From 30 June to 25 August 2023, artists can apply for 11 Regional Challenges as part of the S+T+ARTS in the City project. The Belgian Regional S+T+ARTS Centre GLUON, in collaboration with Innoviris, is launching four thematic open calls for artists. The challenge AI and Mental Health explores the interplay between online algorithms, recommender systems, and our mental well—being.
Challenge description
The relationship between AI, our mental wellbeing and cyber is a complex web of possibilities and challenges. On one hand, AI has emerged as an invaluable tool that encompasses various facets of our lives and professional endeavors, offering new employment opportunities, enhancing productivity, improving healthcare, and providing solutions to complex global problems. On the other hand, the (mis)use of deepfake videos, phishing, addictive algorithms, and manipulative recommender systems highlight how AI can impact our behaviors, thought processes and overall mental well-being in adverse ways. For example, AI is a crucial tool in the development of the ‘attention economy’. Hence, addictive algorithms and manipulative recommender systems have been implicated in influencing behaviors and raising concerns about our mental equilibrium. In the realm of cybersecurity, AI’s presence is both a boon and a threat. AI can enhance our online security by using effective countermeasures, but at the same time attackers may also use the same powerful AI tools. In light of these developments, defining what is real, what is false and what is fake becomes more and more difficult. In this residency we invite artists to explore the interplay between online algorithms, cybersecurity, and our overall mental well-being. The goal of this residency is to delve into the ways AI and other digital domains shape our behaviors, thought processes, and warp our perception of reality.
Residency Characteristics
During the residency, the artist will be supported by a Local Expert Group composed of local and international practitioners from AI, Cybersecurity, Policy, and the Arts. The residency partners are 1) Proximus Ada, a Belgian center of excellence combining artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. It is an initiative of Proximus Group, the largest of 3 telecommunication companies in Belgium, with the goal to build resilience to cyber threats. 2) Innoviris, a public organisation that funds and supports research and innovation in the Brussels—Capital Region and 3) The National Lottery 4) Regional S+T+ARTS Center Gluon.
What do we offer?
The budget for each residency is 40.000€, including artwork production and artist fee. Throughout the residencies, the residency support network will offer the necessary expertise and support from experts affiliated to research institutions, universities, university colleges, innovative companies and start—ups (supporting network).
The result of the residency will be shown in the partner institutions of the S+T+ARTS in the City network including the exhibition at Sónar Barcelona, Ars Electronica Festival and/or the I Love Science Festival in Brussels in 2024.
