Graffathon 2026 – Coding becomes Art

In Deutsch

Where and when:
29 August 2026 from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm
at altes Loeblager, Ziegelackerstrasse 10, 3027 Bern (in the studio on the first floor).

The Graffathon is an open workshop for people of all ages who are interested in multimedia and visual effects (VFX). Together, we will learn how to create short ‘demos’ (max. 2 minutes long) and develop our skills to explore the exciting field of procedural generation. No prior knowledge is required!

This is a one-day hackathon on the topic of real-time graphics. At the end of the Graffathon, all demos will be shown; there will be a public vote and feedback from artists, as well as some small prizes. Inspired by the original Graffathon.org, and hackathons from the Open Culture movement such as Coding da Vinci and #GLAMhack.

Inspriation from previous events

Rules

  • The production/demo must be created during the event.
  • Teams should consist of 1 to 4 members.
  • The production must not exceed three minutes in length.
  • Screen resolution 1920 x 1080 (HD) is strongly recommended.
  • The production must run in real time and must not consist solely of a pre-rendered video. However, your production may contain pre-rendered material.
  • You must own all materials used in your production or have permission to use them.
  • The organisers reserve the right to expand or amend the competition rules if necessary.
  • The production must not exceed 300 MB in size.
  • It is recommended that participants make the sources of their demos available for future learning purposes.
  • If you use AI, you are required to declare this!

Where does it all take place?

The Alte Loeblager is a unique venue for artistic, craft-based and cultural experimentation and production. The industrial architecture and urban setting allow around 70 cultural and creative professionals, working across 50 studios, to work with exceptional focus.

The studio community on the first floor has a multi-purpose room with a terrace. Not far from the studio, the Weyermannshaus outdoor swimming pool invites you to swim and relax. A woodland for a stroll is also very close by.

Catering

Some food and drink will be provided, but you are of course welcome to bring your own snacks and drinks for yourselves or for everyone. On Saturday evening, we’ll be ordering pizzas for everyone and will take your orders in good time.

Near the venue, there is an Aldi and a petrol station with a Migrolino. A little further away, you’ll find a Coop (near Europaplatz) and a Migros (near the Bethlehem Säge tram stop).

Organisers

  • Oleg (Seism) – Game jammer, tinkerer, demoscener, writer of pixel stories.
  • Jörg (Moovie) – Computer scientist and research assistant at Bern University of Applied Sciences.
  • Pascal (Ernie) – Digital designer and new demoscener with experience in animation and creation.

The sponsoring organization is Echtzeit – Digitale Kultur.

Tickets

Please purchase a ticket for CHF 0.- at Eventfrog so that we can plan the event more effectively.

Free Registration (Eventfrog)


If you’d like to support us, you can make a donation on the day. The event is made possible by Echtzeit – Digitale Kultur sssociation. Anyone wishing to do so can make a donation or apply for membership there.

How to get there

By public transport from the main station to the altes Loeblager (The studio is on the 1st floor):

  • Postbus 101 to Untermattweg, then cross the road and turn into Untermattweg, and from there follow Ziegelackerstrasse to the old Loeblager.
  • Tram 7 or 8 to Europaplatz, then head towards Freibad Weyermannshaus and from there turn into Ziegelackerstrasse towards the old Loeblager.
  • Train S3, S1, S2, S6 or S31 to Europaplatz, then head towards Freibad Weyermannshaus and from there turn into Ziegelackerstrasse towards the old Loeblager.

Since 2013, Graffathons take place in the Finnish Aalto University.