Data Through Design
2027 Open Call
At the 10-year mark of DxD’s history, this year we’re thinking about reflections, reverberations, and the arc of data over time. We’re examining the past and contemplating our future as we consider the role that data plays in our lives and current moment.
As we meditate on the past and the present, but also hope for the future, we are looking for projects that relate to the evidence of time. We are inspired by: footprints, traces, drag paths, scars, sleep lines, and the markers of change. We are interested in temporal mirrors and kaleidoscopes, messages from the past and future, fractals of time, visuals of scale (Powers of Ten, 1977), forebodings and good omens.
In conjunction with the 10th DxD’s anniversary, artists may also choose to respond to a previous DxD theme and address it in light of time: how have datasets expanded, shrunk, been altered or reformed in the past 10 years? How does our data archive the progress of time? What did open data mean then and what can it mean in the future?
As we reflect on DxD’s own history, this year we particularly encourage past artists to apply. Alumni artists might choose to revisit their past projects to give them new life, respond to previous themes in new ways, or apply the theme of time to a previous DxD project by a different artist.
Data Through Design (DxD) is an annual exhibition featuring art works that creatively analyze, interpret and interrogate data made available in New York City’s Open Data portal.
Also at this ten-year mark, we have revamped our submission process. Please read our rubric and new submission materials carefully as you craft your proposals!
How to submit a proposal:
Please use the form to submit project proposals to be part of a multi-media group exhibition to be held in New York City in late March. DxD presents work in a wide range of media and formats such as digital, analog, physical, performance, sound works, walks, installations, creative coding, participatory mapping, drawings, etc. Please see some samples of past exhibitions on our website.
Artists are expected to reference or use at least one NYC Open Data dataset in their project. Other data, including data derived from novel and experimental collection systems, are welcome (in conjunction with the use of NYC Open Data data). We’re interested in participatory data collection; in radical and cognitive mapping; in data that is represented or experienced through time, sound, and the senses.
Rubric: Please review our updated Rubric and keep what we are looking for in mind as you craft your proposal.
Stipend: DxD will provide a $900 stipend (half to be paid in weeks leading up to the exhibition and half after the exhibition) *Please note: applicants must be approved to work in the US in order to be paid a stipend.
Exhibition Details: Exhibition dates are tentatively March 26–April 11, 2027 in New York City. Work must be installation-ready by March 19, 2027 and artists should plan to deliver work to the venue March 22-24 (dates are subject to change).
Data Through Design is committed to supporting a diverse range of voices and perspectives. We encourage submissions from a wide range of artists, civic technologists, data enthusiasts, city dwellers, and creative practitioners in all formats.
Proposal submission date: November 15, 2026 by 11:59 PM (EST)
Learn more about Open Data Week
There are lots of ways to participate in NYC Open Data Week! If you have an idea for a project that doesn’t fit into a DxD art exhibition proposal, explore other Open Data Week participation options at open-data.nyc.