Art and Computation

What

Art & Computation isn't about bringing computers to art—it's about bringing art and poetics to computers. Just as painters use paint or sculptors work with clay, we treat computation as creative material. In RISD's newest department you learn to shape technology rather than just use it.

Make Things

Not just slideshows and concepts. Actual work. Within our studios we focus on making real things: prototypes, systems, tools, artworks. We build websites, games, robots. We visualize data, create 3D worlds. Work with AI to develop new creative pipelines. Make custom digital tools.

Why Join Now

You'll shape the department.

We are RISD's first undergraduate department in 30 years. That means when you join Art & Computation, you're not just enrolling in a program, you're helping define it.

Your interests. Your work. Your questions. All will shape what the department becomes.

Radical flexibility.

Art & Computation is one of RISD's most open curricula. This means: lots of electives, multiple pathways. Here, you can focus on art practice, design work, tech industry careers, or invent your own combination. Computational skills open every door.

True interdisciplinarity.

Want to work in the art world? Build a tech startup? Design for major companies? Do all three? Art & Computation's foundation supports all of it. This isn't pre-professional training—it's learning to work with computation on your own terms.

Ground floor opportunity.

We're building capacity—facilities, resources, networks. Being entrepreneurial, defining the future, building something from the ground up, that's all part of the educational experience you'll create

Open House Event