As COVID-19 changes and challenges the cultural heritage sector, the importance of building capacity for digital transformation is clearer than ever. We have developed a phased project to help us identify and shape a capacity-building framework based on the needs of our sector.
In June 2020 we launched a series of workshops that called upon our community to bring their perspective, experience and expertise together to identify new paths through - and beyond - the COVID-19 crisis for digital cultural heritage. Concurrently, we worked closely with independent charity Culture24 to produce a report to help develop a shared understanding of what building digital capacity in our sector really means. Explore a summary of the findings and the full reports below.
Title: A Vision for European Cultural Heritage 2025
Creator: Sebastiaan ter Burg
Date: May 2018, Bulgaria
Institution: Europeana Foundation
Country: The Netherlands
CC BYAs we continue to explore how we can build digital capacity in our sector, we’re delighted to share two complementary reports from our work on the project. Building on workshops with 64 changemakers, together these reports raise key questions and themes which further our understanding of what supporting digital capacity for the cultural heritage sector really means.
Title: A Vision for European Cultural Heritage 2025
Creator: Sebastiaan ter Burg
Date: May 2018, Bulgaria
Institution: Europeana Foundation
CC BYIn June 2020, as part of our capacity building project, we launched a series of workshops that called upon our community to bring their perspective, experience and expertise together to identify new paths through - and beyond - the COVID-19 crisis for digital cultural heritage. Here you can explore the findings from these workshops.
Title: Europeana Strategy meeting “Migration and culture: how can our past educate our present”,
Creator: Sebastiaan ter Burg
Institution: Europeana Foundation
CC BYIn summer 2020, as part of our capacity building project, we commissioned independent charity Culture24 to produce a report to help develop a shared understanding of what is happening in our sector to support digital capacity, to consider what terms like ‘digital transformation’ mean in practice for GLAM institutions and to provide a snapshot of digital capacity building initiatives in the sector.
Building on our sense-making workshops and Culture24 report, we have worked with our peers, partners and Europeana Network Association members to agree a common definition of digital transformation that is relevant to the cultural heritage sector and our stakeholders. We will use the definition to help shape our future strategies and priorities, so that a cultural heritage sector powered by digital can contribute to a Europe powered by culture.
Digital transformation is both the process and the result of using digital technology to transform how an organisation operates and delivers value. It helps an organisation to thrive, fulfil its mission and meet the needs of its stakeholders. It enables cultural heritage institutions to contribute to the transformation of a sector powered by digital and a Europe powered by culture.
Digital transformation is both the process and the result of using digital technology to transform how an organisation works. It helps an organisation to thrive, fulfil its mission and meet the needs of its stakeholders.
Digital transformation can be driven by heritage professionals of any level - everyone can be an agent of change. It is not just about technology - it’s about mindsets and personal capabilities.
The impact of digital transformation will be different for each individual organisation. Each change, no matter how small, contributes to a cultural heritage sector powered by digital and a Europe powered by culture.
Europeana’s focus is on digital transformation relating to the digital discovery of cultural heritage collections. This includes (but is not limited to) efforts that help cultural heritage institutions to develop their leadership and capacity for digital transformation, to strengthen infrastructure, improve interoperability, enrich data, share collections and engage with audiences.
Europeana empowers the cultural heritage sector in its digital transformation - helping it to embrace digital change and encouraging partnerships that foster innovation. We lead with our specialist expertise when best-placed to do so and collaborate when that expertise lies in other networks.