AI and Policy

(Presented in partnership with the Cultural Policy Hub at OCAD University)

The direction of AI is not fixed, it is being shaped through policy, industry decisions, cultural adoption, and public dialogue. Presented in partnership with the Cultural Policy Hub at OCAD University, this final panel explored how artists and creative communities can participate in shaping the future of AI in meaningful and practical ways.

Bringing together voices from the arts, education, sector organizations, and government, the discussion examined how artists can engage as advocates, collaborators, and informed participants in conversations around transparency, consent, creative rights, and responsible AI use. Panelists explored how artists are already influencing the development and adoption of AI through creative practices, choices, and public engagement, while highlighting opportunities for collective action through advocacy, community organizing, partnerships, and policy development.

Moderator:

• Miriam Kramer is Executive Director of Government Relations and Public Policy at OCAD University, where she also oversees the Cultural Policy Hub. With over 25 years’ experience across Canada and the U.S., she leads initiatives at the intersection of culture, technology, and public policy, advancing creative industries, AI policy, and international cultural collaboration. Miriam is a recognized sector connector, working with governments, funders, and global partners to strengthen Canada’s cultural policy ecosystem.

Panelists: 

• Annesta Duodu is a Toronto-based lawyer who is passionate about the arts and the intersection of intellectual property and creative industries. She currently works at the Society of Composers, Authors & Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) and through her work, she advocates for a healthy and vibrant Canadian music ecosystem, ensuring that creators and publishers are paid for their work. Annesta serves on the Board of Artists’ Legal Advice Services and is currently the Programming Chair at ADVANCE, Canada’s Black Music Business Collective.
• Stephanie Draker is a Toronto-based arts manager with extensive experience designing and delivering programs that support Ontario’s cultural workforce. As Associate Director & Program Manager for Work in Culture (WIC), she leads initiatives focused on business and entrepreneurial skills development for artists and arts workers and administers the WIC Catalyst and Transformation Fund to help arts organizations implement meaningful changes to their operations. She holds a BFA from York University and has exhibited as a visual artist. Stephanie is a 2024 Toronto Arts Council Leaders Lab Fellow and a passionate advocate for the arts.
• Parantap Bhatt is the Program Chair of Environmental Design in the Faculty of Design at OCAD University. A designer, researcher, and educator, his work explores the future of spatial design at the intersection of artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and human experience. Alongside academia, he practices architecture at WalterFedy leading multidisciplinary teams in the delivery of major healthcare, institutional, and civic projects. He is also the Founder and Director of SYNTH Lab, a research-driven initiative exploring the convergence of design strategy, intelligence, and human-centred innovation. Bridging academia, professional practice, and applied research; he investigates how AI can augment design thinking, reshape creative workflows, and inform more responsible approaches to innovation. His work integrates design strategy, computational methods, and interdisciplinary collaboration to address the cultural, technological, and environmental challenges shaping the future of the built environment.
• Anthea Foyer works at the intersection of creativity and digital innovation with a human-centred approach. She currently leads the Creative Technology Office at the City of Toronto, an initiative that supports the creative industries with a focus on immersive, video games, esports and other emerging forms of digital entertainment. She is currently the Focal Point for Toronto’s UNESCO City of Media Arts designation and is a co-founder of Future Makers, a creative foresight initiative developed with the Toronto Metropolitan University’s Creative School. Anthea has held positions as a Curator of Digital Public Art, Smart City Project Lead, Creative Strategist and Senior Training Manager CFC Media Lab. Previously she sat on the Board of Smart Cities World, has been a Canadian juror for the UN Task force’s World Summit Awards, served as Co-Chair of InterAccess, as well as a variety of other boards and committees.

Special thanks Genevieve Barber and Samuel La France

Videography by Mat Keselman

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