Digitization in culture as an unmissable societal opportunity

Digitization is the way to sustain essential societal values of the cultural sector. For example, by telling new stories that resonate with and are accessible to a new and younger audience.

Now is the time to reap the benefits

We see that experiments with digital activities are slowly drying up, especially among smaller institutions. When they have to allocate the same budgets, costs, and output obligations to physical visits, it becomes impossible for them to optimally serve a remote audience. This is extremely unfortunate, as the value of the digital channel for the cultural sector was certainly proven during the recent COVID period.

In my view, we should not return to the old normal at all. In fact, this is the moment to reap the benefits of the digital acceleration brought about by the COVID crisis. The ways in which culture is produced, presented, experienced, and archived have changed dramatically. And the audience is changing along with it. Recently, the SER reported that a large part of society has embraced a hybrid lifestyle, including culture.

Room to invest

Digital transformation has proven to be an opportunity for the cultural sector. It deserves and requires ongoing attention. Therefore, we as a sector must place it much higher on the agenda. The audience has had a taste of the possibilities and wants more. Additionally, during the COVID crisis, it became evident that audiences who typically struggle to find their way to cultural institutions do engage digitally.

For instance, digital activities attract not only younger but also more diverse and international audiences. With online presentations, institutions can reach audiences over a longer period. New creative spaces emerge where audiences can participate and co-create. Physical barriers are broken down: digital offerings lead to greater accessibility and, not to forget, democratization. Young creators also find it easier to conquer an online stage than a physical one. By expanding this value palette, the cultural sector strengthens itself from within.

It is now evident that the cultural sector can enhance its societal significance by creating digital offerings for remote audiences. Meanwhile, digitization is often mentioned in the same breath as increasing revenue. However, this is not realistic for cultural institutions in the short term.

After all, the audience is not yet accustomed to, and therefore not always willing to, pay full price for digital offerings. As a result, such productions are rarely cost-effective. Developing digital offerings and setting up digital channels thus first requires seed capital. Additionally, time and space are needed to experiment, let go of old routines, and establish new collaborations.

All in all, institutions need to invest in an innovative organizational climate that extends beyond the four-year subsidy cycle. Only then can digitization lead to digital transformation. For this, a cultural ecosystem that supports digital transformation is essential. In the commercial sector, it is common for digital business models to involve a significant investment period. The cultural sector is inherently agile. However, this does not mean there is no need for room to invest and experiment.

Value palette for agility

The expansion of the value palette ensures strategic agility and greater societal relevance. The Council for Culture recognized this in its advice on recovery and innovation policy to the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science on November 4, 2021. According to the Council, the sector should further develop the innovations and collaborations initiated during the COVID crisis. A strategic innovation agenda is indispensable in this regard. DEN has become more urgent as a driver and accelerator of digital transformation. Such a fundamental development in the cultural sector requires structurally more financial resources. Acting Minister Van Engelshoven gave an initial indication of this on November 16, 2021. In her outline of a recovery plan for the cultural and creative sector, an investment budget for digital transformation takes a prominent place.

The urgency of digitization in the cultural sector must not only be acknowledged but, in my view, also broadened. This means that we must first fully and sustainably capitalize on societal values, and then enable new revenue models in the future. However, this will only succeed if we, as a sector and government, collectively join forces. Then we will be able to structurally tap into the potential of its value creation and face the future head-on.