The Mimesis Institute
Mimesis Institute studies how artificial intelligence and other technologies shape culture, interpretation, and public life.
is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working through:
- artistic research
- public guides
- workshops
- publications
- open source
How We Work
Artistic Research
Support for artists and researchers studying AI through performance, writing, public workshops, and experimental systems.
Publications & Guides
Essays, primers, and research notes that make technical change legible for artists, donors, grantmakers, and public audiences.
Workshops & Conversations
Workshops and conversations where artists, technologists, humanities scholars, and institutions can test questions together.
What We Produce
- Performance OS research on collective sensing and AI-mediated perception
- The AI & Culture Primer, a public guide for artists and humanities audiences
- Fall 2026 AI for Artists workshops with OX Arts
Active Projects
Performance OS (Scylla/
Charybdis)
Active performance research on collective sensing, telemetry, and AI-mediated perception.
AI & Culture Primer
A publication and public guide for artists, donors, grantmakers, and curious publics.
AI Glossary
Planned companion definitions for terms artists and institutions meet in AI debates.
Practice Before Publication
We publish after ideas have been staged, tested, and argued in real settings. Our essays and reports record methods, failures, and implications so others can reuse the work.
Collaborators
We collaborate with artists, researchers, cultural organizations, and public institutions on research, workshops, publications, and open-source tools.
Governance and Accountability
Mimesis Institute is governed by an independent Board of Directors with fiduciary oversight and public governance disclosures.
Join the Work
Develop a Project
Bring a venue, workshop cohort, or research question for a focused public program.
Fund the Work
Support the primer, workshops, artist stipends, documentation, and open-source tools.
Follow the Research
Read essays, public guides, and project notes on AI, art, technology, and public life.
We do not treat AI as a simple object of enthusiasm or rejection. We study it as a cultural and technical condition that artists, institutions, and publics need language to interpret.