32, 10623 Berlin, Germany

Getting There:

  • U-Bahn: U2 to Ernst-Reuter-Platz (5 min walk)
  • S-Bahn: S5, S7, S9 to Zoologischer Garten (10 min walk)
  • Bus: M45, X9, 245 to Steinplatz

We are deeply grateful to Johanna Hampf, Head of Transfer and Dialogue, for making this workshop possible and for hosting us at the Weizenbaum Institute, and to media technician Marcel Ednenhofer for his support.

Presenters

Moritz Huson (+ Nils Eberwein)

Moritz is a creative technologist working in German theater, with credits at Schauspiel Stuttgart and Residenztheater Munich. Nils is a freelance documentary filmmaker and photographer who creates video for theater productions. They collaborate on projects combining live performance with digital media.

Meredith Thomas
Artist & Creative Technologist

Meredith is an artist and creative technologist based in Berlin. He studied biomedical engineering and science communication at Imperial College London. His work focuses on novel uses of machine learning in creative domains and critiquing the broader technological and cultural manifestations of artificial intelligence.

Tammara Leites
Creative Developer & Interaction Designer

Creative developer, interaction designer and artist from Geneva, Switzerland. Her work reflects upon what it means to be a connected human every day. She leads the research in human-computer interaction at Transmii Studio and collaborates in thought-provoking, creative projects across interactive platforms, installations, performing arts and film.

Florian Bruggisser
Immersive Arts Space, ZHdK

Talk: Conversations with Puppets: How We Got Them to Answer (Sometimes)

Creative technologist and researcher at the Immersive Arts Space at ZHdK, developing real-time systems that combine spatial computing, AI, and interactive media. Co-founder of bildspur, creating interactive light and media installations.

Lasse Marburg
machina eX, Technical Director

Technical Director at machina eX. Founded machina eX in 2010 with fellow students in Hildesheim. Made Theater Games with machina eX and works on the open source live game editing software adaptor:ex since 2020.

Manus Nijhoff
Interactive Artist & Designer

Talk: From Cages to Stages: AI Powered Gameplay and Theatrics

Graphic designer turned programmer turned player. Since 2016, his focus has moved through different constellations of creative projects, ranging from installation to theater performance, video, website and videogame, with audience interaction at the core.

Paulina Zybinska
ZHdK, Researcher

Interdisciplinary artist and theorist whose practice explores the relations between technology, perception, and embodied experience. As a researcher at ZHdK, her projects examine the therapeutic potential of Deepfakes and synthetic realities. Under the name "Krata," she creates and performs live visuals.

Manuel Flurin Hendry
Artist, Researcher & Lecturer

Award-winning feature film director and researcher based in Zurich. He teaches at ZHdK and ETH Zurich, where his research explores AI's impact on creative practice and self-perception. Founding member of Silicon Stories and organizer of the "After The Algorithm" festival.

Guests

Prof. Dr. Lena Gieseke
Filmuniversität Babelsberg
Andrea Familary
Artist
Marcel Brückner
Artist & Lecturer
Christiane Kühl
Artist & Lecturer
Birk Schmithüsen
Artist
Dr. Till Müller-Klug
Artist & Lecturer
Anna Cingi
Scenographer
Lisa Arens
Curator & Production Manager HAU4

Schedule

Monday, November 3, 2025

14:00
Introduction
14:10
Talk 1: Moritz Huson (+ Nils Eberwein)
14:35
Q&A
14:50
Talk 2: Meredith Thomas
15:15
Q&A
15:30
Break
15:50
Talk 3: Tammara Leites (remote)
16:15
Q&A
16:30
Talk 4: Florian Bruggisser — Conversations with Puppets: How We Got Them to Answer (Sometimes)
16:55
Q&A
17:10
Wrap-up
18:00
End of Day 1
20:00
Evening Dinner at BLEND Kitchen & Bar (Budapester Straße 25, 10787 Berlin)

Tuesday, November 4, 2025

09:00
Introduction
09:10
Talk 5: Lasse Marburg (pre-recorded)
09:35
Q&A
09:50
Talk 6: Manus Nijhoff — From Cages to Stages: AI Powered Gameplay and Theatrics
10:15
Q&A
10:30
Break
10:50
Talk 7: Paulina Zybinska
11:15
Q&A
11:30
Talk 8: TBD
11:55
Q&A
12:10
Wrap-up
12:40
Lunch
14:00
Further Discussion / Freestyle Session
18:00
End of Workshop
18:30
Special Event: Manuel Flurin Hendry — Presentation & Panel "AI Shrinks" @ Berlin Science Week