Several members of the SHIFT project will take part in the conference entitled “ReAImagining Public Collections in the 21st Century in Light of Digital Development”, to be held in Budapest on 14-15 October, 2024.
The event will be held under the auspices of Hungary’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union and is being organised by three distinguished Hungarian cultural institutions: the Hungarian National Museum Public Collections Centre – Hungarian National Museum, the Hungarian National Museum Public Collections Centre – National Széchényi Library, and the National Archives of Hungary.
The aim of the conference is to explore the impact of digital technological advancements on public collections and to present the opportunities and challenges posed by artificial intelligence and digitalisation in the realm of cultural heritage. Esteemed speakers from leading European and Hungarian institutions and organisations will be participating, including representatives from IFLA, EBLIDA, AVICOM, E-RIHS, the OMC Working Group, as well as experts from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC).
The first day (14th October) will focus on the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence, examining EU initiatives that support public collections, the role of AI in museums, and the latest trends in cultural heritage projects. The presentations will address topics such as the potential applications of AI in public collections, relevant regulatory activities within the European Union, and data protection challenges. The day will conclude with a panel discussion featuring our cluster’s sister project representatives funded by Horizon Europe projects utilising AI. Participants of the MEMENTOES, MEMORISE, MUSE-IT, PERCEIVE, PREMIERE and SHIFT projects will share their experiences and future strategies, with a particular emphasis on the museum sector.
The second day (15th October) will be dedicated to the digitalisation of public collections. Topics will include innovative collaborative projects in digital archives, handwriting recognition technologies, developments in data connectivity, and the application of large language models and chatbots to improve access to archival information. The programme will also cover the challenges of adapting to these technological advancements, including issues surrounding copyright, data protection, and strategies for digital community building, alongside libraries’ capacities to respond to digital trends. The conference will conclude with presentations on strategies for enabling public collections to adapt to the demands of the 21st century and for reinforcing the role of these institutions in a rapidly evolving landscape.
We trust that this conference will provide a comprehensive insight into the impact of artificial intelligence and digitalisation on public collections and highlight a range of innovative strategies and solutions for cultural heritage institutions to navigate these emerging challenges.
The conference will be held in English, with simultaneous interpretation available in Hungarian.
The program is free of charge, but registration is needed, please register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1xm8GNFP3wMF56Sq5XBYpIdiSR7Ehlr6XXjWL3gpPl5k
The Agenda of the conference can be dowloaded here.
Facebook event: please click here.
