From National Endowment for the Humanities: Today, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is announcing a major new research initiative, Humanities Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence. Under this agency-wide initiative, NEH will support research projects that seek to understand and address the ethical, legal, and societal implications of artificial intelligence (AI). NEH is particularly interested in projects that explore the impacts of AI-related technologies on truth, trust, and democracy; safety and security; and privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties.

NEH’s Humanities Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence initiative is in response to President Biden’s Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence, which establishes new standards for AI safety and security, protects Americans’ privacy, and advances equity and civil rights. NEH’s investment in AI research also aligns with the Biden-Harris Administration’s priorities on research and development (R&D) on AI, as outlined in the White House’s National AI R&D Strategic Plan released earlier this year.

“The rapid development of artificial intelligence has far-reaching consequences for American society, culture, and democracy,” said NEH Chair Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo). “The humanities provide the ethical compass and historical context to help us understand the full implications of AI technologies, giving both creators and users of AI the necessary tools to navigate its risks and rewards responsibly, critically, and deliberately.”

Learn more about the initiative here.

From National Endowment for the Arts: On Tuesday, October 17, 2023, in recognition of National Arts and Humanities Month, the White House Domestic Policy Council and National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) co-hosted a convening to discuss the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government approach to arts and culture. 

This National Arts and Humanities Month, the Biden-Harris Administration highlights its commitment to supporting the arts, humanities, and museum and library services and integrating them into federal policies and programs, including major investments in the NEA, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Institute of Museum and Library Services. A year ago, President Biden signed an Executive Order on Arts and Humanities to spur investment and alignment of arts and culture across the federal government, make art more accessible to people from underserved communities, elevate new voices through the arts and humanities, and expand opportunities for artists and scholars. The Executive Order also re-established the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. 

In the meeting, Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden highlighted the anniversary of the 2022 Executive Order and discussed how arts and humanities are essential to a thriving democracy and should be integrated across federal agencies. NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson discussed current federal opportunities for the arts, including the administration’s focus on equity and justice, climate, the urgent need to repair our democracy, and challenges facing the arts sector in the wake of the pandemic. Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the Office of Public Engagement Steve Benjamin spoke about the value of engaging artists directly and bringing communities together through the arts. HHS Secretary Becerra highlighted the intersection of arts and health and well-being as well as NEA and HHS collaboration such as the new interagency working group on Arts, Health, and Civic Infrastructure. Senior Advisor to the President and White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu discussed how we can connect artist workforce programs to the administration’s unprecedented bipartisan infrastructure law investments, ensuring infrastructure design is responsive to place and that it engages local communities. National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Chair Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo) discussed the importance of knowing our past to strive for a better future.

Learn more about the convening here.

“With the stroke of a pen, the highest court in the land declared open season on the American Dream this summer when it effectively ended affirmative action in college admissions,” said Stacey Abrams and Julián Castro for The Chronicle of Philanthropy. “The ruling put a target on all policies and programs that seek to remediate and prevent race-based discrimination everywhere, including workplaces and polling places — potentially imperiling the 2024 elections and opening the floodgates for far-reaching attacks on civil rights.”

“As a new Supreme Court session begins today, philanthropy needs to ready its resources to fight back against a slew of court challenges that threaten the very notion of diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

“Since the affirmative-action ruling, lawsuits have been filed against a venture-capital firm for helping businesses led by women of color and against a law firm with diversity recruiting practices. Last month, a group that opposes affirmative action sued West Point, alleging it inappropriately uses race and ethnicity in making admissions decisions. (The court’s earlier ruling did not cover military academies.)”

“The legal and political landscape to defend and protect diversity and inclusion is fraught and uncertain. It’s clear that any organization fighting for equity and justice risks being targeted. Nonprofits are especially vulnerable.”

“In addition to our own extensive work in the social sector, we both currently serve on the Board of Trustees for the Marguerite Casey Foundation. We know first-hand, the impact that philanthropy has on grassroots movements. At a time when right-wing philanthropy is pouring money into organizations hell-bent on destroying our most basic rights, progressive and mainstream donors must do more than hold the line.”

“The tasks for philanthropy are clear. First, philanthropy must immediately halt its recent great retrenchment on racial-justice funding. Since 2022, too many companies and philanthropic institutions that asserted with one voice that “Black Lives Matter” and pledged support for the racial-justice movement have slashed resources and cowered in response to negative headlines attacking ‘woke’ philanthropy. This about-face only makes the work of the detractors easier.”

“The attacks on racial-equity efforts will work if too many of our colleagues respond tepidly or retreat. We should follow the lead of the Fearless Fund, which is aggressively fighting a lawsuit that would have prevented the organization from directing its funding to start-up businesses owned by Black women.”

“Second, we implore foundations not to remove language signaling a commitment to racial justice or specific communities of color from their websites, grant applications, and grant programming. The targeted affirmative-action decision applied solely to admissions to colleges and universities that receive federal funding — not to foundations, grant makers, or corporations investing in racial-justice work. This is a tried-and-true tactic: fearmongering versus fact-finding.”

Read the full piece here.

From A Collaborative Blog Presented by CERF+, NCAPER, and NYFA: The COVID-19 pandemic and other emergencies, including severe storms, drought, wildfire, and theft, require us to change how we work and communicate. That makes preparedness more critical now than ever before for artists to protect their practice. But what exactly is preparedness? It’s taking steps NOW to help protect yourself and your assets before an emergency so you’re more resilient and able to bounce back quickly. Artists in ALL disciplines have assets to be protected!

Step One: List your assets
Think through everything that allows you to carry out your artistic practice.

Step Two: Assess your risks
While it is ideal to prepare for any type of emergency (known as all-hazards planning), start by considering the types of risks and potential effects that are most likely to occur depending on where you live and work. 

Step Three: Protect your assets and minimize risks
Brainstorm ways to protect or minimize the list made in Step One with the risks you identified in Step Two.

Step Four: Create your Emergency Plan
You may need to evacuate quickly, or you may need to shelter in place. Either way, you want to decide ahead of time what steps you’ll take, what items you need, and how you’ll communicate with important people.

In closing, remember that preparedness is not just about facing the unexpected; it’s about empowering yourself to protect what matters most in your artistic journey. By following these four steps and taking proactive measures, you’ll be better equipped to navigate any challenges that come your way. Your art is a valuable part of our world, and ensuring its resilience is a commitment to your craft and the community that cherishes it. So, let’s stand together, artists and allies alike, and fortify artists and arts organization’s creative practices for a brighter, more resilient future.

Read the full article here.

From Disability and Philanthropy Forum: In this excerpt from the Disability & Philanthropy Forum’s Learning Series webinar “Grantmaking for Disability: Where Are the Dollars?”, Jen Bokoff, Director of Development for the Disability Rights Fund, provides three examples of where she’s seen ableism play out in philanthropy and how the exclusion of disabled perspectives creates a “marginalization gap.” Click here to view the full webinar.

From the Intercultural Leadership Institute: We are excited to announce the guidelines and application for the sixth cohort of the Intercultural Leadership Institute (ILI), a collaborative program of Alternate ROOTS, First Peoples Fund, National Association of Latino Arts & Cultures (NALAC) , PA’I Foundation, Sipp Culture, First Alaskans Institute, and The International Association of Blacks in Dance.

As leaders of these organizations, we have grown together, built trust with one another over time and developed a shared analysis of the need for a leadership program of, by and for the artists and culture bearers in our communities. ILI is the result of our collaborative effort and we invite you to spread the word and encourage great potential participants to submit interest for the Year 6 Cohort.

Learn more and apply.