Information session co-hosted by NTIA and NEA

With the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Congress took a significant step forward in achieving the Biden-Harris Administration's goal of ensuring that all Americans not only have access to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet but also the skills and resources needed for full participation in the society and economy of the United States.

This informational session co-hosted by the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will discuss the Biden-Harris Digital Equity Act and how it relates to the arts and cultural field—including the rising digital and virtual needs of artists and audiences. The webinar will be close captioned. If you would benefit from other reasonable accommodation to participate in this grant webinar, send request by email by 4/13/2023 to events@arts.gov.

Intended for arts workers, state/regional/local arts agencies, arts service organizations, arts organizations, artists, or audiences who may be impacted by the systemic barriers that prevent some from fully participating in today’s increasingly digital society and economy—or working with communities affected by digital inequities, participants in this public webinar will:

• Get connected with NTIA staff and State Digital Equity Officers currently in the process of developing statewide Digital Equity Plans across the United States and territories.
• Discover ways to engage with the Digital Equity Act, which will provide $2.7 billion in funds to establish three grant programs that promote digital equity and inclusion
• Understand how the NTIA Request for Comments process will inform how NTIA designs and evaluates the grant programs to distribute $2.7 billion in funding. Comment period ends May 1, 2023, 5:00 PM EST.
• Engage in conversation with NTIA staff about the various ways the arts & cultural sector is impacted by digital inequities and/or bridges digital divides through arts and cultural programming.

Who should attend this webinar?

Anyone working in the arts and cultural field. For example, staff and council/board members from state arts agencies, regional arts organizations, local arts agencies, community-based arts and cultural organizations, arts workers, artists (all disciplines and skill levels), and related constituents are encouraged to participate. In particular, anyone directly or indirectly:

• impacted by the systemic barriers that prevent some from fully utilizing the Internet or digital technology
• working with communities affected by digital inequities and/or addressing digital divides
• affected by related factors that enhance or inhibit arts participation, arts and cultural infrastructure and assets, and the arts-and-cultural workforce

Additional information related to this webinar:

What does “Digital inclusion” or “Digital Equity” mean?

• Digital Inclusion refers to activities that ensure access to and use of affordable Internet service, including providing devices, applications and content that enables self-sufficiency online, digital literacy training, technical support and learning basic awareness of how to ensure online privacy and cybersecurity
• Digital Equity could also involve the following aspects
  • Excerpt from: Bridging The Digital Divide: Arts And Digital Placemaking (Natalie Larsen, 2/2023):
    • Digital citizenship evolves through the digital acts a person undertakes and, over time, facilitates new forms of digital participation.
    • Digital rights allow an individual to access, use, create and publish digital content on devices such as computers and mobile phones, as well as in virtual spaces and communities. They pertain to participation in a virtual space through the use of computers and smartphones, which ties directly into digital literacy and having the knowledge to access this space.
    • Digital literacyis the foundation for digital citizenship and rights and is broadly defined as a general familiarity with digital tools, services, and media.”

About the Biden-Harris Digital Equity Act:

• The Digital Equity Act provides $2.7 billion to establish three grant programs that promote digital equity and inclusion.
• The federal funding will be distributed by the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
• The goal is to promote adoption and meaningful use of the Internet among underrepresented communities and populations, including low-income households, veterans, aging individuals, racial and ethnic minorities, rural residents and others.  
• NTIA intends to structure the grant programs to ensure everyone in America has the digital skills and devices they need to realize the full potential of high-speed Internet access…and aim to ensure that all people and communities have the skills, technology, and capacity needed to reap the full benefits of our digital economy.
• Read more about the Digital Equity Act in the press release HERE

About the NTIA Request for Public Comments (RPC) on the Digital Equity Act:

• Comment period ends May 1, 2023, 5:00 PM EST
• The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) recently launched a request for comments on two Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grant programs to be administered by NTIA.
• These public comments will inform how NTIA designs and evaluates the following grant programs to achieve this national and community driven opportunity for change:
  • the $1.44 billion State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, which will fund implementation of state and territories’ digital equity plans, which will identify barriers in communities to achieving full participation in the digital economy, and strategies to overcome those barriers. 
  • the $1.25 billion Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program, which will fund organizations including schools, libraries, nonprofits and others offering digital inclusion activities and promoting Internet adoption.