The Orion's Arm Universe Project Forums

This is quite a good exploration of the concept of the Interstellar Internet from Centauri Dreams,
http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=34223
Contact with an alien species would be good for one thing;
Inspiration.
After millenia (or millions of years) of isolation an advanced civilisation might have explored every nuance of their own native culture, and might jump at the chance of new input from alien worlds. Indeed, it is possible that our culture is the most valuable thing that humanity has to offer; The Mahābhārata, Jane Austen, Age of Ultron, Spirited Away – they might value this more than anything else we have to offer.

Haven't managed to read it all yet but we touch on the art trade angle in OA. With technology there might be a million ways to do something but for the majority of tasks there's a small number of good ways to do it. Also being fairly formulaic science is easier to automate. Art, entertainment and other cultural artefacts are always being created though and tend to be a product of their environment. You could have a million vots constantly creating new versions but you won't get the same convergence you do with science automation.

Having said that with OA tech copying art styles to explosive proportions would be easy. Say you get your hands on a series of works. You could have a vot cluster study them, study you for why you like it and spawn a million other works inspired by it for you to enjoy.

In the same vein: Some time ago I came up with an idea for a EG entry called Culture Mining. I have yet to do anything with it.

Culture mining is a voluntary form of meme infection. It occurs when one society borrows or steals new (to them) concepts, philosophies and fashions from another society to enrich their own.