ISEA2026 Dubai opened the core sessions of its Online Academic Programme, bringing artists, researchers, innovators and specialists together across borders to explore how art and technology can connect cultures.

In her welcome address, Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, said: “Dubai’s hosting of ISEA2026 invites an international conversation about art and technology to a country where cultural ambition and future thinking are closely connected.”

Organised by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority in partnership with Zayed University, the symposium is held under the theme “ELYAH: Constellating Place, Data, and Identity.” It examines the intersection of art, science and technology, and their role in creative expression and cultural dialogue.

Sheikha Latifa described art as a way to explore shared connections and exchange perspectives. “Every place becomes part of us through the people we meet, the stories we hear and the experiences we carry forward. Art gives us ways to explore those connections and share what they mean,” she said.

She welcomed artists, creators, researchers, thinkers and students joining in person and online. She also said that investment in culture supports people’s creativity, potential and ability to shape the future.

The address connected cultural identity with openness to the world. “Our heritage gives us a sense of continuity, while our openness to the world allows that heritage to inspire new forms of expression and understanding,” Sheikha Latifa said.

She also addressed how artificial intelligence and emerging technologies are changing the ways people produce knowledge and encounter cultures. These developments carry implications for identity and representation, she said, adding that human dignity, cultural diversity and creative freedom should guide the transformation.

In her opening address, Her Excellency Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture, said ISEA has brought together people exploring new tools and forms of artistic expression for more than three decades. She said ISEA2026 received more than 1,000 submissions to its Artistic and Academic Programme, with over 100 artworks and installations selected for presentation across Dubai.

Badri said the online academic sessions connect artists, academics and researchers across borders, creating opportunities for critical enquiry and knowledge exchange. For Emirati and regional practitioners, she said, the symposium offers opportunities to present their perspectives and build connections with international peers.

Other speakers considered the relationship between technology, creativity and education. Prof. Kevin Hall, President and CEO of Zayed University, highlighted collaboration across art, science and technology, and the role of universities in preparing students for digital transformation. He said higher education should nurture imagination alongside technical expertise, creativity, critical thinking and ethical awareness.

Erandy Vergara, Chair of the ISEA International Board, spoke about the symposium’s artistic and academic community and the range of work presented at cultural venues across Dubai. Maitha Ali Al Blooshi, Director of the Emerging Arts Department at Dubai Culture and Executive and Strategic Director of ISEA2026 Dubai, encouraged participants to explore the programme, meet artists and exchange ideas.

Prof. Janet Bellotto, Dean of the College of Arts and Creative Enterprises at Zayed University and Executive and Strategic Director of ISEA2026, addressed the responsibility of academic and creative institutions as artificial intelligence advances. She emphasised the importance of adopting emerging technologies ethically and sustainably.

The programme also featured a keynote presentation by Katherine Hayles, titled “AI as Artistic Collaborator: Mapping a Theory of Mind for Large Language Models.” It explored AI in artistic practice and possible interactions between creative practitioners and large language models.

The Online Academic Programme is organised around four themes: Celestial Dialogues, Charting Constellations, Eco-Tech Futures and Starlinked Worlds. Sessions examine connections between place, memory and identity, alongside environmental responsibility and human interaction in digital spaces.

Presentations include research on using machine learning to translate ballet movements into sound, AI-mediated intercultural dialogue, and the environmental impact of digital technologies. Other sessions consider the reconstruction of Borneo’s sensory heritage, musical performance in microgravity, and interaction with autonomous digital representations in mixed reality.

A session titled “ISEA2026 is in Dubai,” hosted at Dubai International Financial Centre, will look at how the symposium’s in-person Artistic Programme and Online Academic Programme were developed. Janet Bellotto will join curators Jalal Luqman, Anna Seaman, Nada Altaher, Giuseppe Moscatello and Nasir Abdullah, as well as artist Sabrina Guechetouli. The discussion will explore collaboration between the UAE’s creative community and international artists and researchers.

Through artistic practice and academic exchange, ISEA2026 Dubai brings attention to how art can connect people across cultures and borders, while emerging technologies open new questions about creativity, identity and the future.

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