The dynamic, resourceful nature of the UK’s arts, culture and heritage sector during the pandemic, paved the way for remarkable innovation from organisations of all sizes. Now, in a post-restriction era, it’s encouraging to see so many organisations maintaining such strategies – not merely in response to pandemic exigencies, but as a blueprint for sustained success. In this unprecedented digital revolution, we explore some of the best digital innovations in today’s sector.
“Technology is a site of culture in itself.” Kay Watson, Head of Arts Technologies, Serpentine Galleries
Some of the UK’s largest cultural monoliths, the National Gallery, the Royal Opera House, the National Archives and the Royal Shakespeare Company, have been noted by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport as sector leaders in areas including digitisation; providing opportunities for experimentation with new technologies; research and development; and innovation support for the sector:
The National Gallery, working with data partners like Nesta, have developed an Innovation Lab called NGX, to support cultural organisations, and in particular museums, to make best use of advanced digital technologies in enhancing visitor experience and creating content. They have also helped to develop best practice in collaborating with the technology and academic sectors.
The Royal Opera House has formed an Audience Lab, working with diverse talent, developing new skillsets and creating innovative content using emerging technologies.
The Royal Shakespeare Company, the BBC and the Arts and Humanities Research Council are sharing selected Research & Development prototypes and technical assets, as well as offering related capacity-building and innovation support to cultural partners of all sizes across the UK.
The aforementioned work is providing a promising support base for smaller, regional organisations to access the knowledge, skills and facilities to materialise ambitious digital projects. Indeed, there is already some exemplary work being undertaken in such organisations:
Curations, ArtUK
Curations helps museums and collections maintain their relationships with the public through digital means; in groups, on a timeline, or as an image-led ‘showcase’.
Through Curations, anyone can create and share digital exhibitions, allowing for unique ways of viewing art. The tool enhances user participation, broadens access to artworks, and enriches the national art collection. In October 2023, Art UK reached the impressive milestone of 2,000 Curations.
‘Art UK’s innovative combination of digitised collections (including many artworks not usually on view to the public) and crowdsourcing, transforms art history and history itself. If only the USA had such a thing.’ Stephen Bury, Andrew W. Mellon Chief Librarian, Frick Art Reference Library New York
BSO Digital Concerts Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) has one of the most extensive and popular online concert programmes in the country. BSO began to broadcast its performances in 2020, as a way of engaging its community during the Covid-19 Pandemic. It also launched a series of BSO@Home discussions at the same time. With significant success, BSO Digital Concerts is now in its fifth season and has had considerable success.
In the pandemic period, BSO streamed over 60 concerts, sold over 77,100 digital tickets, and generated over £460,000 in revenue from digital streams. Initial surveys found that this programme was vital for those in the over 65 age bracket, as well as those identifying as d/Deaf and disabled and vulnerable.
For Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, this digital programme has been instrumental for both accessibility and income growth.
“I wondered if viewing online would come anywhere near a live performance, but there were many compensations like the chat with the conductor beforehand and the fact that you could actually see him face on whilst conducting . You were also able to see orchestra members close up. The horn player was fascinating to watch.” BSO Digital Concert customer
Digital Placemaking Fellows, Bristol & Bath Creative R&D
Devised through a unique partnership between Bristol and Bath’s four Universities, Bristol & Bath Creative R&D’s Digital Placemaking Fellows are working to consider how the civic infrastructure can utilise digital technology to build creative solutions to improve or enhance the public experience of place. The Fellows aim to answer the question: ‘Where does culture feature in the new digital infrastructure?’
“Many of us already move seamlessly between digital and physical worlds in our day-to-day life. From Google Maps, to wearable technology, to playing Pokémon Go in the park; digital technology can make things easier, more enjoyable and more accessible. Of course, if it’s not done right, digital technology can also make things more confusing, alienating or overwhelming.” Bristol & Bath Creative R&D
The Digital Placemaking project has produced five prototypes exploring the intersection of digital and physical space and the role of culture.
YouTube Innovation, The Tank Museum
Dorset’s Tank Museum currently boasts over 900,000 YouTube subscribers. The online engagement is particularly strong with groups that might not normally engage with the Museum sector; the YouTube channel primarily reaches 24-25 year old men.
The focus of the Tank Museum videos include the history of the vehicles in the museum, mini-documentaries, action from events, and videos featuring well known tank enthusiasts such as Comedian Al Murray and Historian James Holland.
The channel has provided a new-found gateway to memberships, sponsorships and online merchandise sales. In November 2023, the Museum raised £20,000 from online supporters in just 24 hours for one of its restoration projects.
“YouTube has allowed us to reach a global audience of tank enthusiasts – and it’s as a direct result of this that we are now generating over a quarter of our annual turnover from non-visitors.”
Tank Museum Historian, David Fletcher
In the future, arts organisations will inevitably become multi-platform content providers. Hybrid programming has proven effective for broader inclusion, accessibility and income goals.
However, to really flourish, the sector will need adequate funding and space for digital innovation, exploration and envisioning, as seen provided by Bristol & Bath Creative R&D and partners. With this, the arts can create a future in which access to culture and heritage is expansive, diverse and unrestricted.