playtest: Prompt Battle curated by Tahir Hemphill (2012 Awardee) is a rare chance for community-building, play and experimentation across a local ecosystem of Black technologists, scholars, and culture workers. Originating from the vision of Kennedy Center Social Practice Resident, Tahir Hemphill, the battle is designed to give you a look over the shoulder of today’s leading Black AI artists as they work through a series of prompts and get feedback from a panel of experienced judges.

Which prompt engineer will generate the most unexpected, unsettling, and beautiful images? As part of this live competition, the audience will assist judges with selecting the contestant with the best prompting ability. Contestants will use text-to-image software to try to win the judges favor over multiple rounds.