UNCSA Emerging Technology in the Arts Residency

August 10, 2026 - 17:35

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts, together with the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts, is set to host a new residency program that puts artificial intelligence at the center of artistic exploration. The initiative will spotlight the work of Xin Ying, a celebrated choreographer and member of the Martha Graham Dance Company, who will collaborate with media artist Mimi Yin and the NUUM Collective.

The program is designed as a working laboratory where artists, technologists, legal experts, and industry leaders will come together to unpack the growing role of AI in creative fields. Over the course of the residency, participants will dig into the ethical questions, legal hurdles, technical limits, and fresh creative possibilities that AI introduces. The goal is not just to talk about these issues in the abstract, but to test them through actual practice and collaboration.

Organizers say the residency comes at a critical moment, as generative tools and machine learning systems are reshaping how art is made, owned, and experienced. By mixing disciplines, they hope to build a shared vocabulary that can guide artists and institutions through this fast-changing landscape. The program will also look at how AI can be used as a partner in performance and choreography, rather than just a tool for generating static images or text.

Xin Ying's background in contemporary dance, paired with Yin's work in interactive systems and the collective's focus on live digital performance, makes for a promising mix. The residency is expected to produce not only new work but also a set of practical insights that could inform policy and practice across the arts sector. More details on public events and participant selection are expected in the coming weeks.