Digital meets Culture

Now available in CAT, EL, ES, FR, IT, NL

3D Digitisation Guidelines translated into multiple languages by EUreka3D-XR

3D Digitisation Guidelines: Steps to Success was designed and produced within the to help anyone on their 3D digitisation journey. It is specifically aimed at Cultural Heritage professionals who are considering, or in the middle of, digitising their cultural heritage collections using three dimensional models. It outlines and simplifies the recommended standards highlighted in the EU VIGIE Study 2020/654 (Study on quality in 3D digitisation of tangible cultural heritage, published April 2022) and written in response to the EU recommendation (EU 2021/1970 on a common European data space for cultural heritage, published November 2021) for Member States to digitise all moments and sites at risk in 3D by 2030.

Now, the Guidelines are available in six additional languages:

Catalan
Dutch
French
Greek
Italian
Spanish

They all can be found and downloaded free of charge on the dedicated page on the project’s website: https://eureka3d.eu/3d-digitisation-guidelines/

This guide has been created within the framework of EUreka3D – an EU project co-funded by the European Union (grant no. 101100685).

New self-paced course on Europeana Academy

Introduction to XR for cultural heritage

After months of careful development in collaboration with Europeana.eu, EUreka3D-XR project has just released a new self paced course on Europeana Academy, titled Introduction to XR for cultural heritage.

Extended Reality (XR) is creating new opportunities for museums, archives, libraries, archaeological sites and other cultural heritage organisations to present, interpret, and share heritage in engaging ways. By combining high-quality digital assets with immersive technologies, XR can help audiences explore lost monuments, visualise hidden archaeological remains, interact with virtual guides, and experience cultural heritage beyond the limitations of traditional interpretation.

This introductory course provides a foundation for understanding XR and its applications in cultural heritage. You will explore the core concepts of Extended Reality, discover why XR matters for heritage, and become familiar with the EUreka3D-XR ecosystem and the tools that support the creation of XR experiences.

Start exploring XR potential by taking your first steps with Introduction to XR for cultural heritage (BETA version): find the link here<<<<

EUreka3D-XR project is co-financed by the Digital Europe Programme of the European Union.

Brussels, 22 June 2026

CEPIC and Photoconsortium Selected Among 20 Successful Projects in the ECHOES Cascading Grants Call with CHERISH Initiative

image courtesy of TopFoto Image Archive – Inside the vast FBI halls girls work through a million fingerprints a year stored in filing cabinets in the Identification Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) located at the DC Armory in Washington DC, United States. Civil files are never consulted in crime cases. 4 February 1944

CEPIC and Photoconsortium are pleased to announce that their joint project, CHERISH (Cloud for HERitage – Image Sector Hub), has been selected for funding under the ECHOES Cascading Grants Call. CHERISH is one of only 20 projects, reflecting the project’s strong potential to contribute to the digital transformation of Europe’s cultural heritage sector.

While significant advances have been made in the digitisation of photographic collections, many archives, photo libraries, including press agencies—particularly smaller organisations—continue to face challenges related to emerging technologies such as 3D, Extended Reality (XR), and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as limited resources and uneven digital skills.

CHERISH seeks to tackle this issue.

Led jointly by CEPIC and Photoconsortium, CHERISH is a 15-month initiative starting in June 2026 designed to accelerate the adoption of digital tools across Europe’s photographic and image heritage community access the opportunities offered by the European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage (ECCCH).

CHERISH draws on the extensive, complementary European networks of CEPIC and Photoconsortium to engage with a geographically diverse community of photo libraries, photographic heritage collections and press photo agencies. This is a sector which is currently underrepresented within the ECHOES ecosystem.

CHERISH will conduct a major survey amongst heritage collection professionals and based on its results deliver multilingual users’ guidelines and conduct a series of webinars and training workshops. The ultimate goal is to increase awareness of ECHOES tools and services, strengthen digital competencies, improve professional practices, and foster collaboration across Europe’s image heritage sector.

The project results will be featured at major industry events, notably CEPIC 2027 and Photoconsortium annual event 2027.

“We are delighted that CHERISH has been selected among such a competitive field of proposals,” says project coordinator Sylvie Fodor. “Cultural institutions should cherish their unique photographic assets, while gaining access to advanced, affordable cloud resources and tools that enhance their preservation and curation role.”

About CEPIC

CEPIC is the international trade association representing organisations active in the visual media licensing industry, including picture agencies, photo libraries, and archives. Through advocacy, networking, and industry leadership, CEPIC supports the sustainable development of the image sector across Europe and beyond.

About Photoconsortium

Photoconsortium is an international non-profit association dedicated to promoting and enhancing access to photographic cultural heritage. Through collaborative projects, research, and capacity-building activities, Photoconsortium supports the digital transformation and visibility of photographic collections across Europe.

About ECHOES

CHERISH project has received support through a cascading grant from ECHOES, which is funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No. 101157364, with the support of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK Government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee No. 10110142 and No. 10110466.

For further information about CHERISH, CEPIC, and Photoconsortium, please contact:

cherish@cepic.org / https://www.photoconsortium.net/cherish/ / info@photoconsortium.net

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European institutions commit to placing culture at the heart of EU policy

‘Europe for Culture, Culture for Europe’

Signing ceremony for Joint Declaration “Europe for Culture – Culture for Europe”. img. courtesy: European Union.

For the first time in EU history, the three EU institutions signed a joint declaration reaffirming the EU’s role in protecting cultural and linguistic diversity and integrating cultural considerations across all EU policies, while respecting national competencies.

The institutions set out their commitment to placing culture at the heart of the European project by protecting and promoting artistic freedom, cultural diversity, inclusion and fair conditions for artists. Furthermore, they pledge to support the cultural and creative sectors by encouraging funding, innovation and capacity building, as well as by promoting Europe’s role as a global cultural and creative leader.

The Joint Declaration is the first deliverable of the Culture Compass for Europe, launched last year and acting as an anchor for culture within the next EU long-term budget for 2028-2034.

Twelve core principles

The commitments laid down in the declaration are organised around twelve overarching principles. Some of the principles focus on support for artists and cultural professionals and include pledges to protect artistic freedom of expression, promote fair pay and decent working conditions while respecting the role and autonomy of the social partners, and foster an ethical, human-centric and rights-based approach to the use of artificial intelligence.

Other principles in the joint declaration are aimed at fostering broader access to culture and to the cultural and creative professions, particularly for young, vulnerable or marginalised persons. They include commitments to enhancing inclusive access to culture, promoting arts education, and strengthening support for young artists and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The social and environmental benefits of culture are highlighted in the declaration. They are reflected in commitments to promote the positive effects of culture on health and wellbeing, harness the potential of culture to foster regional development, including through sustainable tourism, and stress the importance of culture in policy responses to ecological challenges.

The declaration also seeks to promote the EU’s cultural and linguistic diversity. Moreover, the three institutions commit to protecting Europe’s cultural heritage, including by using digital technologies to foster its preservation.

Text provided by the Council of the European Union’s website. Read the original post.

October 5th, online

MetaHeritage Pitching Showcase – Call for Investment Ideas in Digital Heritage, Immersive Technologies and Cultural Tourism

MetaHeritage is inviting innovators from across Europe and beyond to apply for its Pitching Showcase: Call for Investment Ideas in Digital Heritage, Immersive Technologies and Cultural Tourism.

The initiative aims to identify and highlight promising solutions at the intersection of culture, technology, and creativity. It supports selected ideas by increasing their visibility, strengthening their investment readiness, and connecting them with relevant stakeholders across Europe.

The call welcomes ideas that use digital technologies to transform how cultural heritage is preserved, interpreted, experienced, and promoted, including solutions based on immersive technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality, as well as digital twins, metaverse applications, artificial intelligence, smart tourism platforms, and interactive storytelling tools.

The initiative also encourages sustainable cultural tourism models, digital heritage services, and innovative visitor engagement approaches that strengthen connections between cultural institutions, local communities, and audiences.

Applications are open to startups and SMEs, research institutions and universities, cultural organisations, museums, tourism bodies, technology providers, public authorities, and cross-sector partnerships.

Applicants selected through the call will be invited to present their projects during the online MetaHeritage Pitching Showcase.

Key dates

Application deadline: 7 August 2026
Online Pitching Showcase: 5 October 2026

Learn more at this link<<<<

To craft a perfect suitable pitch, MetaHeritage organized a training session called “Craft Your Killer Pitch: Investor-Ready Pitching Training” on July 2nd to gain practical insights into building compelling pitches, understanding investor expectations, and strengthening their investor-readiness skills. More information and registration are available here.

June 13-14, Paris

EUreka3D-XR project at the Archaeology Village in Paris

On 13 and 14 June 2026, as part of the European Archaeology Days, the Bibracte team presented several activities and tools developed or promoted through the EUreka3D-XR project at the Archaeology Village in Paris. Over the two-day event, around 300 visitors (families, archaeology enthusiasts, students and professionals) visited the stand and took part in the activities.

The educational game “On the Shoulders of the Gauls” proved particularly popular with visitors of all ages. Participants also had the opportunity to test the AR Tour Experience geolocated augmented reality application through two tours: “The Medieval Walls of Paris”, which will remain permanently available, and “Beneath the Pavestones of the Bastille”, a temporary experience created specifically for the event. The demonstrations generated great enthusiasm, resulting in 21 app downloads on site. For several visitors, it was their first experience of augmented reality, and many were genuinely impressed by the technology.

The presentation of the AR Tour Builder, notably through a dedicated poster, also attracted the interest of heritage and education professionals. Discussions highlighted potential applications beyond the cultural heritage sector. An urban planning professional, for example, pointed out the value of these tools for helping residents visualise future developments in their neighbourhoods during public consultation meetings.

Following this successful event, the Bibracte team will continue showcasing the game and the application at public outreach and heritage events throughout the summer.

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EUreka3D-XR project is co-financed by the Digital Europe Programme of the European Union.

Featuring EUreka3D Initiative summary video

NOW LIVE on Europeana: EUreka3D-XR wrap-up post

As EUreka3D-XR approaches its final stage, we can start to draw conclusions from a fruitful 18 months and are delighted to share the project’s work, achievements and resources: “EUreka3D-XR: exploring cultural heritage through 3D digitisation and XR experiences” is now live on the Common European Data Space for Cultural Heritage website.

The blogpost explores:

The three case scenarios
EUreka3D-XR project’s aim and scope, including the priority given to Data quality and authenticity
The open-source Toolbox
The infrastructures provided by the projects
The support from the EUreka3D initiative towards the TwinIt! Campaign
The booklet produced in the context of Eureka3D-XR

Read it and learn more at this link<<<<

The blog also features the video summary of the EUreka3D initiative that was showcased at the Final Event in Cyprus. Watch it below:

EUreka3D-XR project is co-financed by the Digital Europe Programme of the European Union.

Online, June 25, 12-1pm CET

MetaHeritage Webinar #6: Heritage Innovation Meets Investment – Connecting Culture and Capital

Cultural heritage is increasingly recognized not only as a societal value but also as a driver of innovation, sustainable development, and economic opportunity. The upcoming MetaHeritage Webinar 6, titled “Heritage Innovation and Investment: Connecting Culture and Capital”, will explore exactly this intersection.

The webinar brings together experts from the fields of cultural heritage, innovation, finance, and digital transformation to discuss how heritage can be sustainably funded, scaled, and integrated into broader innovation ecosystems.

Why this webinar matters

As cultural institutions and heritage initiatives face growing demands for digital transformation, sustainability, and audience engagement, new financing models and investment strategies are becoming essential. This webinar will explore how culture and capital can work together to unlock long-term value.

Key themes include:

Innovative financing models for cultural heritage projects
The role of public and private investment in heritage innovation
Digital technologies enabling new cultural business models
Sustainable strategies for scaling heritage initiatives
Collaboration between cultural institutions, startups, and investors

Who should attend? This webinar is designed for:

Cultural heritage professionals and institutions
Policy makers and public sector stakeholders
Investors and innovation funders
Researchers and digital heritage practitioners
Startups working in cultural and creative industries

MetaHeritage continues to foster dialogue between culture, technology, and innovation. This webinar is an opportunity to explore how investment and heritage can come together to shape a more sustainable and innovative cultural future.

June 4, 2026, The Netherlands

EUreka3D-XR at IIIF Conference 2026

From June 1st to the 4th, IIIF Conference held its 2026 edition: the event is intended for a wide range of participants and interested parties, including digital image repository managers, content curators, software developers, scholars, and administrators at libraries, museums, cultural heritage institutions, software firms, and other organizations working with digital images and audio/visual materials.

During the forth day of this year’s edition of the event, Professor Ronald S. Haynes (University of Cambridge, UK) showcased EUreka3D-XR initiative and the Cyprus pilot of the Saint Neophytos enkleistra during his presentation Prezi 4.0 – Working with 3D & new options.

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To learn more about the IIIF initiative follow this link<<<<

EUreka3D-XR project is co-financed by the Digital Europe Programme of the European Union.

EUreka3D-XR: more dissemination taking place at the Enkleistra of Saint Neophytos

On June 4th 2026, under the auspices of the Cyprus Presidency of the EU Council and within the Digital Cultural Heritage Summit 2026, EUreka3D-XR held an additional event that addressed the full pipelines for the use and re-use of 3D content, with the aim of further pursuing the topics discussed within the roundtables held on May 26th, Twin it! Policy Roundtable: 3D and AI for Europe’s culture and heritage and Why we Digitise Cultural Heritage, its Use & ReUse; Persistent Virtual Worlds and AI, held during the EUreka3D-XR Final Event in Limassol.

During this follow-up event, members of the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus with their teams accompanied by representatives from the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, the Pilgrimage Tours Office of the Church of Cyprus, the Paphos Development Organisation and the Cyprus University of Technology visited the Monastery of Saint Neophytos in Tala (Paphos) and had the opportunity to explore advanced tech tools involving AI, XR and Metaverse with the support of specialists in the field from the UNESCO Chair on Digital Cultural Heritage at the Cyprus University of Technology and the Digital Heritage Research Lab: this experience was followed by fruitful discussions around the topic of digitisation of endangered digital cultural heritage and the EUreka3D-XR pursuit of the Commission Recommendation (EU) 2021 on the common European data space for cultural heritage.

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Additionally, following the coverage of the first outreach event in the context of EUreka3D-XR organised in Paphos in May 24th, the pan-European television news network Euronews aired an excellent TV report: the coverage brought valuable visibility in Europe and beyond, to the collaborative efforts of researchers, cultural institutions, technology experts and heritage professionals working together to shape the future of digital heritage.