What’s Next: AI, Skills and the Future of the Cultural and Creative Industries

Organised by Cultural Institute @ The University of Leeds

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the hot topic of the moment, but what the evolution of this technology means for the creative and cultural sector remains unclear.

What does skills development with AI look like? What are the ethical considerations? How do we future-proof creative skills for responsible AI adoption? And what impact might this have on how we programme work, recruit the next generation, and shape the future of the sector?

This March, the University of Leeds’ Cultural Institute is bringing together an expert panel drawn from academia, policy, and the creative and cultural industries for an insightful and interactive discussion of AI and its implications for the creative industries.

This event is relevant to freelancers, managers, and leaders in the cultural or creative sectors; funders or policymakers working in the creative and cultural industries; and academics researching these fields.

Part of our ‘What’s Next?’ series — a space for exploring the big questions shaping the cultural and creative sector, together. Each event brings diverse voices into conversation to encourage reflection, debate, and shared learning. Last year, the series focused on the impact of devolution in Yorkshire; this year, it turns to AI and its implications for practice, skills, ethics, and the future of the sector.

This event is aimed at: Creative and Cultural sector.

Speakers Include:

AI & Machine Learning, Arts, Culture & Music
17th Mar 2026
2:00pm - 4:30pm
Organised by Cultural Institute @ The University of Leeds
stage@leeds, 1 Cromer Rd, Woodhouse, Leeds, LS2 9JW
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