Our mission

As the digital realm weaves itself into the fabric of our societies, we are compelled to reflect on what this means for our democracies.

European Digital Deal is a three-year investigation co-funded by Creative Europe into how the accelerated, yet at times unconsidered adoption of new technologies – such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain and algorithmic processing – can alter or undermine democratic processes.

Through a myriad of programmes running from January 2023 to December 2025, we want to set up a new kind of public forum where cultural institutions, artists, researchers, educators gather to reflect on what a deal that safeguards democratic values in the digital realm might look like, and the role they can play in shaping it.

Our focus

As new technologies become part and parcel of the ways in which we disseminate and consume information or interact with public administration, they mould our view of the world and our relationship with governments. Unpacking the entanglements of technology with the media and public administration is a first step in reaching a digital deal that is committed to democratic principles.

Beyond exposing the present-day risks, the project also questions the current architecture of innovation processes to make a case for the long-term environmental and societal impacts to be considered in designing fair, ethical and sustainable technologies in the future.

Explore the programme

This project has been co-funded by the European Union’s Creative Europe programme under grant agreement No 101100036. Views and opinions expressed on this page are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) can be held responsible for them. 

This project was also co-funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport.