(Algo|Afro) Futures

(Algo|Afro) Futures was a mentoring programme for early career UK-based Black artists interested in exploring creative coding and live coding. The programme ran over four editions between 2021 - 2025.

Live coding is a performative practice where artists and musicians use code to create live music and live visuals. This is often done at electronic dance music events called Algoraves, but live coding is a technique rather than a genre, and has also been applied to noise music, choreography, live cinema, and many other time-based artforms.

Since its inception in 2014 there have been hundreds of Algoraves taking place in over 100 cities and festivals around the world, including performances at Glastonbury, Sonar, SXSW, Bluedot, Mutek and Transmediale. There have been many events in Birmingham including audio/visual focussed parties at Vivid Projects in Digbeth.

(Algo|Afro) Futures took place between June - August at Vivid Projects in Birmingham. It consisted of five workshops focusing on live coding music and visuals. The workshops focused on TidalCycles from 2021 - 2022 and Strudel in 2023 and 2025. For visuals participants learnt Hydra.

At the conclusion of the programme each participant was given the opportunity to showcase their newly-acquired skills in a performance of up to 15 minutes in front of a live audience. You can view documentation and recordings of each edition of the programme by following the links below:

Artists

2025

Cyberseed, okcandice, Bundy, David Quartey, Sheba Q, Ray

2023

MYNA, Jim Osman, Zach B-B, KarmaRi, Jamal Lloyd Davis, φ, Emma Osman, Tomilola Olumide

2022

Canaan Brown, Demarae, Japhet Dinganga, Meesha Fones, melissandre varin & Sym Stellium, Tyger Blue

2021

Samiir Saunders, Jae Tallawah, Rosa Francesca, Emily Mulenga