NYC School of Data 2026

This 1-hour workshop invites participants to ditch spreadsheets and experiment with data as the raw material for provocative public art. After a brief introduction, Data Vandals will lead a fast-paced crash course on using data for public storytelling: how to turn numbers into conversations using simple visual tactics, punchy headlines, and low-fi materials like markers, tape, and paper. Participants will spend the first 10 minutes getting introduced to NYC Open Data and seeing quick examples of how numbers can be remixed into slogans, graphics, and poster-sized provocations, then use the next 50 minutes to pair up, sketch a concept, create a ‘data poster,’ share their work, and respond to live feedback from the group.

The workshop is led by Jen Ray and Jason Forrest - the Data Vandals, an art and data collective that transforms data into participatory experiences that invite curiosity and conversation. Our projects bring data visualization out of the digital world and into public space, inviting people to become active participants rather than passive observers. This session is ideal for anyone curious about using civic data in a more playful, political, or public-facing way; no technical skills or software are required.