Arts and AI Observatory Symposium
About the Convening
Save the Date: Registration Opens This Winter
Arts and AI Observatory Symposium
March 11-12, 2027
National Academy of Sciences, 2101 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington DC
In collaboration with the Cultural Programs of the National Academy of Sciences (CPNAS), we will be inviting a2ru AI campus leads to an in-person symposium in Washington, DC.
This gathering is the latest in a series of Centering the Arts in the Age of AI conversations to inform our work and productively engage with tools of Artificial Intelligence. This one will be led by the Arts and AI Observatory in partnership with a2ru.
Partners in this effort include: a2ru, Creative Generation, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Arkansas, and the Cultural Programs of the National Academy of Sciences (CPNAS)
Arts & AI Observatory lab is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Please direct any questions to Maryrose Flanigan at flanigam@umich.edu
Call for Campus AI Leads & FAQ
Call for Campus AI Leads
In Centering the Arts in the Age of AI: Advancing Education, Innovation, and Workforce Development through Creative Practices, one of the recommendations was a field scan to better inform best practices at the intersection of creativity, AI, and learning.
A new NEA Research Lab is beginning a field scan of the arts and AI, and we want the a2ru community to guide it.
We are issuing a call for each a2ru member to identify a lead to participate in these field scan activities. The context for this work is the Arts and AI Observatory lab, in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University, Creative Generation, a2ru, and the University of Arkansas; funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Core research questions of the lab include:
- How are schools and colleges preparing arts students for careers with generative AI, and what are the obstacles to doing it well?
- What do arts-trained professionals bring to the making and use of AI, why do artists take it up or refuse it, and where have the arts led innovation in AI?
- What arts-based training, skills and resources do creative working need as generative AI spreads, so we can teach those skills with purpose.
FAQs
Who serves as Campus Lead?
Campus leads can be faculty who are innovators on campus in terms of engaging with the creative practices or teaching of AI; leaders charged with policy for arts units on AI use; those who lead working groups in AI adoption for the arts unit or campus; or another configuration. All campuses are different but the lead should be invested in the work and could see the benefits of the field scan and benchmarking activities for the campus community.
What is involved in serving as a campus lead?
The campus lead should spearhead and organize participation in the survey; socialize the results of the benchmarking and private campus data; provide feedback on survey instruments if applicable; attend occasional meetings (see events in October 2026 and March 2027, below). Participating in in-person meetings is not required to serve as a campus lead. Additional virtual exchanges will be available. Work should include 20-30 hours per year, not including summit attendance.
How do I sign up to serve as campus lead?
To sign up and/or ask any questions, please contact the a2ru lead on this Lab, Maryrose Flanigan at flanigam@umich.edu.
What is the timeframe?
The work will be spread over two academic years. From the institutional surveys will launch in October 2026 there will be an initial benchmarking aggregate report in summer 2027, with benchmarking cycles in fall ’27 and spring ’28, with integrated national reports produced in summer ’28.
Campus leads will be identified on a rolling basis but it is a first come-first serve basis with the first deadline being October 1. We anticipate final deadline for participation will be November 15, 2026.
We have several leaders on campus in this space, how do we choose one?
We view this as an opportunity for any individuals who would be appropriate to this role to collaborate, as filling out this survey would likely require pooled knowledge. In this case the “lead” would be a representative and interaction with the events and meetings can be disseminated on campus from the lead.
How will my campus benefit from participating in the field scan and symposium?
The benchmarking survey will provide a private research layer, deployed three times to compare change to the participating campus. The scan will establish a snapshot in aggregate; aggregate measures; a private campus report; final results; and a national report. Additionally, campuses will lead knowledge exchange in four key areas: innovators; key courses; centers & initiatives; and representative projects.
How do I get recognition for my work as lead?
If you are a campus leader nominating a faculty or staff member, please consider time and support for a service release for this work. If you are nominating yourself, please help us to know how we can provide recognition for this work to colleagues or supervisors.
Hotel Information
Washington, DC
Hotels located near the Blue Metro line (Foggy Bottom/GWU)