AHC EDI Student Project Award Winner for 2024/25 Martine Neang, Global Creative Industries UG in Performance and Cultural Industries, used AI to create art to explore the lived experiences of third culture kids at the University of Leeds.
Building on her passion for storytelling and identity, Martine also developed a series of innovative workshops as part of her final-year project, exploring belonging through the lens of artificial intelligence (AI).
The workshops were supported by an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award from the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures, which provided funding, equipment and logistical help.
Martine brought together a group of ‘Third Culture Kids’ – individuals who’ve grown up in cultures different from their parents or country of origin – using AI-generated art prompts to explore personal stories and shared experiences.
“AI gave me a medium to explore these stories in a way I couldn’t have done otherwise”, she explained. “Creating emerging art together was exciting, but more importantly, it fostered a sense of community for people who often feel they don’t belong anywhere.
“It was beautiful to witness – the AI was really just an excuse to bring people together. By the end, they had created not only art but also a sense of home with each other.”
