Hacdc

HacDC is a community organization in Washington, D.C. devoted to collaboration in the creative use of technology. Founded in 2008 by a diverse group of engineers, artists, and hobbyists, HacDC hosts free and open activities to share knowledge, skills, and ideas. A combined meeting space and workshop is stocked with specialized tools and supplies useful for the collaborative development of technological and artistic projects. HacDC is part of a global trend in amateur engineering clubs that have come to be known as “hackerspaces.” Centered on physical locations that function as shared workshops, these spaces support “makers” whose work bridges the realms of art and technology and who share a passion for putting old technology to new and creative purposes. Spaces like HacDC give new impetus to an American tradition of amateur innovation, much as ham radio societies do. These spaces have been broadly recognized in the national and international media. HacDC has been featured in the news over the years including The Washington Post in 2009 and NPR in 2013. HacDC activities can be divided into three categories: educational programs, community service, and technical and research projects. Educational programs encompass talks, classes, joint projects, and workshops held at the organization’s meeting space. All are open to the public and are free of charge. HacDC’s community service marshals the organization’s technological knowledge to benefit the surrounding community. Technical and research projects often have an engineering focus, but can encompass art projects using technology and are not fundamentally limited in subject matter or approach.