Number 439 17 August 2023

veáse ACORNS IBEROAMERICANO

Hello  ACORNS subscriber

In the fast-evolving digital age, generative artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force, presenting new opportunities for creativity, but also raising critical questions about the future of art and the role of human artists. Artists and designers are embracing AI-generated art and aesthetics, blurring the lines between human and machine. In Brazil, a recent a car ad which resurrected a treasured Brazilian musician who unexpectedly died in 1982 has generated much debate over the ethics of AI and its impact on the music industry. However, this is also exposing the technology’s inbuilt biases and misrepresentations.

The rise of AI-generated art has also sparked a backlash, with some artists actively fighting against the dominance of AI in the art world. Hollywood actors and writers unions are jointly striking since for the first time since 1960, calling for better wages (87 percent of unionised actors currently earn less than USD 26,000) and regulations on studios’ use of AI. The call for protections and legal remedies for creators to ensure their rights are protected when their works are used in generative AI training has also been loud and clear. The Writers’ Union of Canada, representing 2,300 members, recently sent a letter to Parliament requesting copyright law protections for Canadian authors against generative AI services, while US authors have taken the matter to court. Another concern is the the extent of big media giants’ companies’ embrace of AI, as the recent news about Netflix’s USD 900,000 package for a single AI product manager has shown. 

Back in November 2021, UNESCO produced the first-ever global standard on AI ethics – the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, which has been adopted by all 193 Member States and steadfastly acknowledges the essential role of human oversight in AI systems. 

As AI's influence continues to grow, it is attracting the attention of legislators worldwide as the 2023 AI Index Report released by the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence reveals. African governments are developing regulations to ramp up the adoption of AI, which could help combat poverty and unemployment. A recent report projects that AI could expand Africa's economy by a staggering USD 1.5 trillion. While regulations differ, they all aim to address ethical considerations such as data privacy, bias, and transparency. Similarly, in Latin America, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay have all either formulated or are developing an AI strategy, according to the OECD’s Observatory of Public Innovation. 

A key area of legislation related to AI's impact on arts and culture are copyright and intellectual property (IP) laws. In India, for example, the existing Copyrights Act safeguards tangible forms of creative expression but does not extend to safeguarding the ideas underlying such creations. This nuance requires careful navigation when contemplating the inclusion of AI-generated content within its copyright legislation. Last month, the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary’s Subcommittee on Intellectual Property held its second hearing on AI and IP, with senators focusing the thorny issue of balancing innovation in AI with creators’ rights. Key issues discussed include licensing for training, fair use (which focuses on determining the legality of using creators' works in training sets and subsequent outputs) and consumer disclosures about AI-generated versus human-generated content. Conversely, Japan has affirmed that employing datasets to train AI models does not constitute a breach of copyright regulations. This ruling implies that those instructing the models can amass openly accessible data without the necessity of obtaining licenses or seeking consent from the data proprietors. 

Meanwhile, the European Union is considering far-reaching legislation on artificial intelligence (AI). The proposed Artificial Intelligence Act would classify AI systems by risk and mandate various development and use requirements. While European lawmakers agreed to more stringent amendments in June 2023, European companies are concerned about its impact on competitiveness and technological sovereignty. Striking a balance between leveraging AI as a tool for creativity and preserving artistic integrity remains an ongoing challenge for the sector. 

While AI's influence on the cultural and creative sectors is undeniable, what is clearly emerging as essential is for stakeholders to collaborate and establish ethical and legislative frameworks that protect the rights of artists while fostering an environment that nurtures creativity and inclusivity in the digital age.

ACORNS Iberoamericano

Le recordamos que continuamos entregando noticias del espacio iberoamericano tanto de los países miembros como artículos en prensa en general de la región.  Al final de cada edición de ACORNS encontrará la sección de ACORNS Iberoamericano.  Asimismo, nuestro sitio web cuenta con una variedad de noticias en español a su disposición.

National Agency News

Cygnor Celfyddydau Cymru - Arts Council of Wales, 16 August 2023, Wales

Partnerships between Wales’ arts, health and nature organisations are among those encouraged to apply for one of three levels of Arts, Health and Wellbeing Lottery funding as part of the Creative Nature Programme, an agreement between Arts Council of Wales and Natural Resources Wales that aims to cultivate the relationship between the arts and the natural environment.

Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Viet Nam, 16 August 2023, Viet Nam

The "set of criteria for cultural environment in traditional festivals" has just been issued by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in early August 23. In response to this, Prof. Dr. Bui Hoai Son, Standing Committee member of the National Assembly's Education and Culture Committee, said that this is an important step to promote and preserve national traditional cultural values; bringing many important social, economic and spiritual benefits to the community and the country.

Australia Council for the Arts, 11 August 2023, Australia

The Australian Government’s Minister for the Arts announced the inaugural members of the Creative Workplaces Council on Friday 11 August 2023, with their positions to take effect from Thursday 24 August 2023. The role of the Creative Workplaces Council will be to inform and support the operation of Creative Workplaces. The Creative Workplaces Council will report to, and work closely with, the governing Board for Creative Australia, which will continue to be known as the Australia Council Board.

Slovenian Press Agency (STA), 9 August 2023, Slovenia

Flood damage to cultural institutions and heritage is substantial, although it cannot be determined yet in full, Culture Minister Asta Vrečko said on Wednesday. The situation is worst in Gorenjska, the Savinja Valley and Koroška, the three most severely affected regions in the country. A dozen churches have also been flooded.

Ministry of Culture, 8 August 2023, Mexico

The Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico and Meta joined forces to train artisans from the centre and southeast of the country to develop digital skills and establish their presence in social networks. This, as part of ORIGINAL, a cultural movement that aims to protect and preserve the traditional designs and symbols of artisan communities in the national territory.

Fiji Government, 2 August 2023

During the closing ceremony of the Melanesian Arts & Culture Festival 2023 (7MACFEST) held in Port Vila on Sunday, July 30th, Director for Heritage, Collin Sowani Yabaki, speaking on behalf of the Minister for iTaukei Affairs, Culture and Heritage Hon. Ifereimi Vasu and the Fiji Contingent, expressed his excitement about Fiji being chosen as the host country for the 2026 Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival.

more National News...

International News

TV BRICS, 10 August 2023, Zimbabwe

The imperative for dance practitioners to be well-versed in arts management and financial literacy took center stage at the recent graduation ceremony, which marked the culmination of training in Performing Arts, Business, and Digital Distribution.

ANI news, 4 August 2023, United Arab Emirates

The UAE Ministry of Culture and Youth has launched the National Grant Programme for Culture and Creativity to strengthen the UAE's commitment to its cultural and creative sectors, leveraging opportunities to invest in creative professionals who play an integral role in the nation's collective efforts towards building a sustainable creative economy for future generations.

News Track, 31 July 2023, India

In a significant move to combat film piracy and overhaul the age-based certification system, the Lok Sabha achieved unanimity in passing the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2023. This milestone legislation received approval with a strong voice vote, brushing aside protests from members of the Opposition who were preoccupied with the ongoing Manipur ethnic strife. The Bill had already cleared the hurdle in the Rajya Sabha on July 27, prior to this momentous Lok Sabha approval.

Korea Joongang Daily, 31 July 2023, Korea, Rep

Government-wide plans to prevent the illegal distribution of K-content were announced by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in a meeting at the National Assembly on Monday. The measures include expanding the use of monitoring platforms that block illegal streaming servers in the country, reinforcing international cooperation with Interpol and reorganizing investigation units on copyright infringement under the Culture Ministry.

Associated Press (AP), 30 July 2023, USA

Arkansas is temporarily blocked from enforcing a law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing “harmful” materials to minors, a federal judge ruled Saturday.

The New Times, 26 July 2023, Rwanda

In an endeavor to promote a robust sense of cultural and national pride, the Minister of State in Charge of East African Community at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MINAFFET), Prof Manasseh Nshuti, initiated a dialogue with 140 young Rwandans from the diaspora. These youths come from countries such as Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. The discussion was on topics such as heritage, language, and patriotism.

Jamaica Observer, 26 July 2023, Jamaica

Non-profit arts organisation Kingston Creative has suggested that while Jamaica's capital city has the potential to benefit greatly from its cultural and creative assets, its ability to seriously do so continues to be affected by gaps in industry data.

The Diplomat in Spain, 26 July 2023, International

The Council of Ministers yesterday authorised a voluntary contribution of 1,150,000 euros to the Ibermedia Programme (Audiovisual Development Programme in Support of the Construction of the Ibero-American Visual Space) to support the co-production of digital content and video games, reports Efe.

The Guardian, 24 July 2023, Nigeria

Nigeria and other African countries have been urged to leverage youth power, culture, and creative economy for growth. According to business leaders, influential African creative, policy makers, digital champions, and leading entrepreneurs from diverse industries, who gathered in Lagos, at the weekend, agreed that it is high time for the region to look inward for its development by leveraging youths and others.

Muscat Daily, 23 July 2023, Oman

Artists and intellectuals of various nationalities in Oman have welcomed last week’s announcement of the introduction of a ten-year cultural visa for writers, artists and intellectuals who wish to visit and collaborate with professionals and institutions in the sultanate.

UNESCO, 19 July 2023, International

Both India and Indonesia are among these nations, with 34% and 57% of their populations already residing in urban areas in 2021 according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. By 2050, India is projected to have an astounding 600 million urban dwellers, while Indonesia is set to reach 285 million. This urban revolution, driven by economic growth and rural-to-urban migration, presents both challenges and opportunities for sustainable development in these dynamic countries.

UNESCO, 19 July 2023, International

For the first time since the MONDIACULT 2022 Declaration was adopted, Permanent Representatives to the United Nations, have jointly advocated for the deeper inclusion of culture at the UN, specifically calling for the inclusion of culture in upcoming global milestones such as this year’s SDG Summit, the Declaration on Future Generations, the 2024 Summit of the Future, and the 2025 World Social Summit.

Essence, 17 July 2023, International

The Fulani people of West Africa are the world’s largest nomadic group. Their native language, known as Pulaar, is spoken by over 40 million people, but for most of history, the language had no alphabet. 

more International News...

Publications

European Union External Action, 07 August 2023, International

Cultural heritage plays in important role in peace, democracy and sustainable development. The second annual report on EU actions related to cultural heritage is out now.

Eurostat, 03 August 2023, International

This article forms part of the online publication Culture statistics. It provides an overview of developments in cultural employment and information on cultural employment’s share of total employment.

AEA Consulting, 27 July 2023, International

AEA Consulting is pleased to announce the release of the 2022 Cultural Infrastructure Index. Established in 2016, the Index seeks to measure investment in capital projects in the cultural sector globally, identifying projects with a budget of US$10 million or more that were publicly announced or completed within a calendar year. An analysis of 2022 data shows that the volume of global investments in cultural projects has returned to pre-pandemic levels.

National Endowment for the Arts, 25 July 2023, USA

As we celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and its partner, Art Beyond Sight (ABS), are pleased to launch a Toolkit on Careers in the Arts for People with Disabilities. Developed for people with disabilities seeking careers in the arts, as well as employers, educators, and grant makers, the toolkit provides valuable resources, information, and guidance to improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities in the arts.

Arts Law Centre of Australia, 25 July 2023, Australia

During July, Arts Law and the National Association for the Visual Arts (with support from the Australian Society of Authors), conducted a survey to understand how creators are using AI and its potential impacts on Australian creators. The responses painted a mixed picture, underscoring interest in how generative AI can inform artistic practices but also concern on its impacts on copyright, income, and employment.

International Labour Organisation, 24 July 2023, International

This study is a call to action for an African cultural and creative economy that is thriving, sustainable and resilient. It provides direct support for achieving the objectives of the African Union (AU) Year of the Arts, Culture and Heritage (2021) under the theme “Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want”.

UNESCO, 19 July 2023, International

A new global UNESCO report on technology in education highlights the lack of appropriate governance and regulation. Countries are urged to set their own terms for the way technology is designed and used in education so that it never replaces in-person, teacher-led instruction, and supports the shared objective of quality education for all.

European Commission, 17 May 2023, International

This new Creative Europe Programme strategy identifies areas where actions are needed and puts forward recommendations on what could be practically done to ‘green’ the Creative Europe Programme in the foreseeable future.

more Publications...

Opportunities and Events

EU Neighbours, August 7 2023, International

The first pillar of the CREACT4MED project is a comprehensive mapping exercise of the CCI ecosystem in Southern Mediterranean Countries. The aim of this exercise is to identify the key figures, actors, initiatives, cultural infrastructures, opportunities, and threats in each of the territories, with a view to uncovering and raising awareness of unexploited entrepreneurship and employment opportunities and developing appropriate support initiatives and policy recommendations. As part of the mapping pillar of the CREACT4MED project,a call for nominations of Best Practice (BP) examples in cultural and creative entrepreneurship, ecosystem enablement and local and regional cooperation in the Southern Mediterranean has been launched.

Estonian World, 5 September 2023, Estonia

The 2023 Tallinn Digital Summit, taking place on 5 September, aims to tackle challenges and embrace opportunities for a connected digital future. The summit, organised by the Estonian government and hosted by the country’s prime minister, Kaja Kallas, brings together several global leaders to Estonia, often cited as one of the world’s most digitally advanced societies. The event takes place on 5 September with the goal to tackle challenges and embrace opportunities for a connected digital future.

UCLG - United Cities and Local Governments, November 28 2023, Ireland

The City of Dublin (Republic of Ireland) will host the fifth UCLG Culture Summit from 28 November to 1 December 2023, under the auspice of the Dublin City Council and the Dublin City Council Culture Company. Entitled “Culture. Future. Goal. We Act to Bring Local Visions to Global Tables”, the UCLG Culture Summit is the main meeting point at global level of cities, local governments and organisations that are committed to the effective implementation of policies and programmes on culture and sustainability.

Pulse Nigeria, August 10 2023, International

The Sterling One Foundation and the United Nations Nigeria, co-conveners of the Africa Social Impact Summit 2023, have officially unveiled partners for the second edition of the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS).

ELIA - European League of Institutes of the Arts, 10 October 2023, Austria

Creative Skills Week gathers strategic-thinkers, policymakers, cultural workers and networks, creative and artistic practitioners together to co-create plans addressing urgent and future skills needs. Hosted by the University of Applied Arts Vienna from 10 – 13 October 2023 in Vienna (in person and online).

Wavehill, July 18 2023, International

Can you help us to identify potential case studies that demonstrate how logistics for climate funding are administrated in the arts and cultural sectors? [Wavehill Social and Economic Research] are working with the Arts Council England and the British Council to explore the role that arts and cultural organisations can play in supporting climate-focused work. Through our research, we are looking to gather examples of funds, projects, and initiatives from the UK and around the world that have contributed to mitigating climate change and promoting sustainability though arts and culture.

more Opportunities and Events...

Iberoamericano

La era digital evoluciona rápidamente y la inteligencia artificial generativa (IA) se ha erigido en una fuerza transformadora que presenta nuevas oportunidades para la creatividad, a la vez que plantea temas fundamentales sobre el futuro del arte y el papel de los/as artistas humanos/as. Artistas y diseñadores/as están adoptando el arte y la estética generados por inteligencia artificial, difuminando los contornos entre la humanidad y las máquinas. En Brasil, un reciente anuncio de automóviles resucitó a un queridísimo músico brasileño que murió inesperadamente en 1982 y generó un amplio debate sobre la ética de la IA y su impacto en la industria musical, además de exponer los sesgos y distorsiones que subyacen a esta tecnología.

El auge del arte generado por IA también ha generado resistencias y artistas están luchando activamente contra la dominancia de la IA en el mundo del arte. Los actores y actrices de Hollywood y los sindicatos de guionistas están en huelga conjunta por primera vez desde 1960, en demanda de sueldos más altos (el 87% de actores y actrices ganan menos de 26.000 dólares estadounidenses al año) y de nuevas reglas sobre cómo los estudios usarán la IA. El llamado de los/as creadores/as a proteger legalmente sus derechos y legislar sobre el uso de su obra cuando se usa para el aprendizaje de los modelos de IA ha sido alto y claro. La Unión de Escritores/as de Canadá, que representa a 2.300 miembros, acaba de enviar una carta al Parlamento solicitando protección al amparo de la ley de derechos de autor para los/as autores/as respecto al uso de servicios de IA, mientras que los/as autores/as de Estados Unidos han llevado el tema a los tribunales. Otro problema es la adopción de la IA entre los gigantes de los medios de comunicación, a raíz de la noticia que Netflix pagaría 900.000 dólares a su futuro responsable de productos de IA. 

En noviembre de 2021, la UNESCO publicó su primer instrumento normativo global sobre la ética de IA, la Recomendación sobre la ética de la inteligencia artificial, adoptado por los 193 Estados miembros, que constituye un firme reconocimiento del papel fundamental de la supervisión humana en los sistemas de inteligencia artificial. La expansión de la IA está atrayendo la atención de los legisladores de todo el mundo, como revela el Informe 2023 de índice de inteligencia artificial del Instituto Stanford por la IA centrada en las personas de la Universidad de Stanford. Diversos gobiernos africanos están desarrollando normativas para acelerar la adopción de la IA, que podría ayudar a combatir la pobreza y el desempleo. Un reciente informe estima que la IA podría expandir la economía africana en un billón y medio de dólares estadounidenses. Aunque las normativas son diferentes, todas abordan consideraciones sobre la privacidad de los datos, los sesgos, y la transparencia. En Latinoamérica, Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Colombia, México, Perú y Uruguay también han formulado o están desarrollando estrategias de IA, según el Observatorio de innovación pública de la OECD. 

Un área legislativa clave relacionada con el impacto de la IA en las artes y la cultura son las leyes de derechos de autor y propiedad intelectual. En India, por ejemplo, la vigente Ley de Derechos de Autor ampara las formas tangibles de la expresión cultural pero no contempla salvaguardas para las ideas subyacentes a los productos de la creatividad. Este matiz es importante cuando se contempla la inclusión de contenidos generados por IA en la legislación de derechos de autor. El mes pasado, el Comité del Senado de los Estados Unidos sobre el Subcomité del Poder Judicial sobre propiedad intelectual celebró su segunda audiencia sobre IA y propiedad intelectual, y los senadores se concentraron en la espinosa cuestión del equilibrio entre la innovación en IA y los derechos de los/as creadores/as. Entre los temas abordados figuran las licencias para el aprendizaje, el uso justo (que determina la legalidad de usar las obras creativas en sistemas de aprendizaje y los productos resultantes) y en la información al consumidor sobre los contenidos generados por IA o por las personas. En cambio, Japón acaba de afirmar que usar bases de datos para el aprendizaje de modelos de IA no contraviene los derechos de autor. Esta decisión supone que los/as formadores de modelos pueden amasar los datos de acceso público que quieran sin necesidad de obtener licencias o autorización de los propietarios de los datos. 

Mientras tanto, la Unión Europea está considerando una legislación de largo alcance sobre la inteligencia artificial. El Proyecto de Ley de Inteligencia Artificial clasificaría los sistemas de IA por grado de riesgo y haría obligatorios diversos requisitos de desarrollo y uso. Mientras que los legisladores europeos acordaron enmiendas más estrictas en junio de 2023, a las empresas europeas les preocupa los efectos de la ley en la competitividad y la soberanía tecnológica. El equilibrio entre el uso de la IA como herramienta de creatividad y el mantenimiento de la integridad artística continúa siendo el principal reto para el sector.

Aunque la influencia de la IA en los sectores culturales y creativos es innegable, se está viendo claramente que los distintos actores deben colaborar y establecer marcos éticos y legislativos que protejan los derechos de los/as artistas y, a la vez, promuevan un entorno propicio para la creatividad y la inclusividad en la era digital.

Noticias

CERLALC, 14 August 2023, International

En el marco del proyecto CentroaméricaLectora, financiado por la Agencia de Cooperación Internacional para el desarrollo (AECID) e implementado por la UNESCO, en colaboración con el Centro Regional para el Fomento del Libro en América Latina y el Caribe (CERLALC), se ha planteado el objetivo de formular orientaciones para la construcción de una política pública dirigida a favorecer un mayor acceso a la lectura, así como al fomento de la industria editorial en El Salvador, Honduras y Nicaragua.

Ministry of Culture, Republic of Cuba, 9 August 2023, Cuba

El pasado 25 de mayo de 2023 fue aprobada en la Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular el Proyecto Ley de Comunicación Social, La creación de la norma, inicialmente como Decreto-Ley y luego como Ley, es el resultado de un amplio y riguroso proceso de construcción colectiva en el que han participado profesionales y expertos de diferentes disciplinas, organizaciones e instituciones hasta llegar a la actual versión 34.

Ministry of Culture, 8 August 2023, Mexico

La Secretaría de Cultura del Gobierno de México y Meta sumaron esfuerzos para capacitar a artesanas y artesanos del centro y sureste del país para desarrollar habilidades digitales y establecer su presencia en redes sociales. Esto, como parte de ORIGINAL, un movimiento cultural que tiene el objetivo de proteger y preservar los diseños y símbolos tradicionales de las comunidades artesanas en el territorio nacional.

National Secretary of Culture, Presidency of the Republic, Paraguay, 8 August 2023, Paraguay

OLMI es una plataforma analítica de datos que tiene por objetivo caracterizar el ecosistema de la música independiente latinoamericana, considerando los aspectos sociales, culturales y económicos de cada país. Nace el año 2020 y el año 2021 realiza una alianza con Random Sound, para comenzar un proceso de levantamiento de información de la industria independiente paraguaya.

Argentina.gob.ar, 28 July 2023, Argentina

La publicación “Cultura y cambio climático: Aproximación conceptual y abordaje en el contexto argentino" surgió en el marco de la primera Estrategia Nacional de Acción para el Empoderamiento Climático (EnACE) y da cuenta de la relación directa entre la cultura y el cambio climático. El documento explora el impacto del cambio climático sobre los distintos patrimonios y su cuidado y aborda los desafíos e innovación que representa para los distintos sectores de las industrias culturales en términos de adaptación y mitigación para la Acción Climática.

Ministry of Culture and Sport, 25 July 2023, Spain

El Consejo de Ministros ha aprobado la inversión del Ministerio de Cultura y Deporte de 1.150.000€ en el Programa Ibermedia para el apoyo a la creación digital, completando así los 3,3 millones de euros que España ha aportado a este fondo financiero multilateral desde 2021, cumpliendo con el compromiso acordado en la XIX Reunión Extraordinaria del Comité Intergubernamental de Ibermedia celebrada el pasado 29 de julio de 2021.

Ministry of Culture and Sport, 19 July 2023, Spain

El Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación y el Ministerio de Cultura y Deporte han suscrito un nuevo acuerdo de colaboración por el que se establecen los mecanismos de cooperación para la actuación conjunta en tareas de conservación, restauración y rehabilitación del patrimonio histórico, con cargo al 2% Cultural.

Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage,18 July 2023, Chile

Como parte de la gira del Presidente de la República Gabriel Boric por Europa, el mandatario encabezó este jueves en París la firma del documento que refuerza y actualiza los lazos y acuerdos suscritos entre ambos países en materia cultural.

Ministry of Culture of El Salvador, 18 July 2023, El Salvador

La iniciativa es organizada por la Coordinación Educativa y Cultural Centroamericana (CECC/SICA), con el apoyo de CRESPIAL, la Organización Negra Centroamericana (ONECA), la Unesco y los ministerios de Cultura de la región.

más noticias de fuentes oficiales y gubernamentales...

más noticias internacionales...