[Commlist] CfP: Creative Practice Research and “Intelligent” Technologies - On the Future of Creativity

MeCCSA Practice Network symposium 2024, Call for Papers

Creative Practice Research and “Intelligent” Technologies: On the Future 
of Creativity
A conference at Ravensbourne University, London in partnership with the 
MeCCSA Practice Network.

Keynote Speaker: Prof. Tracey Harwood (De Montfort University)

The area of Creative Practice Research is continually impacted and 
transformed by emerging technologies. While still coming to terms with 
the implications of how digital technologies have revolutionised modes 
of production, distribution and exhibition, there now appears on the 
horizon an even more profound technological rupture: so-called 
“intelligent” technologies. The question of how technology structures 
physical and social environments, collective and individual identities, 
along with cultural and artistic production, is a motivating force for 
practitioners across a spectrum of disciplines. The use of technologies 
in creative practice research often seeks to comment upon what Don Ihde 
called the “mutual constitution” (1990) between machines and humans. 
Implicit and explicit in such work is the philosophical theme of 
existential crisis, drawn from a rich lineage of thinkers such as 
Williams, Arendt, McLuhan, Barthes, Baudrillard, Haraway, and Kristeva 
to name a few. The effect of technology on social systems, economic 
power, questions of moral judgement, notions of reality, and the 
integrity of the human self, are all grand discourses that hold two 
competing ideas: the notion of progressive intent inherent in modern 
technological expansion versus the unintended consequences and outcomes 
of technological impacts, which once there, cannot be erased.
The most recent acceleration in technological change is of course 
related to so-called AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Machine Learning. 
Provoking an explosion of hype and anxiety across the social and 
cultural milieu, the familiar narratives of technological dystopianism 
and utopianism are being recycled once again, but arguably with a 
renewed urgency. In the creative industries, there are step changes 
taking place regarding production practices which have aesthetic and 
industrial implications. The ease with which virtual production and 
computer-generated imagery can construct entire world challenges our 
traditional understanding of truth in visual media. Deep fakes produced 
by “intelligent" software enables the manipulation of audio, video, and 
images to produce highly realistic but fabricated content that further 
disrupts traditional notions of authenticity. Furthermore, debates 
centering on human creativity, and ideas around representation, 
technique, inspiration, and interpretation, have exacerbated anxieties 
around the nature of expression as a human value. Yet, simultaneously, 
there is a cadre of creatives that embrace the use of AI in their 
practice, with methods and outcomes often challenging deeply held 
notions around artistic, industrial, and cultural production. Creative 
Practice Research therefore offers myriad re-engagements with, and new 
critical interventions on, the way technological change shapes societies 
and lives.

All forms of creative practice are subject to technological influences, 
therefore the history of research into the correlations, collaborations, 
and utilisations of technology in creative fields is a vital element. 
Indeed, Creative Practice Research has historically incorporated the use 
of cutting-edge or emergent technologies, often in avant-garde or 
transformative ways. In the digital era, the so-called democratisation 
of technology has opened out creative practice to a wider range of 
people and contexts. While this has been understood as a positive 
undermining of hierarchies of power related to what constitutes 
creativity and who has access to it, a host of debates that extend well 
beyond the creative sphere have emerged pointing huge transformations in 
education, labour, intellectual property, environmentalism, and ethics.
We would like the conference to be a vital forum for engaging in 
critical conversations about the evolving landscape of Creative Practice 
Research and how it is being transformed by technological innovation. By 
creating a space for critical discourse and knowledge exchange sharing 
knowledge we seek to establish a framework for understanding the 
interaction between technology and creative processes within the field.
Key topics of exploration include but are not limited to:
1.	Technological intelligence: Investigating the intersection of AI and 
Machine Learning on creative practice and media production, including 
AI-generated content, deepfakes, and algorithmic storytelling.
2.	Technological immersivity: Exploring the creative potential and 
social impact of Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and the Metaverse, 
especially with regards to the construction of interactive and immersive 
narratives.
3.	Virtual Productions: Exploring the role of LED volumes, Unreal 
Engine-produced virtual environments and real-time rendering in creative 
production and storytelling.
4.	Time Shifting and Space Shifting: Analysing the impact of 
globalization on creative production, distribution, and audience 
reception, and exploring its implications for research.
5.	Examining the challenges and opportunities of remote collaboration in 
creative production and its potential for redefining traditional modes 
of working.
6.	Technological Pedagogy: question of teaching and learning that go 
beyond the issue of plagiarism and address the very concept knowledge 
and its production 7.	Environmental practices: how do we challenge the 
immense of environment footprint of technology through creative practice 
research
We invite scholars, technologists, artists, and industry professionals 
to contribute to these discussions using presentations of their own or 
others’ work as a framing reference. By bringing together diverse 
perspectives and experiences, this conference aims to foster 
interdisciplinary dialogue and inspire new research directions within 
creative practice research.
The conference will take place over 2 days. Day 1 will be structured 
around the traditional time slots of 30 minutes per presenter, and we 
are happy to accept the tradition 20-minute paper, however, we encourage 
participants to employ creative practice of some form, as a provocation 
for interactive discussion. Furthermore, we would like to have a 
selection of workshops and panel debates which will intervene in the 
core themes proposed above. As an industry focused institution, we will 
be looking to bring in external partners to both contribute to the 
debate, demonstrate technologies and network for potential partnerships.

Day 2 will be a mini film festival/audio-visual exhibition with the same 
theme as the main conference. Submissions are welcome for both, and we 
hope to show an eclectic mix of work.

The conference will take place over two days in late June at 
Ravensbourne University https://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/ and at the 
Institute for Creativity and Technology 
https://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/theinstitute in the North Greenwich 
Design District https://designdistrict.co.uk/.
•	Deadline for submission: Friday March 15, 2024: •	Selections 
announced: May 2024.
•	Conference date: June 20 & 21.

Affiliation: Ravensbourne University. https://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/ 
Ravensbourne University London is a digital media and design university 
that runs BAs in film, fashion, broadcasting, interactive product 
design, architecture, graphic design, animation, music production for 
media and sound design. We are a diverse, close-knit community of 
creators, makers and innovators. Based in London’s brand-new Design 
District, https://designdistrict.co.uk/ Ravensbourne is renowned for its 
strong links to industry.
Contact: Dr Orson Nava (o.nava /at/ rave.ac.uk) or Dr Dario Llinares 
(d.llinares /at/ rave.ac.uk)

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