Taper: Creative Constraints and Minimalist Design in a Computational Poetry Publication
Name
3698061.3734390.pdf
Size
3.29 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
1379a237ffd5cbcdf820148706d01396
Author(s)
Chang, Angela
Montfort, Nick
Date Issued
June 22, 2025
Publisher
ACM|Creativity and Cognition
Citation
ngela Chang and Nick Montfort. 2025. Taper: Creative Constraints and Minimalist Design in a Computational Poetry Publication. In Proceedings of the 2025 Conference on Creativity and Cognition (C&C '25). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 332–337.
Version
Final published version
Abstract
In an era defined by rapid technological evolution, digital publications are not only effective means of distribution; they also advance creativity, collaboration, and cultural impact.
This paper explores the seven-year journey of Taper, a magazine for computational poetry, broadly defined, that invites computational creativity and uses a minimal design. By embracing deliberate constraints, including a restriction on program/poem size and different themes for different issues, Taper fosters innovation through remix culture, experimentation, and collaboration. These approaches nurture a dynamic community of practice at the intersection of literary art and programming while advancing grassroots strategies for sustainable growth and long-term viability. Reflecting on Taper’s evolution, this paper illustrates how minimalist design principles and computational frameworks can amplify creative expression, strengthen community engagement, and cultivate ecosystems capable of addressing pressing societal challenges. These findings demonstrate how a collectively-edited project can spur artistic innovation and “creativity for change,” enabling lasting impact in a shifting creative landscape.
Description
C&C ’25, Virtual, United Kingdom
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Program in Comparative Media Studies/Writing
Terms of Use
Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use.
Persistent DSpace Link
DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1145/3698061.3734390
