Ars Synthetica is a web-based multimedia forum for engaging specialists and non-specialists in an informed, ethical, and democratic dialogue on the emerging field of synthetic biology. It proposes developing multiple participatory channels for exploring questions about ethics, security, and how cutting-edge research in the biosciences is organized, governed, funded, and expanded. How will synthetic biology shape and be shaped by medicine, energy, and environmental needs? Whose business is ethics? What are the limits to what we can design? These are the kinds of questions that Ars Synthetica will pose to expert and lay communities alike. Our goal is to actively resist the polemics that often characterize public discourse about new science and technology. We will seek the fertile grounds for discourse between the hype of revolution on the one side and fears of "playing God" on the other. The outcome will not provide absolute or final answers, but it will enable a diverse range of participant responses, perspectives, and concerns. We want to educate and critically engage various publics about the challenges and opportunities of bringing new biological entities, practices, and relations into the world.

Professional and student multimedia artists, working with human scientists, ethicists, and researchers in the synthetic biology community, will begin by producing a series of photoessays, interviews, video clips, and interactive forums that describe current practices in synthetic biology and critically address its ethical ramifications. This content core will serve as a catalyst for engaging diverse public audiences and research communities. The technical and conceptual challenge is to not only provide a clear window into the workings of science - from the lab bench to project administration to industry technology transfer - but also to design an engaging interactive experience that encourages visitors to participate in developing a dynamic forum. The aim is a vibrant, democratic, and self-sustaining series of conversations within a wide cast of stakeholders. Ars Synthetica will both enrich public understanding of synthetic biology research, and also help researchers understand and address community concerns about how this emerging field is shaping life today.