[Commlist] Call for Contributions: Creative AI Exploration and Imagination

Call for Contributions: *Creative AI Exploration and Imagination: 
Innovative Methods for Alternative Digital Futures*


Leipzig University, Germany

25–26 September 2025


Are you exploring the intersections of citizen engagement, futures 
methods and artificial intelligence? Do you experiment with arts-based 
and/or participatory futures methods to reimagine digital futures? We 
invite you to share your work at our upcoming show-and-tell workshop.


*Idea and Background*

Artificial intelligence (AI) and other types of digital technologies are 
deeply intertwined with the everyday lives of citizens, yet their 
underlying conditions and consequences often remain invisible or 
difficult to grasp. Many people experience the digital transformation as 
inevitable and uncontrollable, as exemplified by the current public 
discourse around the “AI race” and generative AI technologies. 
Innovative approaches and methods are urgently needed to empower 
citizens to critically engage with digital transformation processes and 
imagine alternative futures.


This workshop moves beyond traditional information dissemination and 
focuses on playful and artistic engagement methods, such as arts-based 
and future methods. These approaches foster experiential and creative 
explorations of AI and digital transformation, using photography, music, 
literary and poetic texts, diaries, comics and visual narratives, 
installations, or excursions. These methods are not aimed at conveying 
the current state of AI technology but rather at collaboratively 
defining future frameworks for action, governance, and regulation with 
civil society actors. Arts-based methods are particularly valuable as 
they allow participants to experience, explore and imagine alternative 
scenarios beyond the status quo and/or dominant narratives about how 
“the” future will unfold.

This workshop seeks to bring together researchers involved in such 
projects, practitioners, citizens, and other experts working in this 
field. The event aims to map real-time experiences and identify good 
practices and model initiatives for engaging with citizens, civil 
society organizations, community organizers, and public administrations 
around critical questions about AI and digital technologies. These 
efforts are planned to culminate in a publication titled “(Re)-Imagining 
AI with and for the People.”


The event is supported by the ARQUS University Alliance and the German 
Academic Exchange Service DAAD.

**

*Objectives and Contributions*

The workshop will explore and test transfer methods for playful and 
artistic engagement (arts-based methods and future methods) with AI and 
digital transformation. Participants will discuss the theoretical 
foundations of these methodologies, address practical challenges in 
their application and transfer, and examine the role of arts-based and 
future methods in fostering civil society participation, enabling 
citizens to critically engage with the everyday impacts of AI and 
envision alternative uses, frameworks, and regulations for a 
citizen-centered digital transformation.


Practical aspects of applying arts-based and future methods in the AI 
context should be illuminated through collaboration with local partners. 
Stakeholders such as citizens, media education initiatives, and NGOs 
critical of digitalization are invited to join the conversation and 
exploration. The workshop also aims to address ethical considerations in 
applying these methods, documenting how such approaches influence the 
dynamics between researchers and participants.

We welcome contributions from a broad range of disciplines and sectors 
involving researchers and academics, designers, artists and creative 
practitioners, community organizers and activists, technologists and 
developers, as well as policy advocates and educators.


We invite arts-based and future methods contributions that:

  * Demonstrate innovative citizen-led AI applications or projects.
  * Showcase participatory methods for engaging diverse communities 
with AI.
  * Explore alternative narratives and imaginaries of digital futures.
  * Examine the role of creativity in developing ethical and inclusive AI.
  * Provide critical reflections on challenges and lessons learned.


The Show-and-Tell format is designed to encourage interaction and 
dialogue. Contributors will present their work in interactive sessions 
and engage directly with participants through live demonstrations, 
creative storytelling, or multimedia presentations.

The registration fee is 150 Euro and includes lunch catering and coffee 
& tea breaks.

*
*

*Submission Guidelines*


Please submit the following by *31 March 2025*

 1. A title and brief description of your contribution (300 words max).
 2. A short bio (150 words max) of the presenter(s).
 3. Any technical or logistical requirements for your presentation.


Email your submission to (christian.pentzold /at/ uni-leipzig.de) 
<mailto:(christian.pentzold /at/ uni-leipzig.de)>with the subject line: *Show 
and Tell Submission – [Your Name/Project Name].*

*
*

*Key Dates*

  * Submission Deadline: 31 March 2025
  * Notification of Acceptance: 15 May 2025
  * Event Date: 25–26 September 2025

**

*Organizers*


The local event is organized by: Christian Pentzold, Emma Hughes, and 
Benedikt Haupt, Leipzig University in collaboration with Juliane Jarke & 
Laura Kunz, University of Graz; Rob Kitchin & Olly Dawkins, Maynooth 
University; and Stefano Crabu & Federico Neresini, University of Padua.


For more information, please visit the website: 
https://tinyurl.com/5n8e7ptn <https://tinyurl.com/5n8e7ptn>

For inquiries, please contact us at (christian.pentzold /at/ uni-leipzig.de) 
<mailto:(christian.pentzold /at/ uni-leipzig.de)>


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