Valerie Johnson, The National Archives The #CultureisDigital project was launched at the end of March 2018 by the Rt Hon Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, coming out of the Government’s Culture White Paper commitment to review the digitisation of public collections and enhance the online cultural experience. As one of the commitments from the report, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/culture-is-digital, The National Archives was asked to set up a Digitisation Taskforce to work with a broad reach of cultural sector representatives in order to explore a new strategic approach to the digitisation and presentation of cultural objects. This paper proposes to discuss the work of the Taskforce and the results of the survey it undertook, and explore the themes that emerged, for example, content strategies, standards, data interoperability, preservation and sustainability, different economic models to fund digitisation, and skills development. The paper will show what the group achieved, and how it intends to take the work forward.

1. Looking for a New Strategic Approach:
The Culture is Digital Digitisation
Taskforce
Valerie Johnson
October 2019

7. Emerging Themes
• Taking a strategic view of content
• Discovery, data interoperability and standards
• Funding and economic models
• Skills and capability
• Preservation and sustainability

8. Taking a strategic view of
content

9. Discoverability and
data interoperability

10. Funding and
economic models

11. Skills and capability

12. OBSOLETE
Preservation and
sustainability

13. Resource Portal:
http://digitalpathways.weareculture24.org.uk/pathways/w
hat-does-digitising-collections-involve/
Mapping Digitised Collections in England:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mapping-
digitised-collections-in-england

14. Next steps
• Publish report
• To look at increasing knowledge sharing and collaboration within the
cultural sector: showcase work and initiatives already underway
• The Taskforce will continue as a Digitisation Network with the
following objectives:
• To continue to act as a focal point around the subject of cultural
heritage digitisation;
• To focus on some of the main survey findings to see what the
group can potentially take forward itself, for example, mentoring
and skills sharing;
• To collaborate with relevant initiatives

15. Keep in touch:
DigitisationNetwork@nationalarchives.gov.uk
Valerie.Johnson@nationalarchives.gov.uk
@vjjohnson1