Voices from image sector – Community Survey

In the context of small support project CHERISH, Photoconsortium along with CEPIC, developed their first online survey to collect a wide feedback on existing digital challenges in EU for the image professionals.

The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete, and will later be complemented with one-to-one interviews with key stakeholders operating in the sector. The results of the survey and interviews are complemented with an impact assessement action taking place during all CHERISH action.

You can access the survey here >>>

The information collected with the survey will be managed as aggregated data, with non-disclosure of personal details nor transfer to third parties.

This 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. Views and opinions expressed herein are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

New self-paced course on Europeana Academy

Planning XR projects for cultural heritage

A follow-up course to “Introduction to XR for cultural heritage” is now live on Europeana “Planning XR projects for cultural heritage” is an introductory course that provides a foundation for understanding XR and its applications in cultural heritage, developed as part of the EUreka3D-XR project.

Aimed at Cultural Heritage professionals, XR-focused project managers and coordinators, educators, researcher and enthusiasts of XR, the course explores the core concepts of Extended Reality, discover why XR matters for heritage and provides information around the EUreka3D-XR ecosystem and the tools that support the creation of XR experiences.

Participants will learn to:

Define the goals, objectives and scope of an XR project;
Identify audiences and design accessible, user-centred XR experiences around their needs and user scenarios;
Select appropriate XR technologies, delivery methods, and tools based on audience needs, user scenarios and project constraints;
Plan resources, stakeholders, risks, and constraints;
Design, prototype and test an XR experience;
Prepare a project for publication, dissemination and launch;
Develop a long-term sustainability plan for maintenance, updates and institutional continuity.

By the end of the course, participants will have produced an XR Project Plan that can be used to:

Communicate your project to colleagues or managers;
Support discussions with project partners;
Contribute to funding or development proposals;
Guide decisions about the development, launch and long-term management of an XR experience within your organisation.

Take the course (BETA version) now!

by Frank Golomb; prepared with assistance from AI United Archives GmbH (Cologne, Germany)

From Archive to Dataset: AI-Assisted Mass Digitisation of Historical Photographic Collections, Using the Sven Simon Archive as a Case Study

Saint Joan of las Abadesas’ archive. Provided by Ajuntament de Girona.

Paper for the 19th Image and Research Conference in Girona, 19-20 November 2026.

Abstract

Historical photographic archives contain considerably more information than the comparatively small number of images traditionally selected for digitisation and publication. United Archives is therefore developing a scalable process that combines high-throughput scanning with AI-assisted metadata creation in order to digitise complete analogue photographic archives as comprehensively as possible. The objective is not merely to preserve individual images, but to transform entire collection contexts into structured, searchable datasets. The first large-scale implementation is the Sven Simon Archive, comprising approximately 1.6 million photographs relating to German and international political, cultural, economic and sporting history since the early 1960s.

The paper describes the collaboration with a specialised scanning company in Cologne, the linking of physical objects to digital files, the capture of inherited captions and the use of multimodal AI to produce structured metadata drafts. Experience to date shows that AI substantially accelerates descriptions, keywords, translations and the structuring of heterogeneous source information. It does not, however, replace archival contextual knowledge or the verification of people, places, dates, events and rights.

Comprehensive digitisation is particularly valuable because it reveals series, developments over time and previously overlooked relationships, while enabling new forms of data use in journalism, research, education, historical analysis and future AI applications. Prerequisites include traceable metadata provenance, risk-based quality assurance and a clear separation between source evidence, machine inference and human-verified statements.

Keywords: photographic archives; comprehensive digitisation; artificial intelligence; metadata; Sven Simon; mass scanning; data value; historical analysis.

Read the full paper<<<<

REGISTRATIONS OPEN and PROGRAMME ANNOUNCED

Image and Research 2026

The Image and Research Conference aims to foster reflection and the exchange of knowledge on various aspects related to the management of photographic and audiovisual heritage. This year’s edition (19th Antoni Varés Conference) will be held in Girona on 19 and 20 November – on 18 and 21 November, workshops related to the conference will take place at the Municipal Archive of Girona.

The 2026 edition is structured into 4 thematic blocks related to photographic and audiovisual heritage

Innovation
Access and creativity
Heritage
Conservation and historical research

Each will include two keynote presentations and several contributed papers on related topics. In addition, a dedicated debate session is included to address a specific issue that benefits from multiple perspectives.

Learn more about the programme: https://web2.girona.cat/sgdap/eng/jornades_programa.php

Registration are now open: sign up at this link<<<<

Read the latest editorial published in the context of EUreka3D-XR

The Hidden Side of Bibracte: now blogpost live on Europeana

What if the visible remains of a place are only a tiny part of its story?

With this blogpost, written by EUreka3D-XR’s partner Bibracte EPCC, you can discover how augmented reality, combined with complementary digital resources, reveals the many hidden layers of Bibracte’s archaeological heritage.

Read “The hidden side of Bibracte” at this link<<<<

July 28 and 30, 2026, Bibracte (onsite)

Online training by Bibracte: workshop on designing geolocated tours using augmented reality using the AR Tour Experience tool

EUreka3D-XR project’s partner Bibracte has organized an onsite workshop focused on the AR Tour Experience tool developed within the project: Bibracte is inviting heritage, tourism or education professionals that want to enrich the experience of their audiences with immersive technologies.

The workshop will allow participants to use the open-source tool, designed to allow users to create geolocated outdoor tours integrating 3D models displayed in augmented reality in the dedicated mobile application AR Tour Experience.

Programme:

Presentation of the AR Tour Builder tool
Guided creation of a mini-tour featuring two or three points of interest (POIs), conducted in the participants’ immediate physical environment
On-site testing of the tour using the AR Tour Experience application, individually or in pairs depending on available equipment
Discussion and feedback with the group.

Learn more about the event and register at this link<<<<

Two new galleries published on Europeana

Explore all objects published on Europeana ingested through EUreka3D-XR

Starting today, it is possible to explore every single object that has been ingested on Europeana through EUreka3D-XR project.

Produced by project coordinator Photoconsortium, two new galleries are now available on Europeana: one where all the 3D digitised, reconstructed and produced within EUreka3D-XR are grouped together, and a second one that focuses specifically on the work done in collaboration between EUreka3D and Twin it! (June 2023 – June 2024).

Explore the galleries:

by Marinos Ioannides (Cyprus University of Technology / Unesco Chair on Digital Cultural Heritage)

Welcome Back to EUrope – #CultureForEurope and #EuropeForCulture in real action

The first #3D #CulturalHeritage object #3DforCulture harvested by Europeana.eu in the post- #BREXIT era from the UK, is now a reality.

https://unescochair-dch.net/Guildhall_Great_Hall

We are proud to celebrate a landmark achievement for European #DigitalCultural heritage, #CulturalDiplomacy and international collaboration.

The magnificent Great Hall of the City of London Guildhall, London City of London Corporation: City View has become the first #3D #CulturalHeritage asset from the United Kingdom to be successfully harvested by #Europeana in the post-Brexit era, marking an important milestone in the renewed cultural and scientific collaboration between the United Kingdom and EUrope.

This achievement is far more than the digital documentation of an iconic historic space. It demonstrates that cultural heritage has the power to build bridges where borders exist, connecting people, institutions and nations through shared history, innovation and common values.

In 2023, the #XRchiving Consortium invited the Unesco Chair on Digital Cultural Heritage at the Cyprus University of Technology / Τεχνολογικό Πανεπιστήμιο Κύπρου to deliver a keynote address at the XRchiving Workshop: City of London Corporation: City View and the Future of the Virtual Past, hosted at King’s College London , marking the beginning of the twelve-month tenure of the newly elected Lord Mayor of the City of London, The Right Honourable Prof. Michael Mainelli. In his inaugural vision, the Lord Mayor highlighted the importance of culture not only as a driver of economic prosperity but also as a catalyst for intellectual growth and international collaboration. He introduced the inspiring concept of a new Digital Coffee House, an inclusive space where cultural heritage could connect people from different backgrounds, disciplines and cultures through curiosity, dialogue and the understanding that we have far more in common than that which divides us.

During the workshop session, “The United Kingdom & Europe – Re-forging Links,” we served as raconteur, presenting the evolving landscape of cultural heritage cooperation between the United Kingdom and Europe in the post-Brexit era. It was during this discussion that a visionary proposal first emerged: to digitally document the Great Hall of the City of London Guildhall and submit it as a guest contribution to Europeana and the European Commission’s #TwinIt initiative.

Although this could not be realised immediately, visionary ideas have a way of enduring. During the #EuroMed2026 #DigitalHeritage Summit, hosted by the Cyprus University of Technology, the concept was revisited and key stakeholders came together to transform the vision into a concrete international collaboration. The project demonstrated how the Great Hall could become part of the wider European digital cultural heritage ecosystem, reigniting the initiative.

Led with remarkable dedication by Tam McDonald (Cradle of English), and supported by Ronald Haynes (University of Cambridge and IIIF 3D), Thomas Flynn (Spatial Heritage Review), and the UNESCO Chair on Digital Cultural Heritage team , the project evolved into a truly international collaboration. The digitisation was successfully undertaken by King’s College London, Arts University Bournemouth, and the University of Cambridge at the end of 2025.

The resulting high-quality 3D model was successfully aggregated through the #EUreka3D #DataHub, developed within the European Commission-funded #EUreka3D and #EUreka3DXR projects in which UNESCO Chair on Digital Cultural Heritage at the Cyprus University of Technology was a Key partner As a result, the Great Hall has now entered the European digital cultural heritage ecosystem, ensuring its long-term preservation, interoperability, discoverability and reuse through Europeana.

This milestone represents more than technological excellence. It is a powerful example of what can be achieved through shared vision, trust, perseverance and international cooperation. It reaffirms that cultural heritage remains a common European legacy that transcends political boundaries and continues to unite researchers, institutions and citizens across Europe and beyond.

Congratulations to everyone who contributed to making this vision a reality. Together, we have demonstrated that collaboration, innovation and determination can transform an idea into a lasting contribution to Europe’s digital memory.

From a conversation in London to a European success story… from small acorns, great oaks grow.

a summary from EUreka3D-XR webinar 'Lifecycle of 3D Data in Cultural Heritage'

3D, copyright and the public domain

A digitised 3D model is often seen as the end result of a digitisation project. But what happens next? Can you publish the model online? Can someone else use it in an XR application, educational game or virtual exhibition? And does creating a 3D model automatically create a new copyright?

These were some of the central questions addressed by Ariadna Matas from Europeana Foundation during the second session of the Lifecycle of 3D Data in Cultural Heritage webinar series, organised by EUreka3D-XR.

If you work with 3D cultural heritage data or you would like to reuse existing 3D models, the recording is well worth watching, and a summary is provided below.

→ Watch the webinar recordings and download the presentations from the two sessions here: https://eureka3d.eu/lifecycle-3d-webinars/

3D digitisation

One of the key messages of the presentation is that digitising an object in 3D does not automatically create new rights.

Whether a 3D model is protected by copyright depends on the level of originality involved in its creation. If the purpose of the digitisation is to produce a faithful, technically accurate representation of an object or monument, there may be little room for the creative choices that copyright law generally requires.

This distinction is particularly important for cultural heritage institutions that wish to make their collections openly reusable. Europeana’s recent research into rights management for 3D models even suggests that many copyright claims currently attached to 3D models may not be legally justified.

→ 3D Models and Rights Management Report: https://pro.europeana.eu/post/3d-models-and-rights-management-report

Rights management

Another important takeaway is that copyright status and rights statements are not the same thing. Before digitising, publishing or reusing a 3D model, institutions should carefully determine:

whether the original object is still protected by copyright;
whether any neighbouring rights, contractual restrictions or image rights apply;
and which rights statement or licence most accurately reflects the legal (copyright) status.

Choosing the correct rights statement is essential for enabling lawful reuse, whether for research, education, tourism or innovative applications such as Extended Reality (XR).

To support this process, Europeana has developed a Rights Labelling Flowchart, which Ariadna presented in her presentation and that helps institutions determine the most appropriate rights statement.

→ Download the chart here (PDF)

Practical questions from the audience

One of the strengths of the webinar was the lively discussion with the online participants. The questions reflected many of the real-world challenges faced by cultural heritage institutions today:

What if the original object is in the public domain, but significant work was invested in producing the 3D model?
Can museums place restrictions on the commercial reuse of openly accessible 3D models?
How should AI-generated derivatives of 3D models be treated?

Rather than offering one-size-fits-all answers, Ariadna emphasised that copyright assessment should become part of the planning process of every digitisation project. Clear documentation, good rights management and transparent licensing not only reduce legal uncertainty but also maximise the value and reuse potential of digital heritage collections.

Continue learning

If this webinar sparked your interest, you can dive deeper into the topic through the self-paced Europeana Academy course “How to select an accurate rights statement”, also developed by Ariadna Matas.

The course explores the topic of rights statements in much greater depth, using practical examples specifically aimed at cultural heritage professionals.

→ You can find the course here: https://europeana.moocit.fr/courses/course-v1:europeana+ELF03+2023_Q2/about

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

The Partnership of MiraLab and UNESCO Chair on Digital Cultural Heritage MNEMOSYNE, by Marinos Ioannides

A Code of Excellence in Friendship, Cooperation and Achievement

Photo courtesy of EUreka3D-XR consortium and CUT (Pambos Charalambous)

“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe and respect!”
by Anatole France

This timeless reflection perfectly captures the spirit of our long-standing collaboration with MiraLab in Geneva. Over many years, our partnership has been built not only on scientific excellence and technological innovation, but also on mutual trust, friendship, shared values, and a common vision to push the boundaries of what is possible.

True partnerships are not measured solely by publications, projects or technological achievements. They are defined by the people behind them; their commitment, creativity, perseverance and belief that together they can transform ambitious ideas into reality.

Our collaboration with the exceptional MiraLab team has become a remarkable example of how excellence in research flourishes when expertise is combined with trust, openness and a shared passion for innovation. Together, we dared to dream beyond conventional approaches, and together we transformed that dream into reality.

The result was something unprecedented: the conception, development and successful implementation of a unique pilot scenario that, to the best of our knowledge, had never before been realised anywhere in the world.

For the first time in history, Artificial Intelligence, Extended Reality (XR), and Digital Cultural Heritage converged to create an extraordinary immersive experience: bringing Saint Neophytos back to his nearly one-thousand-year-old home – the Enkleistra (Hermitage) that he established almost a millennium ago. Through this groundbreaking digital revival, visitors were able to experience history in an entirely new way; not simply by observing the past, but by engaging with one of Cyprus’ greatest spiritual figures as if he were welcoming them back into his sacred home.

This pioneering achievement attracted international attention, with Euronews highlighting the story under the memorable theme:

“When Saint Neophytos Returns to His 1,000-Year-Old Home.”

The impact of this collaboration extended even further. Building upon this successful pilot, the Enkleistra (Hermitage) of Saint Neophytos was selected as Cyprus’ representative contribution to the TwinIT – Part II Campaign, organised during the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Today, this exceptional monument stands as one of the representative digital memory objects of Cyprus, preserving and showcasing the country’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage within the European digital ecosystem. It represents not only an outstanding monument but also a symbol of Cyprus’ commitment to safeguarding, digitising and sharing its cultural memory with Europe and the world.

This achievement perfectly illustrates the evolution from digital documentation to digital remembrance—where monuments become living carriers of collective memory through advanced technologies, high-quality 3D digitisation, artificial intelligence and immersive storytelling.

The project demonstrated that digital heritage is no longer limited to documenting monuments or preserving artefacts. It has evolved into a powerful medium for reconnecting humanity with its collective memory, allowing cultural heritage to communicate, educate and inspire future generations through immersive and intelligent experiences.

This success belongs to every member of the MiraLab team and to everyone who believed that innovation is born where imagination meets scientific excellence. It stands as proof that enduring friendships and trusted collaborations can achieve what once seemed impossible. Therefore, our sincere gratitude goes to the outstanding researchers, developers and visionaries at MiraLab. Their scientific excellence, creativity and unwavering commitment transformed an ambitious vision into a world-first achievement, demonstrating that when trust, friendship and complementary expertise come together, barriers disappear and history is made.

May this partnership continue to inspire future generations of researchers and innovators, reminding us that the greatest achievements are never the work of individuals alone; they are the result of shared vision, mutual respect and the courage to dream together.

Together, we did not simply develop an innovative technological demonstration: we created a new paradigm for preserving, communicating and experiencing cultural heritage. Together, we transformed MEMORY into a living experience. Together, we made history.

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