“eCulture” platform (a unified portal for digitised and digital cultural and audio-visual content, e-services and dissemination)
Sources and value of project funding
The project is funded by the European Union (NextGenerationEU) and the economic recovery and resilience plan “Next Generation Lithuania”.
The project value is EUR 23.8 million.
Project objective
To increase accessibility and re-use of culture by creating a common digital data platform for cultural institutions through the implementation of integrated organisational and technological solutions.
The problem addressed by the project
The main problem is the low level of digitisation of culture and the insufficient or unappealing accessibility of digital/digitised cultural content.
• Lack of equitable access to quality, professional and diverse cultural services limits people’s participation in cultural life, and the forms of expression and means of dissemination of cultural content do not meet the needs and expectations of individual users and social groups;
• limitations in the technical capacity of the information systems and databases of cultural institutions, their lack of organisational, technical and semantic interoperability, data fragmentation, limited access to information and data sets, incompatibility and duplication of e-services offered;
• insufficient knowledge, competences and skills of cultural resource managers in dealing with copyright laws and associations of collective administration representing copyright and neighbouring rights in relation to the online publication and (re)use of cultural resources;
• limited accessibility, lack of digital solutions and adapted content for people with disabilities;
• lack of innovative and differentiated cultural content/products for target groups (e.g. children, elderly (65+));
• the risk of information becoming unreadable and inaccessible to users grows as technology ages.
Project implementation
5 October 2023 – 30 April 2026
Project activities and sub activities
• Creation of an attractive user interface, partly through the consolidation of the project programme.
o Creation of the “eCulture” platform – a unified portal for digitised and digital cultural and audiovisual content, electronic services and dissemination.
• Updating information systems/databases and ensuring data interconnectivity, partly in the context of a consolidated programme of projects.
o Modernisation of the Lithuanian Integrated Library Information System.
o Modernisation of the E-Cinema information system.
o Modernisation of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre Research Centre’s Archive of Musical Folklore.
o Modernisation of the Lithuanian Integral Museum Information System.
o Modernisation of the information system of the Lithuanian National Centre for Culture.
o Modernisation of the Electronic Archive Information System.
o Preparation of an investment project.
• Introduction of modern technologies, partly through a consolidated programme of projects.
o Preparation and uploading of content to the “eCulture” platform (planned actions: development and training in the use of the Europeana Data Model; search for and use of artificial intelligence solutions; selection of cultural content; search for audio-visual content and re-use promotion; development of a curated content model and corresponding content; analysis and resolution of legal constraints on the use of electronic cultural objects).
• Communication of the “eCulture”.
o Project communication and public awareness campaign (planned actions: presentation of the “eCulture” platform and its services to different user segments; public awareness of the diversity and use of cultural content; promotion of the use of cultural content in the fields of education, tourism, cultural industries, business, etc.).
• Digitising cultural content.
o Digitising cultural content to create products and services that meet the needs of today’s consumers.
Planned results and indicators
• A single portal for digitised and digitalised cultural content, e-services and dissemination is established.
• Information systems/databases of cultural institutions (six in total) adapted to work with the “eCulture” platform.
• Creation of user-friendly e-products and e-services based on modern technologies.
• Increased share of digitised cultural content.
• Implemented communication strategy.
• More than 12 contracts (agreements) signed and implemented with owners of digital and digitised cultural resources to open up and make them accessible to users.
• 50 immovable cultural heritage objects (buildings) with monument status have been digitised in 3D format.
• The number of users of new and improved public digital services, products and processes will exceed 100 000 (to be recorded on 31 December 2026).
Project developer
Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania
Project partners
Lithuanian National Museum of Art, The Office of the Chief Archivist of Lithuania, Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture, Lithuanian Audiosensory Library, Lithuanian National Radio and Television, Lithuanian Central State Archives, Lithuanian Film Centre under the Ministry of Culture, Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society, National Commission for Cultural Heritage, The Secretariat of the Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO, Lithuanian Dance Information Centre, National Kaunas Drama Theatre, Lithuanian National Centre for Culture, Lithuanian Institute of Literature and Folklore, NGO “Meno avilys”, Contemporary Art Centre, Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, “Vilnius” State Choir.
Project manager
Aidas Sinkevičius, Head of the project “eCulture” platform (unified portal for digitised and digital cultural and audiovisual content, e-services and dissemination)”, e-mail: [email protected]