Open call
tactology lab 4: MOtion
We believe that our body is key in expressing ourselves. By designing physical, tactile electronic interfaces for creating art, you can make your expression visible and graspable, and create a strong connection between yourself as a performer and the audience.
Tactology Lab 4 invites makers to experiment with tactile, bodily interaction with electronics.
Sign up is open until
Sunday November 30
What is Tactology Lab?
Tactology Lab is a 6-day structured programme and space for experimenting with bodily interaction with technology. It is a pressure cooker for artists and creators of various skills and art disciplines. Coached by experts, you will work towards a performance at Rewire Festival 2026 in six separate workshop days.
With Tactology Lab, Sounds Like Touch provides a unique learning space, basic materials and coaching by professionals. Additionally, your creative processes and outcomes will be shared via online videos to provide an international stage to you as a maker and your ideas.
Introduction to ‘Motion’
In this Lab, we explore ways to directly convert human movements into technological forms of artistic expression, such as sound, light, image. We’ll be experimenting to shape interactions, matter and electronics into a performance.
In new media and or technical art, the art expressions can be so ethereal: little button switches or small interactions in code that do not necessarily reflect the complex feelings an artist or performer puts in. Our goal in the lab is to make interfaces that do translate the movement of the performer to expressive output. This can be achieved by capturing the motion mechanically, or embedding the movement within the performance directly.
We will not be teaching a technology. We start from the knowledge within the groups and guide this towards a performance where expressive movement, technology, sound and performance are on equal footing.
Are you curious to learn more about the theme?
Join the TACTOLOGY LAB MOTION MEETUP on 21 November.
CURATORS
Vincent Schoutsen
Vincent is a performer, artist, engineer and creator of tec art installations and music machines.
Materially driven, his work often starts with found or scavenged materials, and aims to physically represent elements from electronic music or digital culture. His process starts with harnessing mechanical solutions and ends as a performative installation.
His work and performances have been shown at events amongst Gogbot festival, U? Festival, Circusbende, De Helling, Paradiso, Wildeburg, Play!, DB’s en Hof van Cartesius.
Vincent participated in Tactology Lab 1 and has since been involved in the facilitation and guidance of the making days in the Tactology Labs.
Dianne Verdonk
Dianne is a songwriter, performer and bodily interaction designer. Starting from playing cello and double bass, she began developing electronic, physical instruments. Her vision is that humans need their body to be able to express themselves. That’s why all of her electronic instruments are designed to use your body to be able to play them.
She performed at events such as Rewire festival, Gaudeamus, Tweetakt, ADE, Dutch Design Week, Ars Electronica Festival, September Me en NIME.
Dianne is the founder and artistic director of Sounds Like Touch and has hosted Tactology Lab 1 + 2 alongside Roald van Dillewijn.
program
What to expect
A 6-day full programme, curated by Vincent Schoutsen and Dianne Verdonk, including professional stage presence coaching and guidance by ‘Uitvinder’ Jeroen Vissers at the Uitvindersgilde. We will not be teaching a technology. We start from the knowledge within the groups and guide this towards a performance where expressive movement, technology, sound and performance are on equal footing.
A performance of the outcome of your creative process, live at Rewire festival 2026 in The Hague
You will gain knowledge and experience combining electronics with physical materials and strengthen your (local) network of creators
Drinks, (vega(n)) lunch and snacks provided during the lab days
Materials, sensors and boards are available, some at extra cost
Dates
Since this is a group project, it is important to be available at all of the Lab Days.
All locations are in Utrecht and The Hague, The Netherlands.
Day 1: inspire Friday 6 March morning + afternoon
Day 2: prototype Saturday 14 March morning + afternoon
Day 3: construct Sunday 15 March morning + afternoon
Day 4: express Friday 27 March morning + afternoon
Day 5: embed Wednesday 1 April* morning + afternoon
Day 6: perform Th-Su 9-12 April* morning + afternoon
* Exact date to be determined
apply
Are you a professional artist or creator and are you interested in working with electronics and bodily interaction? Are you searching for ways to connect your physical artwork to digital/electronic means or the other way around? Then don’t hesitate to apply for Tactology Lab #4.
We are looking for a mix of professional artists, designers, creative coders, performers and other makers to work in small groups to develop tangible electronic prototypes for a live performance, which will be presented at the 2026 Rewire Festival in The Hague. You don't need to be an expert in performance, sound design, or any particular craft. Participants will be coached by experts and work towards this performance during five separate workshop days before performing at Rewire.
Participation fee
In order to make Tactology Lab more accessible and affordable for a diverse group of people, we offer sliding scale participation rates. Please select the price, based on your financial situation. Prices are excluding 21% VAT.
€ 250
This is the reduced rate for students, recently graduated artists and people with a low / minimum income
€ 350
This is the base rate for participation for workers / self employed creators with a basic / sufficient income
€ 450
This is the full rate for people with a higher income and/or whose employer or a fund (partly) co-finances the participation.
Selection process
Tactology Lab #4 has 12 spots available. The call opens on 31 October and closes on November 30. Interviews take place in the first half of December in Utrecht or online after which 12 applicants will be selected.
In the selection process we'll form groups to ensure that everyone can learn from one another in various areas. We will be closing the call when there is a sufficient variety of skills to make a selection of participants. So if you would like to participate, be sure to fill in the application form on time!
The final selection of the program will be made by our lab makers via a short, informal conversation with you via Zoom or in real life - if possible.
Previous Tactology Labs
Maker Stories
Check ou these Maker Stories where former Tactology Lab participants give a behind-the-scenes look at what they have worked on and how they went about it.
