Supporting skills

The ​Taskforce ​survey identified gaps in skills and human resources for best practice digitisation and data mobilisation – this includes a range of skills from curation (knowledge of particular collections types) and digitisation (imaging workflows) to funding cases and understanding best practices in data release. Without access to these skills, content release is restricted, particularly for smaller institutions. A lack of sustainable funding can also lead to skills loss, poor retention and short-termism. There are therefore opportunities for new models, for example, knowledge centres, training, or a hub and spoke or Centres of Excellence model with larger institutions supporting smaller partners.  

Resource portal 

Survey respondents felt that they would value a single hub pulling together information about digitisation into one place. They were particularly interested in support with making funding applications, and the implementation of best practice standards. The Taskforce therefore commissioned Collections Trust to create resources relating to digitisation for an existing central online hub of resources. This provides a single point of access to the best resources around funding, standards, digitisation guides and so on. This can be found at Culture24’s Digital Pathways resource bank.   

Many of the participants spoke about how knowledge-sharing can build digital maturity over time. Staff in institutions can grow in capability and capacity via learning-by-doing. We need to look at development programmes to support this that include partnering, mentoring, and secondment opportunities alongside traditional skills training schemes. 

Recommendations

Recommendation 7: The digital skills and maturity of the cultural sector should be increased, for example through ​​Art Council England’s ​Digital Culture Network and​ Digital​ Maturity Index.  

The Network will:

• Provide mentoring​, ​skills sharing​, and workshops, subject to resources.