This document summarizes a research project exploring digital art and how to connect private and public art collections online. The project aims to 1) understand how private collectors currently organize online databases and if they can connect with public collections, 2) determine the technical, organizational, and art history efforts needed to connect these collections into a richer database, and 3) develop ways to distribute the interrelated content through an interface while respecting intellectual property. The project is looking for experts in metadata, information retrieval, graphical user interfaces, business models, and platform development to help achieve these goals.

1. DIGITAL ART REVEALED iMinds 16/12/2010 Olga Van Oost, An Moons, Gert Nulens IBBT/SMIT

2. Who are we? Cultuurlab @ IBBT/SMIT Research at the intersection between arts/culture/cultural heritage and new media The transition to a networked society is changing the way arts and culture are organized, archived, preserved, distributed, consumed, experienced New technologies are tools for the cultural domain to evolve towards this new reality The cultural and creative sector can also be a source for technological developments

3. Context and Need Cultural heritagesector: focus on institutions with public collections BUT very interesting collections are in the hands of private collectors, banks, private museums, galleries  these institutions often take up a ‘museum-role’ too Clashing paradigms: yes and no. About separate worlds that seek opportunities to work together How canweconnecttheseseparateworlds in order to archive, aggregate, enrich and disclosethisspecific information?

4. Research Goals How are private collectors organizing online databases? Do they use standards and can they connect with public collections from a technical point of view? What technical, organisational and art historical efforts are necessary to connect public and private collections to result into a richer database? Development of platform that can connect with existing platforms How can the interrelated content be distributed? Development of interface (taking into account intellectual property) Which business model is feasible? Question of economic sustainability: PPS?

5. Looking for… Metadata experts (to find the connections between different metadata models) Information retrieval experts (to link related content) GUI developers (to create innovative distribution channels for different target groups) Business model experts (to find innovative valorization models for different target groups) Platform developers