2026 Toronto events
AI and the Great Toronto Novel
AI and the Great Toronto Novel is a Provocation Ideas Festival initiative exploring how storytelling defines who we are—and what we aspire to be. Using a combination of public participation and artificial intelligence, the project invites Toronto residents from across the city to contribute their lived experiences, memories, questions, and hopes, which are then woven—through careful human curation and AI tools—into a collectively authored work of fiction that tells Toronto’s story in a new way.
Commissioned by Provocation and developed under the creative direction of Nehal El-Hadi, the project treats AI not as a replacement for human creativity, but as a collaborative instrument that can amplify collective imagination and civic connection. Alongside the novel, the work may expand into other creative forms, including illustrated publications, animation, and audio projects, offering a powerful case study in city-scale artistic collaboration.
As the project enters its implementation phase, Provocation will be hosting public events and conversations in 2026 that invite Torontonians to take part, reflect on the role of AI in the arts and humanities, and help shape a shared cultural work—by and for the city.
The Great Toronto AI Novel: Project Vision & Roadmap
Past Events
AI Dialogues: On Creative Industries
Wednesday, October 07, 2026
6:00pm–8:00pm
The creative industries are being disrupted at a scale and speed unlike anything they've encountered before. Artificial intelligence can now generate images, write scripts, compose music, and simulate voices. What's at stake goes far beyond technology. It cuts to the heart of authorship, labour, ownership, and the value we place on human expression.
In this program, two voices at the intersection of AI and the creative industry join us for a discussion about what this moment makes possible and the challenges and risks it presents.
Our speakers:
Ana Serrano is President and Vice-Chancellor of OCAD University, co-founder of DemocracyXChange, and an award-winning leader in digital media and cultural innovation. She previously founded the CFC Media Lab and IDEABOOST at the Canadian Film Centre and has helped shape national conversations on democracy, technology, and culture.
Ryan Patterson is the creative director at Queen One Studios, an AI-native studio working in film/tv, ads and education. With over a decade of video production experience in advertising and communications, he has been featured in Variety and Deadline, spoken at the Toronto International Film Festival and Adobe MAX, and was named a Top 100 AI Creative on LinkedIn.
Moderated by author, scholar and researcher Paolo Granata (University of Toronto), these two leading voices bring the full tension of this moment into focus, not to resolve it, but to help us think more clearly and critically about it. After their dialogue, the conversation moves into the room. You'll be invited to discuss in small groups, then join an open exchange with both speakers. No conclusion is required.
This AI Dialogues program is presented by the Toronto Public Library in collaboration with the Provocation Ideas Festival.
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About the AI Dialogues
Artificial intelligence is reshaping nearly every dimension of human life, how we work, how we govern, how we heal, how we connect. And yet, for all its momentum, the conversation around AI is fragmented: hype on one side, fear on the other, and very little space in between for genuine, grounded exchange. The AI Dialogues is a series that creates that space.
Each program brings together two voices - experts, practitioners, and thinkers who have earned their perspectives through experience - to explore a single topic through the lens of AI's promise and its challenges. Then opens the floor, inviting audiences into small group discussion before bringing every voice into a shared dialogue.
The goal is not consensus. It is clarity - the kind that only comes from sitting with complexity, listening across disagreement, challenging our assumptions, and resisting the urge to resolve what isn't yet resolved.
AI will shape the future. How we think and talk about it will shape it even more.
Accessibility
Live or automated closed captioning, sign language interpretation, intervenor services, or attendant services are available upon request. Please submit your request at least 2 weeks in advance to: tpl.ca/accessibility-events.
DemocracyXChange 2026: Side By Side
A national gathering on democracy, economy, and collective action
April 16–18, 2026 • Toronto + Virtual
What does it mean to build an economy that truly serves democracy?
DemocracyXChange 2026 (DXC26) brings together thinkers, creators, policymakers, and community leaders from across Canada to explore that question — and to imagine new possibilities for our shared future.
Taking place over three days in Toronto, this year’s theme, “Side By Side: Building an Economy that Serves Democracy,” focuses on how people can shape democratic and economic systems together — through participation, collaboration, and civic imagination.
Why Attend
DXC26 is Canada’s premier gathering for those engaged in the future of democracy. The program features:
- Inspiring keynote speakers
- Panel discussions on pressing civic issues
- Hands-on workshops and interactive sessions
- Opportunities to connect with a national network of changemakers and innovators
PIF Community Partner Offer
As a Community Partner, the Provocation Ideas Festival is pleased to offer:
20% off Virtual Tickets
Use the code:
👉 PIF20VIRTUAL@DXC26
- Valid for Virtual ticket option only
- Join from anywhere and be part of the national conversation
Tickets & Information
🎟 Purchase tickets:
https://www.democracyxchange.org/event-details/dxc26
🌐 Learn more:
https://www.democracyxchange.org
A Shared Conversation
DemocracyXChange aligns closely with the Provocation Ideas Festival’s commitment to creative public dialogue, civic imagination, and community engagement.
We’re pleased to support this important national gathering — and to invite our community to take part.
Join the conversation. Shape what comes next.
