The consortium brings together organisations actively engaged in youth education, united by a shared goal: to equip young artists and creatives with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate a rapidly changing cultural and economic landscape. In recent years, we have witnessed how quickly society must adapt, particularly towards technological advancements. While digital tools are embedded in both our education and leisure, many only interact with them superficially, without fully understanding their potential or implications. This project aimed to bridge that gap by introducing young creatives to the possibilities and challenges of Artificial Intelligence in the artistic field. We wanted to foster critical thinking, experimentation, and digital literacy, enabling participants to not only use AI as a creative medium but also to reflect on its social, ethical, and cultural impact. By empowering youth to better understand and engage with these tools, the project helped them stay relevant, resilient, and innovative in an evolving Art market.
This project was inspired by a previous collaboration with organisations involved in the "Capital of Culture" initiative (2022, 2023, 2024) and was developed in response to the profound impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the arts sector. Our objective was to equip artists and creatives with digital skills that could not only transform their practice but also help them adapt to evolving modes of communication, visibility, and technological innovation. In this new phase, we focused on the challenges and opportunities that AI presents to the arts. We encouraged young artists to critically explore this emerging tool, understanding both the risks it may pose to traditional artistic practices, as well as the creative potential it offers to expand their perspectives and mediums. Building on our initial work around entrepreneurship and digital upskilling, we wanted to continue supporting this often under-recognised group, particularly vulnerable during crises due to their precarious professional status. With AI becoming a central topic at the European level, raising early awareness of its tools and applications felt timely and essential, not only to foster creativity but also to promote critical engagement and visibility.