Clooney, Gyllenhaal, Tornatore to discuss future of creativity at Venice symposium

Venice will host "The Future of... Creativity," a symposium on September 4th featuring prominent figures from the film and arts world. Scheduled to take place at the historic Scuola Vecchia della Misericordia, the event will include George Clooney, recipient of the 2026 Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, this year's International Jury President Maggie Gyllenhaal, festival director Alberto Barbera, and director Giuseppe Tornatore. Organized by Finch & Partners and Creative Artists Agency, the invitation-only symposium aims to explore a fundamental question of our time: "What is the future of creativity in the era of transformative change?" The program features two panel discussions with notable participants including Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Culture and Education; artist Kennedy Yanko; visual artist Marc Quinn; Signal President Meredith Whittaker; and Emmy Award-winning director Shannon Murphy. Festival director Alberto Barbera highlighted that storytelling has always accompanied human civilization, with tools for narrative constantly evolving. He suggested that artificial intelligence could represent the most significant change since the Industrial Revolution, potentially surpassing its impact on human activity. Barbera acknowledged the valid concerns surrounding AI, such as its repercussions on employment, copyright, and artists' image rights, as well as its ethical dimensions. However, Barbera emphasized the importance of shifting the focus to what AI means for creativity itself and what new tools it might offer artists, particularly filmmakers. "For this reason, we have asked a select group of prominent artists to discuss the topic freely, expressing their opinions, in the hope that this can help open a new chapter in the debate on the future of creativity and storytelling," he stated.

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What is the future of creativity in the era of transformative change?