A programme of exhibitions and events at the University’s city centre building, the Exchange, offers visitors the chance to teach a robot about love, use Chatbots in creative family workshops and hear from researchers about the opportunities, the risks, and the history of Artificial Intelligence.
From May - July the University will explore AI’s impact on art and creativity.
What not to miss
The Exchange opens late for Minds & Machines: Creativity & AI, an evening of film, installations and live performance all exploring AI and creativity in partnership with Flatpack Festival.
For families
Bodies & beats invites us to make art with the help of ChatGPT and use our bodies to create beats, generate lyrics and develop dance routines during the spring half-term.
Join researchers from the University of Birmingham’s Extreme Robotics Lab and play with Lego robots and Virtual Reality headsets.
We're excited to deliver this programme exploring AI, how it works, what it does and if we should be worried! In a world of fake news, information overload and 'doom scrolling', this eclectic and informative programme of collaborative events is designed to empower our audiences.
Simon Cane, University of Birmingham
What else happens at the Exchange?
Regular heritage tours explore the history of the building, from its beginnings as the headquarters of the Birmingham Municipal Bank to the University’s recent redevelopment and restoration.
Africanize is a community-driven project delivered in collaboration with We Don’t Settle (WDS) that addresses the lasting effects of historical power imbalances using museum objects and art. The new display introduces the project and responses to the University of Birmingham’s African Collection by artist-in-residence, Sipho Eric Ndlovu.
For World Refugee Day the Exchange presents an evening of music and memories in partnership with Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham, Birmingham Community Hosting Network (BIRCH), Stories of Hope and Home, and Notnow Collective.
World Refugee Day events include:
- Live music from Birmingham-based Congolese singer, songwriter Didier Kisala.
- Photographs captured by Birch Network service users, showcasing their unique perspective of the city.
- Members of Stories of Hope and Home will share their lived experiences as people seeking sanctuary.
- BOSA (‘barefoot’ in Croatian), a gentle immersive performance and audio experience exploring the rituals of settling in.
Simon Cane, Director of Public and Cultural Engagement at the University of Birmingham, said: “The Exchange has become a vibrant space for the University right at the heart of the city, used by people from Birmingham and beyond in a multitude of ways.
“We're excited to deliver this programme exploring AI, how it works, what it does and if we should be worried! In a world of fake news, information overload and 'doom scrolling', this eclectic and informative programme of collaborative events is designed to empower our audiences. Equipping people with knowledge to help them make informed decisions about AI by sharing information in engaging, accessible ways.”
The Exchange is the University’s city-centre venue, based in the historic municipal bank in Birmingham’s Centenary Square.
A regular public programme of free exhibitions, events and family-friendly activities explores vital topics like clean air, adult social care, and AI.