AI Arts Festival 2026 a resounding success in Winchester

The AI Arts Festival 2026 proved a major success on Sunday 22 March, attracting over 700 attendees to Winchester for a dynamic celebration of creativity in the age of artificial intelligence.

Hosted at the Theatre Royal Winchester and The Arc, the festival brought together artists, researchers, and the public for a packed programme exploring how AI is transforming the arts. From music and theatre to interactive installations, the event highlighted the growing role of technology as a creative partner.

Presented by AI@Southampton , organised by the Web Science Institute , in partnership with the Southampton Institute for Arts and Humanities and Winchester School of Art at the University of Southampton, the festival featured a mix of performances, exhibitions, and hands-on experiences, many of which reached capacity.

Standout moments included the engaging Robot Filmmaking and AI Mozart, both of which blended AI-generated content with live performance. Across the day, audiences were invited not just to watch but to actively participate in new forms of creative expression.

Mike Corner-Jones came to the festival with his wife, “I am actually studying a part time MA in Artificial Intelligence at the University and I was delighted to hear about Festival. We have just had a great time, particularly at the standup comedy - I'll never quite look at the air fryer in the same way again!”

Claire Wilkins, AI@Southampton Manager, reflected on the day’s success: “ It’s been incredible to see such a strong turnout and level of engagement. Bringing together over 700 people to explore how AI and the arts intersect shows just how much appetite there is for creativity, innovation, and collaboration in this space.”