Forus

2024-10-31

Call for Proposals: AI Artivism for Digital Rights Competition

Introduction 

 

Forus, as part of the Civil Society Alliances for Digital Empowerment (CADE), a project co-funded by the European Union, is launching a call for proposals aimed at civil society organisations, activists, artists, and digital rights defenders. To support civil society organisations in digital governance, advocacy and positive narratives, we invite submissions of AI-driven artwork. These pieces should spotlight the role of civil society in shaping the digital world, as well as the key challenges and opportunities in digital rights. The three winning individuals or organisations will receive support to develop and carry out a creative project for Forus' #Let'sTalkDigital campaign.   

 

This call supports the #Let'sTalkDigital campaign, which emphasises the interconnection between civic space and digital space. Through this initiative, we will visually and creatively explore how digital rights are essential to the preservation and expansion of civic freedoms in the digital age. This project further echoes the #Let'sTalkDigital campaign’s commitment to amplifying civil society voices in the digital realm and creating spaces for inclusive conversations around digital governance. 

 

Artworks will be showcased at RightsCon 2024, an event on human rights in the digital age, taking place in February 2025 in Taipei. This is civil society’s -- and your – opportunity to contribute creatively to the global conversation on digital rights and to spotlight the challenges and successes of civil society in this realm. 

 

Background 

As CSOs, we need to overcome the still-significant barriers to meaningful participation in internet governance processes. 

Some of the key challenges include: 

  • Limited voice in discussions: CSOs, particularly from the Global South or Global Majority, as well as historically marginalised groups, struggle to participate in global forums due to financial, social, and political barriers. 

  • Lack of capacity: Many CSOs lack the resources and expertise needed to engage effectively in international internet governance processes. 

  • Internet shutdowns, closed civic space and digital repression: In many regions, governments use internet shutdowns as a tool to suppress dissent. Misinformation is affecting communities and civil society; activists and defenders worldwide are affected by digital repression and theclosure of civic space and their ability to operate safely. 

CADE  addresses these challenges by helping CSOs increase their capacity for effective advocacy, supporting their engagement in internet governance forums, and fostering collaboration between CSOs in the Global North and South and the Global Majority. 

 

Submit your AI-based artworks 

 

We invite artivists, CSOs, and digital rights defenders to submit their AI-based artworks that creatively address the role of civil society in the digital world. Artworks should reflect the themes central to the #Let'sTalkDigital campaign, such as the importance of digital rights for civic engagement, the role of civil society in digital governance, and the intersection of digitalisation with human rights and social justice. Your artwork could explore themes such as: 

  • The impact of digital governance on human rights and freedom of expression. 

  • The challenges faced by CSOs in participating in digital policy-making. 

  • The importance of internet freedom, including the fight against internet shutdowns and digital repression, and the battle against misinformation. 

  • The intersection of technology and social justice,particularly focusing on  historically marginalised communities. 

  • The importance of global, intersectional and intergenerational collaboration 

  • Digital technology, feminist internet, the body and gender justice 

We welcome a variety of formats using AI as a foundation, including but not limited to: 

  • Digital illustrations 

  • Photography 

  • Multimedia  

  • Video art 

Showcase and Recognition 

 

Fifty selected artworks will be promoted online via a social media campaign with Forus and other CADE consortium partners. 10 artists will also be interviewed as part of the A Space for Us multimedia project and the #Let’sTalkDigital campaign. Articles and interviews will be translated into English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese and distributed widely. 

 

How to Apply 

 

To submit your AI art, please send the following to [email protected]: 

  • A brief biography of the artist, collective or organisation, including any relevant experience in digital rights or related fields. 

  • Relevant links to your website, social media pages, or other activity. 

  • The artwork as an attached file. 

Applications can be in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, or Arabic. We welcome artistic outputs in local languages, either partially or entirely. Individuals/organisations from historically marginalised groups are encouraged to apply. 

 

Deadline 

 

The deadline for submissions is January 30th 2025. Proposals must be submitted by this date to be considered for selection.  

 

Selection Criteria 

 

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria: 

  • Relevance to the themes of digital rights and the role of civil society. 

  • Creativity and originality of the concept. 

  • Potential impact and ability to provoke thought and discussion. 

The proposals will be evaluated by a diverse Peer Commitee including Forus members and CADE consortium partners. 

 

Timeline and Deliverables 

 

Selected artists, including the winning three artists, will be notified by the end of February or the beginning of the month of March.  

For any inquiries or further information, please contact [email protected] 

 

Copyright  

 

Copyright for the outputs remains the sole and exclusive property of the artist and the activist. Terms of reference/contracts will provide CADE with the right to reproduce, publicly display, distribute and otherwise use the expected outputs in relation to CADE’s work, and as an example of work commissioned through the European Union’s grant. This includes among other uses, exhibitions, online promotion, display on the CADE and CADE consortium’s members websites, mention in articles and in social media content linked to the #Let’s Talk Digital campaign. Copyright will be addressed in terms of reference/contracts developed with successful applicants. As part of the CADE project, the EU is granted a non-exclusive right to use, free of charge, all results, reports, and other documents produced during the CADE project.