The creative turn: new challenges for computing

This is a call to action. The time is ripe for a creative turn in computing. This article sets out a vision of what Creative Computing is and what it might become. It distinguishes between Creative Computing and computational creativity, and then lays out a theoretical framework. It proposes that Creative Computing is mainly happening in software. It compares the process of software development with the process of artistic creation and looks at ways in which the two might productively overlap or merge. It considers the levels of abstraction required in both and interrogates both their semantics and underlying principles from a philosophical and practical point of view. Finally, it sets three types of new challenges for Creative Computing in terms of software.