Creative Futures Counterstructures

Apply now – Creative Futures Counterstructures

Creative Futures Counterstructures (CFC) is Mozilla Foundation’s 10-week cultural R&D residency where creative technologists and communities come together to imagine, test, and build alternative tech infrastructures.

Through critical learning sessions, hands-on workshops, collaborative play, and a public exhibition, residents will design and prototype experimental counterstructures—cultural artifacts, installations, and tools that question and reframe dominant tech systems.

AI and creativity in focus

What if we asked communities what kind of tech they want—and then built it? That’s what Mozilla Foundation and the Berggruen Institute began this year with Hollywood artists and creatives in the Imaginative Intelligences Assemblies. Together, we distilled eight design principles for AI that put creativity at the center. Now, CFC takes the next step: turning those principles into tangible cultural artifacts and tools.

CFC unfolds over 10 weeks from Sept 29 through Dec 7, 2025. Each week residents will engage with these AI design principles—and bring them to life in practice.

Who should apply?

We’re looking for creative technologists and multidisciplinary artists who see technology as a medium. Applicants should bring cultural perspectives, critical practices, and collaborative approaches to emerging tools. Experience with AI tools can be nascent, or deep and nuanced, however some proficiency with coding is required. The program is hosted by TIAT in San Francisco, and residents must be based in the Bay Area for the full 10 weeks. We welcome global perspectives and mindsets.

What will residents receive?

CFC residents will receive a $3,000 stipend from TIAT to support their participation in workshops, prototyping, and the final public showcase.