Data in Public Places

3 Day Workshop
School of Visual Arts, NYC
October 15 - 17th, 2026.

Featuring guest lecturer Jeff Lewonczyk 

In an information era, translating data into physical, shareable experiences can help people empathize and remember the stories behind the numbers. Learning how to build participatory data installations gives designers, artists, educators, and organizers new tools to spark dialogue, build community, and make complex issues visible in public spaces. Participants in this intensive workshop will collaboratively design and build a full-room installation. Working with neighborhood- and community-focused datasets, the class will experiment with tactile materials, large-scale graphics, and participatory prompts that invite visitors to add their own data in real time.

Over the course of the workshop, students will move from quick concept sketches and low-fidelity mockups to a finished exhibition using humor, color, typography, and playful interaction to make complex information feel immediate and accessible. Along the way, we will explore core techniques of data physicalization, from encoding values into form and volume to designing clear, legible communications. Emphasis is placed on collaboration, rapid prototyping, and data as a medium for activism, inviting participants to question whose stories get told and how we might reframe them in public spaces.
Building the exhibits

Union Square Park, Saturday

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Data Vandals is Jen Ray and Jason Forrest. We bring people together through exhibitions, performances, and workshops, collaborating with global brands, universities, and social groups worldwide.

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