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Foo Foo Fest will include what will likely be one of Pensacola’s most talked about art exhibits ever as it features a controversial artist who had one painting fetch more than $1 million in a 2024 Sotheby’s auction and whose mere existence sparks debate about humanity, artificial intelligence, art and creativity.
The artist is Ai-Da, and “she” has been described as the “the world’s first ultra-realistic humanoid robot artist.” Pensacola State College is bringing her, and her team, to town.
“We thought it was Foo Foo Fest, so we should go big or go home,” said Debbie Douma, a PSC dean who helped facilitate Ai-Da’s Pensacola visit. “There is a lot of debate out there about AI and it should be fascinating.”
“AI God,” a mixed-media painting created by Ai-Da, a humanoid robot artist, was sold for more than $1 million by Sotheby’s at a 2024 auction.
The visit of Ai-Da, a dark-haired artist with cameras for eyes and bionic limbs, will include a live painting session at the Saenger Theatre, which will also feature a panel of scientists, futurists and leaders discussing the AI artist and the ramifications of artificial intelligence in art. Ai-Da will also appear in a family-focused event at the Pensacola MESS Hall during her Pensacola stay, and an exhibition of Ai-Da’s work will be on display at the Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts at PSC throughout Foo Foo Festival.
“When photography first came out, artists were appalled and thought art would go away,” Douma said. “Today, it’s used as a tool and art function. Is that going to happen with AI?”
Ai-Da was conceived in 2019 by gallerist Aidan Meller as an AI art generator embodied as a life-like humanoid robot. Its hardware was built by a Cornish robotics company, while its graphics algorithms were developed at the University of Oxford, while its drawing arm was developed by scientists at the University of Leeds.
Ai-Da’s painting “A.I. God. Portrait of Alan Turing” sold for $1,084,800at Sotheby’s New York during the in 2024.
Ai-Da’s visit is just one of the highlights of the 13th annual Pensacola Foo Foo Fest, the annual 12-day celebration of arts, entertainment, science and culture, which takes place Oct. 29 through Nov. 9 at various locations throughout the city.
Foo Foo Festival officials recently announced the local grant recipients that received a combined $450,000 in grants for various projects that will be showcased during the 13th annual festival.
Those projects include science experiments on Palafox, a historic downtown building being reflected and lit in shimmering and distorting light, a festival celebrating anime and Japanese culture, animals in ballet, a showcase of Pensacola punk culture and much more.
“It’s going to be another exciting, banner year,” said Therese McKenzie, Foo Foo Festival committee chair. “We really have some new and creative things for our residents to do this year, and we think it will bring in more out of town guests as well.”
Foo Foo Fest 2026 grant recipients
The 2026 Foo Foo Fest grant recipients other than Pensacola State College are:
The 309 Punk Project, which is dedicated to archiving and celebrating Pensacola’s punk and DIY culture, will bring back HalloZine Fest, a two-day interactive arts event celebrating the resurgence of “zine” culture through workshops, film and live performances. Oct. 29-Oct. 30.
Ballet Pensacola will present “Carnival of the Animals,” a collaborative, family-focused event that will pair Ballet Pensacola with the Pensacola Humane Society and which will feature young dancers, elaborate costumes, puppetry, interactive elements and concluding with a Parade of Animals. Nov. 1-3.
Fiesta Pensacola will present “Living Museum,” an immersive, interactive cultural event at the Pensacola Museum of History that will transform the space into a living timeline of the city’s history through costumed performances and first-person storytelling. Nov. 5.
Friends of Downtown, the group which brought the “Afterburn” art installation to downtown Pensacola will present “Lightspill”, a large-scale, temporary public art installation that transforms the historic Artel Gallery in downtown Pensacola into a striking visual landmark using cascading mirrored spheres that create the illusion of a fluid, reflective surface. Oct. 29 through Nov. 9.
For the third year, the Japan-America Society of Northwest Florida will produce the HizashiCon Anime Festival, a vibrant three-day community-powered anime and Japanese pop culture convention celebrating creativity, inclusion, and cross-cultural connection. Oct. 31-Nov. 1.
Night Moves Inc. Night Moves has in recent years produced a one-day music festival at the Community Maritime Park, but for 2026 the Pensacola nonprofit will expand into a multi-day citywide musical event at various Pensacola venues, including the Saenger Theatre and Vinyl Music Hall, as well as smaller venues and clubs. Oct. 30 through Nov. 8.
PenArts a theatrical arts nonprofit, will present the musical “SIDE SHOW” by Bill Russell and Henry Krieger for the first time in Pensacola. The production will be expanded into an immersive, circus-inspired experience at The Gordon from Oct. 30 through Nov. 8.
Pensacola MESS Hall will present “Science on the Street,” a project that focuses on the physics and perception of sound and which will feature multiple Sound Booth sessions and hands-on installations along Palafox Street, designed to engage audiences of all ages as they explore how sound is created and travels. Oct. 30 through Nov. 9.
The Pensacola Museum of Art will present a multi-day series titled “STEAM2026: Exploring Wonder” which fill feature artists talks, performances, workshop and public engagement opportunities. Events include a Nov. 3 collaborative performance by Nathalie Miebach and the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra. Other events include fee-based workshops led by nationally recognized artists and a public free day on Nov. 7 featuring hands-on activities and exhibitions.
Pensacola Opera will present “Rock the Runway: Living Art” at the Saenger Theatre. The performance will feature an immersive blend of fashion, dance, visual arts and opera to create a theatrical runway experience, featuring vocalists, dancers from Ballet Pensacola, a live band and area models. Nov. 4.
The Pensacola Symphony Orchestra will present “Mozart & Bizet” featuring Music Director Peter Rubardt, internationally acclaimed pianist Carter Johnson and a full orchestra performing works by Mozart, Bizet and Stravinsky at the Pensacola Saenger Theatre. Nov. 7.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Ai-Da humanoid robot artist is 2026 Foo Foo Fest highlight
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