Creative AI Symposium
About the Symposium
The Creative AI Symposium is the flagship public event of the Creative AI Hub at The Creative School, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). Now in its fourth edition, it brings together researchers, artists, industry practitioners, educators, students, and the public to exchange research, showcase creative work, and explore how AI is transforming creative practice. In 2027, it expands to two days in partnership with TMU's Master of Digital Media (MDM) program.
Day 1 | Creative AI Symposium (Thursday, April 8): A keynote, research and artist talks, an industry panel, a showcase of creative work, and networking opportunities. Day 1 will be livestreamed with live captions.
Day 2 | MDM Industry Day (Friday, April 9): Interactive workshops, MDM student project panels, and industry networking
THE 2027 THEME
From Tool to Teammate: Creativity, Authorship, and Agency in the Age of AI
A model can now produce an image, a voice, a song or a news story in seconds. So what makes creative work authentic? Is it the hand that made it, the intention behind it, its traceable origin, the trust between maker and audience, or something we haven't named yet?
As AI moves from a tool we use to a collaborator we work alongside, these questions matter to illustrators, editors, VFX artists, designers, journalists, performers and musicians, to the educators and students training to join them, and to the audiences who have to decide what to believe.
Provenance & trust
Content credentials, watermarking, disclosure, deepfakes, and how audiences judge what is real.
Authorship, credit & consent
Human–AI authorship, attribution, training data, style and likeness, cultural and Indigenous data sovereignty.
Creative labour
How AI is changing jobs, workflows, guilds and careers, including screen, games, VFX and virtual production.
Responsible AI & equity
Accountability, representation, and who gets left behind.
Live & performative AI
Real-time, on-stage and interactive work, improvisation with AI, responsive installations.
Co-creation methods
Practice-based research, studio processes and case studies of humans and AI making work together.
Journalism & archives
Verification, evidence, memory and the authentic record.
Pedagogy
Teaching creativity, critique and integrity when students have generative tools.
Date
April 8–9, 2027 (Thursday–Friday)
Time
Full schedule to be announced
Location
Day 1: The Catalyst (RCC 230), Rogers Communications Centre, 80 Gould St., Toronto, and online
Day 2: TMU campus, Toronto (room to be confirmed)
Keynote Speaker: To be announced
Chair: Dr. Afsoon Soudi
Organizers: The Creative AI Hub at The Creative School, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), in partnership with TMU's Master of Digital Media (MDM) program
Date: April 8–9, 2027
Time: Full schedule to be announced
Location:
Day 1: The Catalyst (RCC 230), Rogers Communications Centre, 80 Gould St., Toronto, and online
Day 2: TMU campus, Toronto (room to be confirmed)
Attendance is free, but registration is required as space is limited.
- Keynote addresses and talks from creative AI researchers, artists, and industry practitioners
- Research presentations, artist talks, industry panels, and creative showcases
- Hands-on workshops exploring AI tools, methods, and creative practices
- Networking opportunities with researchers, educators, students, community organizations, and industry partners
Call for Contributions
The deadline for submissions is Thursday, January 21, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
We welcome submissions from researchers, practitioners, industry, staff and students. Students may submit in any category, and space in the program is set aside for graduate student work.
What you can submit
Talk
A 15-minute presentation followed by Q&A, in themed sessions of about three, on Day 1 (April 8).
Abstract, up to 300 words
Lightning talk or poster
A 5-minute talk, or a poster in the Day 1 showcase. Ideal for work in progress and student projects.
Abstract, up to 200 words
Creative work or exhibit
An artwork, installation, interactive piece, performance or demo, shown at the Day 1 showcase (April 8) and the April 9–11 exhibition.
Description up to 300 words, up to 5 images or a video link
Workshop
A 60-minute interactive session on Day 2, MDM Industry Day (April 9), that leaves participants with a skill, method or tool. In person; hybrid is possible if you plan for it.
Proposal up to 400 words, learning outcomes, participant cap, equipment needs
Using AI in your submission
You may use AI tools in writing your proposal and making your work. Every submission includes a short AI-use statement (up to 100 words). “No AI was used” is a perfectly good statement, and using AI will not count against you.
Review is anonymized: at least two reviewers read each submission. Submissions are accepted in English or French.
Talks and lightning talks can be presented remotely. Workshops are in person; a hybrid workshop is possible if the proposal plans for it. Remote presenters join a short tech check the week of March 8. Digital creative works can be shown on our screens; for physical works, we work out delivery and installation with each selected artist.
KEY DATES
Thu Oct 29, 2026 Call opens
Thu Jan 14, 2027 Registration opens
Thu Jan 21, 2027 Deadline, 11:59 p.m. ET
Thu Feb 4, 2027 Decisions sent
Thu Feb 18, 2027 Confirm, send bio and headshot
Week of Mar 8 Tech checks for remote presenters
Thu Mar 25, 2027 Slides and workshop materials due
Wed Apr 7, 2027 Exhibition install and technical rehearsal
Thu Apr 8, 2027 Day 1 | Symposium
Fri Apr 9, 2027 Day 2 | MDM Industry Day
Frequently asked questions
The 4th Creative AI Symposium runs April 8–9, 2027, at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) in Toronto. Day 1 (Thursday, April 8) is the symposium in The Catalyst (RCC 230), Rogers Communications Centre, 80 Gould St., and online. Day 2 (Friday, April 9) is MDM Industry Day, on the TMU campus in [room to be confirmed]. A free exhibition runs April 9–11 in The Catalyst.
Day 2 of the symposium, with TMU's Master of Digital Media (MDM) program: interactive workshops, MDM student project panels and industry networking. It's free and open to all, with the same registration as Day 1.
Nothing. Submitting, presenting and attending are all free, on both days and at the exhibition. One free registration covers
From Tool to Teammate: Creativity, Authorship, and Agency in the Age of AI. It asks what makes creative work authentic when AI can make almost anything.
Through the online form, by Thursday, January 21, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. ET. You can submit a talk, a lightning talk or poster, a creative work or exhibit, or a workshop. Workshops take place on Day 2.
Yes, for talks and lightning talks. Workshops are in person; a hybrid workshop is possible if the proposal plans for it. Remote presenters join a short tech check the week of March 8.
Yes, for Day 1. The symposium on Thursday, April 8 is streamed online with live captions; choose an online ticket when you register. Day 2 is in person.
Yes. Submissions are accepted in English or French. Sessions are delivered mainly in English.
Every submission includes a short AI-use statement. Using AI will not count against you.
Talks, panels and lightning talks on Day 1 are recorded, captioned and published open access with plain-language summaries. Presenters can opt out.
Organizing committee
Dr. Afsoon Soudi
Chair | Director, Creative AI Hub; Assistant Professor, RTA School of Media, TMU
Michael Bergmann
Associate Professor, School of Performance, TMU
Dr. Lorena Escandón
Assistant Professor, School of Creative Industries; Graduate Program Director, Master of Digital Media, TMU
AJ Cordeiro
Assistant Professor, RTA School of Media, TMU
Ian Garrett
Professor of Ecological Design for Performance, York University
Chris Blomkwist
Project Coordinator, Creative AI Hub