The activities of the center began in the spring of 2023, when a group of experts from the artistic and research communities agreed on the need to systematically deepen relationships between these fields and integrate them into artistic practice, research, innovation, and the growth of the creative economy. Technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, cybernetics, virtual reality, sound and light design, and synthetic media are shaping our world. The connection between creative and social science approaches is becoming increasingly important to ensure positive and just impacts. In order to maintain the quality of life, economic stability, and a healthy environment for life, we agreed that it is essential not only to connect these fields but also to stimulate systematic changes based on an evidence-based approach.

This idea also underpins the TAH Manifesto, which has so far been endorsed by 44 universities, research organizations, and entities from the non-profit and private sectors. The TAH Center gained legal status in the summer of 2024, when 15 individuals from renowned institutions founded a registered association. The association is open to other individuals and legal entities that share our vision.

In Czech, the word “tah” carries a range of meanings that enrich the understanding of the TAH Center’s name. Literally, tah can mean a “move” in chess, symbolizing a strategic and thoughtful action, much like the center’s interdisciplinary approach to solving complex global challenges. It also refers to the stroke of a paintbrush in art, highlighting creativity. In the context of theater, tah refers to the system that moves stage sets, much like how the TAH Center creates space for change and the pushing of horizons in technology, art, and the social sciences and humanities. And finally, tah in the sense of “pulling” symbolizes forward movement and continuous progress, which the center supports through interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation.