How digital is the cultural sector really? Taking stock in 2025

What is the Digital Transformation Scan?

The Digital Transformation Scan is a (free) online tool to map out the digital transformation maturity of your organization. We distinguish five maturity levels: Starting, Learning, Performing, Connecting, and Integrated. Additionally, you gain insight into five components: strategy and budget, culture and competencies, data and technology, audience and value, and processes and structure. The scan provides immediate insight into your digital maturity (per component) and offers practical tips to grow further. 

Why is this important?

Digitization impacts all parts of your organization: from how you reach your audience to how you collaborate, experiment, and create value. Understanding your maturity helps you steer toward sustainable development rather than ad hoc projects or temporary solutions. Moreover, it allows you to make digital a topic of discussion within your team or with your board.

Where does the cultural sector stand now?

Most cultural organizations are at maturity level 2 – Learning (39%) or 3 – Performing (41%). It’s understandable why so many cultural organizations at this maturity level complete the scan: they have taken the first steps in digital and are seeking direction and structure to grow further. Organizations with a higher maturity level generally do not need support to progress further and rarely use the scan.

Differences between large and small organizations

Larger organizations more often have a higher maturity level than very small organizations. Especially in the areas of ‘data and technology’ and ‘strategy and budget,’ larger institutions score higher on average. This may be because larger organizations often have structural resources that allow them to develop and implement long-term digital plans. Smaller organizations often work on a project basis and sometimes lack the capacity to embed digitization sustainably. However, we also see small cultural organizations that are very agile and innovative due to their size.

Strong culture, weak strategy

Of the five components in the scan, organizations score the highest on ‘culture and competencies’ (3.3 out of 5). ‘Audience and value’ also scores relatively high (3.1 out of 5). A culture of innovation (for the audience) is apparently quite well-established in many organizations.

The component ‘strategy and budget’ lags behind (2.3): digital initiatives are often temporary or standalone, without an integrated vision or long-term financing.

What can you do with this?

The dashboard of the Digital Transformation Scan (opens in new tab) not only provides insights into the sector as a whole but also allows you to compare your organization with others, for example, from the same sector or region. This enables you to have targeted discussions about your own digital development and determine the next steps.

As a director...

analyze where your organization stands compared to (similar) organizations in your region. For example, to describe your efforts in digital transformation in your annual report, discuss them in progress meetings with your funders, or during the development or refinement of your digital strategy.

As an operational cultural professional...

explore, make comparisons, and reflect on your own organization. What stands out to you? Discuss your insights with colleagues and consider where you want to grow.

As a fund, policy officer, sector organization, or supporting cultural institution...

analyze developments over time and compare sub-sectors. What do you observe? How can the insights support you in policy decisions or in providing advice per region?

Get started for your organization!

Complete the digital transformation scan to determine the digital transformation maturity of your organization and define your digital strategy!

Check out the dashboard to gain insights into the state of digital transformation (of similar organizations).