AI and Arts Education: How Technology is Transforming Classroom Creativity

The world is inundated with conversations about AI, yet we rarely hear about its impact on art and arts education. On this episode of Speaking Of…College of Charleston, three faculty members from the School of the Arts discuss how AI is showing up in their classrooms and studios.

Guests include:

• Bex Ferrell, assistant professor in Arts Management
• Jarod Charzewski, studio art professor in sculpture
• Marian Mazzone, professor in Art History

They share candid insights on the opportunities and tensions AI brings to the arts, why the creative process still matters and how educators are trying to help students balance efficiency with authenticity.

 ”As an artist, I think you always have to embrace the new. You always have to find that new thing, and you have to learn it and develop an opinion about it,” says Charzewski. “It doesn’t have to change your life, but you must always embrace the new idea, new thought and new approach to be an artist.”

From fundraising to sculpture and art history and even birdwatching, this conversation dives into the opportunities and challenges AI brings to the arts.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why faculty are struggling to set clear boundaries with AI in the classroom
• Why the creative process is messy and why failure matters
• Insights on the future of AI in the art world and art classrooms

Resources and links:

• Learn more about the College of Charleston’s Arts Management, Studio Art and Art and Architectural History programs
• Explore contemporary AI artists like Refik Anadol
• Los Angeles’ AI Museum Dataland, opening spring 2026
• Full transcript and additional resources in the episode show notes

Listen now on all major podcast platforms:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0HECe7feGqv8NV9tBZvOeG
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speaking-of-college-of-charleston/id1596970737
• Buzzsprout: https://rss.buzzsprout.com/1745159.rss