Digital meets Culture

Coventry creates is now live!

18 Pieces Of Research, 18 Creative Responses

A digital exhibition of artworks created during lockdown and inspired by university research. 18 artistic responses to research dealing with several and multifaceted themes: Coventry poetry, Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matters movement, Coventry and refugees, its twinning history, women’s suffrage, homelessness and interactive games.
Coventry Creates is part of the ongoing work by Coventry and Warwick universities in the lead up to the City of Culture. The University Partnership has funded over 30 creative research projects, involving over 50 Coventry organisations and local communities.
During the March-May 2020 Covid-19 UK lockdown the two Universities selected 18 local artists to receive a grant that allowed them to continue their work during the pandemic. Coventry Creates received over 100 applications by researchers from the social sciences, arts, science and medicine from across both the city’s universities.
The project, Coventry Creates, provided up to £2,000 funding to the chosen projects so that they could keep producing artwork for this collaborative digital exhibition, in the run up to UK City of Culture 2021.
The exhibition will be hosted until December 2022 and all art works will also be kept in the Coventry City of Culture Digital Archive. The collaboration between The University of Warwick and Coventry University follows a new Memorandum of Understanding that provides them with new opportunities to work together to the benefits of arts and culture throughout the region.
Organisers invites to visit the online exhibition and participate to a survey that is available on the Coventry creates webpage.
Download the Coventry Creates flyer
Coventry Creates webpage
More blog about Coventry Creates

Espacio Byte, digital art museum, launches a new online exhibition on computer viruses

Virus Attack! First computer pandemics

Espacio Byte, digital art museum, presents a new exhibition on computer viruses.
An approach to the aesthetic dimension of disruptive phenomena in the digital ecosystem.
The curatorial project raises an analogy between pandemics in the biological and digital sphere, and how both end up interfering in the dynamics of human activities.
A reflection on how technology has been integrated into contemporary society and it is impossible to consider human and digital as separate entities.

Link to exhibition: http://www.espaciobyte.org/virus-attack

About the museum
Espacio Byte is an online museum dedicated exclusively to digital art. A source of information to learn about its first manifestations, contemporary movements, and specific issues. The museum offers a natural environment for digital-native artworks, an interface to exhibit the work of artists who, through the use of digital technology as a means of expression, explore new languages, poetics, and aesthetic values.
The platform brings together a large spectrum of practices including software, virtual & augmented reality, visual and sound art, as well as the ones created specifically to be experienced on the Internet.
Espacio Byte is a non-profit organization focused on education, a space open to exchange and collaboration. An interactive experience for recreation without physical limitations, open 24 hours a day. Founded in 2012, Espacio Byte was created with the mission of researching, exhibiting, and conserving digital art.

get your GIFs ready for the new edition of the annual contest of creativity with cultural heritage!

GIF IT UP 2020

Throughout October, GIF-makers, history nuts, culture enthusiasts, and Internet fans are invited to take part in GIF IT UP 2020, the latest edition of the annual contest hosted by Europeana that challenges people to create animated cultural heritage images and share them online. GIF IT UP is a great and fun way to demonstrate how digital tools can foster culture and creativity. This year, it’s more relevant than ever as we all spend so much more of our lives online. The internet is where we now work, play and interact with others and the COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged many cultural institutions and people to ‘go digital’ and to engage with cultural heritage – often for the first time.

This year’s contest is going even more global in its offer of inspiring and diverse content to reuse and remix and get creative with. Along with Europeana’s regular partners, the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA), New Zealand’s Digital NZ and National Library of Australia’s Trove, two new content partners have joined the fun – Japan Search, which gives access to digitised cultural heritage from Japan, and DAG Museums in Kolkata, India.

Website: https://gifitup.net/

HOW TO PARTICIPATE? The competition is open to people of all ages, professionals and amateurs alike. Choose among the millions of public domain works from the content partners, create your GIF, and submit your entry!

Rules: https://gifitup.net/rules/

WHAT ARE THE PRIZES? Prizes will be online art history courses from DailyArt magazine and Red Bubble gift cards. There will be a special category for the best GIF & runnersup, 1st time GIF-makers, children & teens (below 18) and a bonus category for GIPHY backdrops. Moreover, GIF IT UP has its own GIPHY Channel that exposes the participants’ creations to millions.

About Europeana

Europeana is Europe’s platform for digital cultural heritage, empowering cultural heritage institutions to share their collections with the world. Through Europeana’s collections website millions of cultural heritage items from around 4,000 institutions across Europe are available online. The Europeana Foundation is the organisation tasked by the European Commission with developing a digital cultural heritage platform for Europe. Europeana DSI is cofinanced by the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility.
More Info on https://www.europeana.eu/en

October 12- November 27, by the Climate Heritage Network

Culture x Climate 2020: mobilising arts, culture and heritage for climate action

Culture x Climate 2020 is a virtual global forum for arts, culture and heritage-based climate action, presented from 12 October to 27 November, by the Climate Heritage Network.

Culture x Climate 2020 brings together leaders, practitioners, researchers, and experts from business, government, universities and civil society to promote new partnerships between cultural actors and stakeholders across sectors. It is designed to unite all those interested in the role of arts, culture and heritage in tackling the climate emergency and aims to enhance the capacity of these sectors to help build a climate-neutral and resilient world in the time of COVID-19.

Over a 45-day period, three events series will be held:

November Dialogues. A series of three virtual Dialogues across multiple time zones under the theme: “A Culture of Resilience: Mobilising Arts, Culture and Heritage to Win the Race to Zero” held as part of the UN November Dialogues.
Regional Climate Heritage Forums. A series of five Climate Heritage Network regional forums that will spotlight the work in each region of the world to mobilise arts, culture and heritage for climate action. They include Africa and the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America.
Climate Heritage Mobilisation Webinars. A series of 7 webinars, held in partnership with Historic England’s Climate Friday, showcasing the diverse work across the Climate Heritage Network to increase the ambition and capacity of arts, culture and heritage to engage in climate action, science and policy.

In addition, on November 16, Climate Heritage Network members and other partners will meet in an action-oriented Annual General Assembly with the aim of organizing, planning and preparing to bring the voice of arts, culture and heritage to the next UN Climate Summit (COP26).

Culture x Climate 2020, from 12 October to 27 November

The culture sector is committed to the climate

“Cultural Heritage is a Climate Action Issue. Climate Action is a Cultural Heritage Issue” this is the premise of the event organized by the Climate Heritage Network.

Culture x Climate 2020 is a virtual global forum for arts, culture and heritage-based climate action, presented from 12 October to 27 November, anchored by Climate Heritage Week 2020 (16-22 November).

It is designed to unite all those interested in the role of arts, culture and heritage in tackling the climate emergency and aims to enhance the capacity of these sectors to help build a climate-neutral and resilient world in the time of COVID-19. It promotes new partnerships between cultural actors and stakeholders across sectors and encourages the culture sector to play its part in driving greater ambition at UN Climate Summit (COP26).

Over a 45-day period, attendees will have access to a variety of virtual formats:

A series of three virtual November Dialogues held as part of the UN November Dialogues. This series showcases the often-overlooked role that arts, culture and heritage play in achieving a climate-neutral and resilient world.

A series of five Climate Heritage Network Regional Forums will spotlight the work in each CHN region of the world to mobilise arts, culture and heritage for climate action. The Regional Climate Heritage Forums are being presented during Climate Heritage Week 2020.

A series of seven virtual Climate Heritage Mobilisation Webinars held in partnership with Historic England’s Climate Friday.

On November 16, the Climate Heritage Network will hold an action-oriented Annual General Assembly, that will bring together Climate Heritage Network Members and Invited Observers, with the aim of organizing, planning and preparing to bring the voice of arts, culture and heritage to the next UN Climate Summit (COP26).

More information:
https://www.culturexclimate.org/

https://climateheritage.org/

Virtual visits of the Museum in the time of pandemic

Digital offering at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History of Washington

Text by Caterina Sbrana.

The pandemic from Sars Covid-19 has accustomed us to receive messages of cultural events, exhibitions, concerts, shows that are cancelled. Museums and art galleries have also closed public visits.

However, digital technology is trying to bridge physical distances by allowing people to enjoy culture even staying at home.

From now on it begins the virtual tour of the Natural History Museum; Image from: https://naturalhistory.si.edu

There are many museums that have begun to offer digital tours and virtual exhibitions however others already had these tours before Covid-19. In this article I would like to present the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History digital offering that ranges from virtual tours of exhibits to distance learning resources.

First I would tell you why I chose the virtual tour proposed by the Smithsonian National Museum.

The navigation in the site is simple and fast; the graphics of the site, is excellent, very clear and understandable even by people not familiar with the web; thanks to the toolbar that allows you to move your mouse left and right you can easily continue in the path choosing which section of the museum/site to visit.

This photo shows us the beginning of the tour and the rooms we can visit; Image from: https://naturalhistory2.si.edu/vt3/NMNH/z_tour-022.html

It’s great for teachers, because it contains several sections with images that allow you to know not only the different habitats and animals that inhabit them, but also the history of man and its evolution.

The quality of the photographs is excellent; the layout of the exhibition is extremely effective.

The virtual visit to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History allows visitors to make independent guided tours, room by room, from their desktop or mobile device.

The virtual tour is also recorded in several videos and a narrator explains with simple words the section.

The page to enter in one of the narrated virtual tours; Image from: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/visit/virtual-tour/narrated-virtual-tours

If we decide to enter the section of the museum related to Africa we can admire different animals and hunting scenes and discover the natural environments. Then, we can decide whether to continue the visit to the territories of the southern hemisphere or North America.

I suggest you to watch the video with the narrated tour of the Hall of Human Origins illustrated by the researcher Dr. Diana Pobiner. I found it very interesting because it answers some essential questions about human life “who are we?”, “how did we become human?”.

Kirk Johnson, Sant Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, reports that this is the most visited virtual museum in the world, where people can “find detailed information about our exhibits, events, collections, scientific research and educational programs” and specifies that “the museum’s mission is understanding the natural world and our place in it”.

Once again we discover that, thanks to technology and the web, especially in this period when people move less, we can continue to increase our culture using our digital devices.

https://naturalhistory.si.edu

https://naturalhistory.si.edu/explore-at-home

https://naturalhistory.si.edu/visit/virtual-tour

https://naturalhistory2.si.edu/vt3/NMNH/z_tour-022.html

Participatory Approaches in Culture to Support Urban Regeneration and Resilience in a Period of Crisis

ROCK – Cultural heritage leading urban futures- joins the REACH Digital Gallery

In ROCK- cities believe that cultural heritage is a great tool for urban regeneration and a driver for change. But consequences of lockdown measures and of pandemic situation had a strong impact on cities’ local culture and cultural heritage, communities and sites, and citizens’ services. The ROCK cities reacted quickly and creatively to an unprecedented situation, exploiting the instruments developed in the ROCK project. That’s the theme presented by ROCK to the REACH Digital Gallery. Participation in culture and the rule of cultural heritage as a driving force for urban sustainability are topics shared by the two projects and that align their actions. The poster, introduces one focus of the ROCK Open Knowledge Week, a four days on line conference that will be held from 27^th to 30^th October 2020. The Open Knowledge Week aims to identify new ways in which cultural heritage can contribute to the regeneration, sustainable development and economic growth of cities.
Look at the poster on the REACH digital gallery
ROCK event’s page
More information about the ROCK Open Knowledge Week
ROCK event’s page

Outcomes of the Athens Virtual Workshop

Social Platform for Holistic Heritage Impact Assessment present: the SoPHIA project

SoPHIA is a two years project started on January 2020 which aims at proposing a holistic impact assessment model for historical, environmental and cultural heritage in Europe. With the term holistic it understands that the economic, social, environmental and cultural dimensions necessary to any intervention on heritage must be addressed comprehensively. The Platform will identify the most important challenges and opportunities linked to cultural heritage interventions in Europe. It will explore the general topic and the current situation as regards policies, assessment and quality of interventions, including best practices, and the creation of a draft holistic impact assessment model. It will also analyse specific case studies, focusing on people, domains and time. To achieve its goals, the project will bring together stakeholders from different fields who will define guidelines for future policies. UNCHARTED and the SoPHIA Platform has recently started a cooperation that will be increased by future common initiatives and mutual support. Surfing the waves of the pandemic, SoPHIA – Social Platform for Holistic Heritage Impact Assessment – held a first workshop online last June 25 and July 2 with its newly formed community of practice. The aim was to present the initial findings of the project, assess and exchange knowledges and practices, and spur the debate.
The Athens Virtual Workshop gathered around 50 professionals from the institutions part of the Consortium, members of the Advisory Board and stakeholders from different fields, such as research, education, museology, cultural management, cultural policy or entrepreneurship, among others. SoPHIA is currently bridging its first theoretical phase, during which it has collected and analyzed the literature and policies related to heritage impact assessment models and methods, with its second practical phase that foresees the design of an impact assessment model to be tested in selected cultural heritage sites, practices and events. The first phase has highlighted, among other things, the lack of models that duly address the four dimensions considered as fundamental when dealing with heritage interventions, namely the social, economic, cultural and environmental dimensions; the priority given to the economic dimension at the expense of other fundamental dimensions; the lack of consultative and participatory processes that provide for a sense of ownership by the communities; as well as the need for assessment models that take into account the long term impact of interventions, especially after so-called big events.
In the first place, the context of the SoPHIA project was presented. This was followed by a series of keynote speeches that set the framework for the issue at hand: Annalisa Cicerchia, Roma Tre University, presented “Impact Assessment Methods” and Beatriz García, Institute of Cultural Capital, University of Liverpool, shared her views on “Why do present Impact Assessment Models prove inadequate”. The gaps and opportunities identified regarding heritage impact assessment models were also presented with a summary of guidelines and programmes from the EU and other world regions. Participants debated in small groups and, based on their experiences, contributed different perspectives that will be taken into account in the drafting of the SoPHIA impact assessment model. All the material of the Athens Virtual Workshop will be shortly made available for download from the SoPHIA website.
The community of practice will meet again in future workshops, onsite if the situation allows, or virtually. At the same time, an online collaborative platform will enable for continued interaction; each member formally attached to the SoPHIA community will be able to access relevant documentation and participate in debates on topics of interest for the project. In this sense, professionals with experience in cultural heritage from any field, whether academics, practitioners or devoted to cultural policy, and with an interest to be part of this community, are welcome to contact info@sophiaplatform.eu to explore their possible participation in the project.
Follows the progress of SoPHIA on www.sophiaplatform.eu
Twitter:@sophia_platform
Facebook under SophiaPlatform

The Athens Virtual Workshop:25 June & 2 July 2020

The first steps of SOPHIA, the new Social Platform for Holistic Heritage Impact Assessment

SOPHIA is a two years project started on January 2020 which aims at proposing a holistic impact assessment model for historical, environmental and cultural heritage in Europe. With the term holistic it understands that the economic, social, environmental and cultural dimensions necessary to any intervention on heritage must be addressed comprehensively. The Platform will identify the most important challenges and opportunities linked to cultural heritage interventions in Europe. It will explore the general topic and the current situation as regards policies, assessment and quality of interventions, including best practices, and the creation of a draft holistic impact assessment model. It will also analyse specific case studies, focusing on people, domains and time. To achieve its goals, the project will bring together stakeholders from different fields who will define guidelines for future policies.
SOPHIA and REACH Social Platforms has recently signed an agreement for coordinating their activities and act in mutual support.
Surfing the waves of the pandemic, SoPHIA – Social Platform for Holistic Heritage Impact Assessment – held a first workshop online last June 25 and July 2 with its newly formed community of practice. The aim was to present the initial findings of the project, assess and exchange knowledges and practices, and spur the debate.
The Athens Virtual Workshop gathered around 50 professionals from the institutions part of the Consortium, members of the Advisory Board and stakeholders from different fields, such as research, education, museology, cultural management, cultural policy or entrepreneurship, among others. SoPHIA is currently bridging its first theoretical phase, during which it has collected and analyzed the literature and policies related to heritage impact assessment models and methods, with its second practical phase that foresees the design of an impact assessment model to be tested in selected cultural heritage sites, practices and events. The first phase has highlighted, among other things, the lack of models that duly address the four dimensions considered as fundamental when dealing with heritage interventions, namely the social, economic, cultural and environmental dimensions; the priority given to the economic dimension at the expense of other fundamental dimensions; the lack of consultative and participatory processes that provide for a sense of ownership by the communities; as well as the need for assessment models that take into account the long term impact of interventions, especially after so-called big events.

In the first place, the context of the SoPHIA project was presented. This was followed by a series of keynote speeches that set the framework for the issue at hand: Annalisa Cicerchia, Roma Tre University, presented “Impact Assessment Methods” and Beatriz García, Institute of Cultural Capital, University of Liverpool, shared her views on “Why do present Impact Assessment Models prove inadequate”. The gaps and opportunities identified regarding heritage impact assessment models were also presented with a summary of guidelines and programmes from the EU and other world regions. Participants debated in small groups and, based on their experiences, contributed different perspectives that will be taken into account in the drafting of the SoPHIA impact assessment model. All the material of the Athens Virtual Workshop will be shortly made available for download from the SoPHIA website.
The community of practice will meet again in future workshops, onsite if the situation allows, or virtually. At the same time, an online collaborative platform will enable for continued interaction; each member formally attached to the SoPHIA community will be able to access relevant documentation and participate in debates on topics of interest for the project. In this sense, professionals with experience in cultural heritage from any field, whether academics, practitioners or devoted to cultural policy, and with an interest to be part of this community, are welcome to contact info@sophiaplatform.eu to explore their possible participation in the project.
Follows the progress of SoPHIA on www.sophiaplatform.eu
Twitter:@sophia_platform
Facebook under SophiaPlatform.

Arts, Science and Technology work together to create a more sustainable, inclusive and democratic future

City of the future – STARTS Open Call for Artists

Nesta Italia, supported by Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo and the European Commission, is launching ‘City of the future’ – S+T+ARTS Open Call for Artists, Creatives and Collectives, addressed to creatives from all over Europe. The aim of the Open Call is to enhance the intersection between Arts, Science and Technology to experiment new approaches in the development of more emphatic, human-centred applications of new technologies in the urban context.

Tech companies and research centres from Turin will launch a series of challenges, to which artists and collectives can respond by submitting a project proposal. An independent jury will select three winners, which will be awarded with 17,000 euros each and work on their project during a three months residency (February – May 2021), in collaboration with local curators and producers.

If you want to learn more about the Open Call, selection criteria and application process, check out Nesta Italia’s website.

Deadline: 30th November 2020

>>> APPLY here

For any further information write to starts @ nestaitalia.org