Open Studio: an attempt to make accessible the technolgy that will
empower the public, and specifically artists, in a digital culture.
[…]
To define and encourage public space in the new digital environment, and
in cooperation with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Benton
Foundation is creating a joint effort to establish public points of
access to the Internet at arts and cultural institutions throughout the
country. In addition, associated training programs will enable artists
and art institutions to become effective information providers on the
World Wide Web.
[…]
The Program
Budgeted at $1 million annually, Open Studio: The Arts Online is
designed to serve as a laboratory for the exploration of the tools and
techniques that will serve arts and cultural organizations as they
prepare for the networked environment of the next century. The project
will promote access to the Internet and to arts and cultural information
through a two-part process:
1.Creation of public points of access for artists and members of the
interested public to be located in such public venues as arts
organizations, libraries and community centers. Each identified site
will receive a small award to establish public Internet access in their
community.
2.A community web mentoring program to provide arts organizations and
individual artists the basic skills needed for online communications and
electronic publishing. Designed to spread outward from an initial ten
regional centers, each mentoring site will be responsible for training
nonprofit arts organizations and individual artists. These trainees, in
turn, will each be asked to train another organization or artist in an
"each one teach one" strategy.
This effort is intended to increase the amount of local arts information
on the Internet, allow local institutions to increase public recognition
for their activities, and create a linked environment in which
individual institutions can place their work in a national context.
A national advisory group is being recruited to ensure representation of
a diverse range of points of view and to provide advice regarding the
project's implementation, evaluation, and development.
[…]
How to Participate
As befitting a project of this nature – national in scope, networked by
design – Open Studio: The Arts Online is decentralized. Drawing on the
guidance of a national advisory group, as well as the expertise of both
the Benton Foundation and National Endowment of the Arts, the initial
step will be the selection of a small number of "pilot" sites that will
help establish the patterns of access and networking of the remaining
sites. Public Access Sites are awarded modest amounts (up to $4,000) to
assist them in providing Internet access at their institutions. Ten
Mentor Sites will be awarded up to $35,000 to train regional artists and
arts organizations.
Requests for Proposals will be announced October 22, 1996. There are two
components; organizations may apply for both, but only one award will be
given to any one organization.
Access Site Guidelines and Application
Mentor Site Guidelines and Application
Deadline for applications is January 15, 1997 (revised). Applications
will be reviewed by the national advisory group and others experienced
in both communications technology and the arts. Final selection is
determined by the Benton Foundation and the National Endowment of the
Arts. Announcement of award recipients will be made by March 1997
(revised).
Contact Information:
Anne Green, Project Coordinator
Open Studio: The Arts Online
Benton Foundation
1634 Eye Street NW, 12th floor
Washington, DC 20006 USA
ph: 202.638.5770 fax: 202.638.5771
Last Updated: 23 October 1996
