The AI Arts Festival 2026 is an innovative one‑day event exploring what happens when artificial intelligence and the arts come together, taking place on Sunday 22 March at The Arc and Theatre Royal Winchester.
This year’s festival showcases how AI and creative practice are working together across disciplines including photography, film, robotics, theatre, music, and comedy.
The festival – a bold celebration of creativity and intelligent technology – invites the public to experience a rich programme of performances, exhibitions, demonstrations and discussions featuring artists, technologists and researchers from across the University and beyond.
The selection of events on the day include Improbotics Kids! – an award‑winning, family‑friendly AI improv performance blending comedy with real science to build AI literacy and celebrate human creativity, RoboPaws Live! – a hands‑on exploration of robotic dogs, how they function, and how AI is shaping future forms of companionship and artistic expression, Ghost in the Machine – an atmospheric encounter where audiences interact in real time with a projected ghost‑like humanoid figure, and AI Mozart – a unique concert of piano works composed by artificial intelligence, culminating in an audience‑led interactive finale.
“Artificial intelligence presents both an exciting opportunity and a creative challenge for artists and researchers alike,” says associate professor, Dr Boyd Branch, who is bringing his show, Improbotics Kids ,to the festival. “Through performances, we can explore those ideas in a playful and accessible way – helping audiences understand how AI works, while celebrating human creativity.
“The AI Arts Festival is about bringing these conversations out of the lab and into public spaces in our region, showing how universities, artists and communities can come together to explore the future of technology and the arts.”
The programme includes a mix of free and paid sessions, all requiring registration. Tickets and programme available at: aiartsfestival.soton.ac.uk.
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