Artificial Creativity in Theory and Practice
26–27 May, 2026
School of Arts and Humanities
University of Lisbon
Room B112.C
What is creativity? How is it valuable? And how might it be harmful? This conference examines how recent developments in artificial intelligence affect our answers to these questions. It will take a broad look at the relationship between AI and creativity – including creativity in the arts, sciences, business, and beyond. In addition to this, the conference considers how AI is changing our creative practice. How are artists and people working in the creative industries using AI? And what are the social, ethical and political implications of this?
If you wish to attend, please register via this link.
Conference Program
This program is provisional and may be subject to minor changes. Please check the program the week before the conference for the final version.
Day 1 (May 26)
09:00–09:30 Registration
09:30–09:45 Welcome Address
09:45–11:00 Keynote
Caterina Moruzzi (University of Edinburgh)
“From Poiesis to Praxis in AI and Creativity”
Chair: James Pearson
11:00–11:30 Break
11:30–13:00
Filippo Santoni de Sio (Eindhoven University of Technology)
“The Politics of Aesthetics: Rancière, AI, and the Civil Contract of Photography”
Paolo Stellino (NOVA University Lisbon, IFILNOVA)
“Tilly Norwood: The Future of Cinema or a Threat to It?”
Chair: Antonio Oraldi
13:00–14:30 Lunch
14:30–16:00
Moirika Reker (University of Lisbon, CFUL)
“Creativity? Prometheus Lurking, or Looking at AI with Mumford and Assunto”
José Quaresma (University of Lisbon, CFUL)
“The States of Mind that AI can Induce in the ‘Self-Awareness’ of the Artistic Gesture”
Chair: Matthew Dennis
16:00–16:15 Coffee break (informal)
16:15–17:45
Rafael Brundo Uriarte (Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz – Max-Planck-Institute)
“Abundant Novelty, Limited Creativity: AI, Memory, and Cultural Selection”
Johannes Stelzer (Champalimaud Foundation)
“From Lunar Ring to the Clinic: Immersive AI as a Therapeutic Environment”
Chair: Robert William Clowes
17:45–19:00 Drinks (informal)
19:30 Conference dinner
Day 2 (May 27)
9:15–9:45 Morning coffee (informal). Café Jardim das Letras (here)
10:00–11:15 Keynote
Robert William Clowes (NOVA University Lisbon; Ruhr University Bochum)
“Generative AI Creativity and the Human Imagination”
Chair: James Pearson
11:15–11:30 Break
11:30–13:00
Matthew J. Dennis (Eindhoven University of Technology)
“Authentic Creativity and the Spectrum of Hybridity”
Maile Costa Colbert (NOVA University Lisbon, IFILNOVA)
“Artificial Atmospheres: AI, Art, and the Activation of Archives”
Chair: Nikos Erinakis
13:00–14:30 Lunch
14:30–16:00
Nikos Erinakis (University of Crete)
“Beyond Humanness and Artificiality: Authenticity, Creativity and the Reordering of Freedom”
Tamara Caraus (University of Lisbon, CFUL)
“The Culture Industry Reloaded: Adorno, AI and the End of Negativity”
Chair: Moirika Reker
16:00–16:20 Concluding remarks
17:00–18:00 Automated art exhibition visit and artist talk
Exhibition: Leonel Moura Lascaux 2.0 (exhibition description available here).
Speaker: Leonel Moura (for more information, see here).
Location: Forum Picoas (a 16-min journey by metro; directions are available here).
Organization: James S. Pearson (Praxis-CFUL)
This event is funded by Portuguese national funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., in the scope of the project UIDB/00310/2025, Centro de Filosofia da Universidade de Lisboa (https://doi.org/10.54499/UID/00310/2025)