Data space - deployment

The common European data space for cultural heritage is the new flagship initiative of the European Commission to accelerate the digital transformation of Europe’s cultural sector.

Work to deploy the common Europeana data space for cultural heritage is led by the Europeana Foundation in collaboration with a consortium of 18 partners from nine EU countries. The work of the consortium is supported by the Europeana Network Association (ENA), a strong and democratic community of 3,500+ experts working in the field of digital heritage, and the Europeana Aggregators’ Forum (EAF), the network of national, domain and thematic aggregators who support cultural institutions providing data. The data space is overseen by the Member States in the framework of the Commission Expert Group on the common European data space for cultural heritage (CEDCHE).

The data space for cultural heritage builds on the Europeana Digital Service Infrastructure (Europeana DSI) and the Europeana Strategy 2020-2025. It will link to relevant European, national and regional initiatives and platforms, providing interoperable access to cultural heritage data.

Four strands of work

Deployment and maintenance of the common European data space for cultural heritage is split into four work packages:

• Development and operation of the data space infrastructure: this work package aims to provide a reliable data space infrastructure and quality of service, as well as foster innovation, interoperability and compliance with other data spaces. 

• Integration of high-quality data: this work package aims to contribute to a significant and sustained increase in high-quality, usable and accessible data in the data space. 

• Capacity building and fostering reuse: this work package aims to strengthen the capacity and capabilities of professionals and reuse communities working with digital cultural heritage.

• Digital services for the public: this work package aims to engage audiences with digital cultural heritage by expanding pan-European themes and perspectives, inspiring use, reuse, and participation. 

The deployment of the common European data space for cultural heritage is funded under the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) of the European Union. 

The data space will initially run for two years and is led by Europeana Foundation from the Netherlands. The other members of the consortium are: 

1. AIT Angewandte Informationstechnik Forschungsgesellschaft mbH (AIT-Graz) - Austria

2. AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH (AIT-Vienna) - Austria

3. Archives Portal Europe Foundation (APEF) - The Netherlands

4. Capgemini Nederland BV (CAPG)  - The Netherlands

5. Connecting Archaeology and Architecture in Europe (CARARE) - Ireland

6. Digital Research Infrastructure for the Arts and Humanities (DARIAH) - France

7. Datoptron P.C (DATO) - Greece

8. Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum e.V (DFF) - Germany 

9. European Fashion Heritage Association (EFHA) - Italy

10. EUN Partnership AISBL (EUN) - Belgium

11. Euroclio European Association of History Educators (EuroClio) - The Netherlands

12. Facts & Files Digital Services GmbH (F&F) - Germany

13. Inception s.r.l (INCEPTION) - Italy

14. Michael Culture AISBL (MCA) - Belgium

15. Stichting Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid (NISV) - The Netherlands

16. International Consortium for Photographic Heritage Photoconsortium (Photocons) - Italy

17. Instytut Chemii Bioorganicznej Polskiej Akademii Nauk - Poznańskie Centrum (PSNC) - Poland

18. Time Machine Organisation (TMO) - Austria