Why a Digital Archive?
What is the archive for the future? We see this as a digital archive that optimally supports ongoing work processes, but also opens up possibilities for future (re)use of digital material.
A digital archive ensures that information is quickly and easily accessible within your organization. It may include AV and marketing materials, production and/or exhibition information, concepts, and designs. Moreover, you can make the digital archive public. In this way, culture from the past remains sustainably accessible to different target groups, such as researchers, cultural and media creators, and the public. A digital archive is created with both the short and long term in mind, in other words, for now and the future.
''A digital archive is for yourself and your organization, but also offers opportunities for audience reach.''
5 Benefits of a Digital Archive:
Your archive serves as the starting point for various process optimizations, from the first artistic ideas to efficient collaboration. Digital preservation is primarily done for yourself. To work more easily, have simple access to information, and gain an overview of materials.
An organized digital archive:
- Supports the work practices of art institutions
- Includes documentation of the artistic production process and the digital offering, such as activities, productions, online manifestations, and audience interaction
- Strengthens efficient and integrated working
- Registers usage rights and agreements with creators
- Safeguards knowledge and provides insight into your own history
Archiving for Creators
Digital archiving also has external benefits; a digital archive serves as an accessible source of stories for various target groups and connects with other collections. An archive of creators provides tools for their artistic legacy. It offers insight into their way of operating as cultural producers. This can inspire future generations of creators, researchers, students, and a broader audience.
Want to know more about archiving for creators? Download our guide "Je archief op orde".
Making the Most of Your Digital Archive
By preserving digitally, you not only facilitate digital collaboration within the organization. It also creates efficiencies and opens new ways to exchange information within the chain.
How do you do that?
Through open data and links with AV collections, you can enrich the content on your website. For example, with materials from Beeld en Geluid or the newspaper archive Delpher of the Royal Library. This way, new possibilities arise around experience and interaction with your audience. You can also consider forms of collaboration with other cultural institutions. For example, a joint programming of performances and exhibitions with offerings from various digital archives.
With a digital archive for the future, you support the creation and documentation of your new artistic productions én create a source of stories for the audience of the future.
More articles per topic
