ITP Newsletter 2019: Call for Papers!

ITP Newsletter 2019: Digital engagement
Call for Papers
Deadline: 31 January 2019

We are very excited to be working with Andrea Terron (Guatemala, ITP Fellow 2017 and Senior Fellow 2018) again – this time on our ITP Newsletter 2019.

As you know, the 2018 newsletter was guested edited by Hayk Mkrtchyan (Armenia, ITP Fellow 2014 and Senior Fellow 2017) and focussed on the theme of learning, engagement and museums. Not only did the newsletter theme ‘strike a chord’ with our ITP network, with many wonderful contributions from colleagues around the world, it has been exceptionally well received with lots of positive feedback.

So for 2019, Andrea has chosen to look at the benefits and challenges of digital engagement in museums and the heritage sector. Motivated by her own current projects – and acknowledging the crucial role that online connectivity plays for the International Training Programme – Andrea would like to hear from any of our fellows and partners about their experiences OR challenges engaging digitally with their audiences.

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• Connectivity in the 21st Century: Making collections accessible
Tell us how your museum is engaging digitally with its audience.
Are you working to digitise your collections?
Are you preparing online catalogues or exhibitions?
Are you using digital collections as preservation method for the future of your collections?
Or are you engaging digitally to share skills, knowledge and expertise?
What has the reaction been to your work both locally and globally?
What methods of evaluation do you use and why?

• Your Collection in Focus
Highlight an object in your museum/gallery that you think has potential for engaging digitally in an exciting way with a new audience or could be a focus for re-connecting with a local or global community.

• Global perspectives
Think about the following:
Is engaging digitally possible and suitable for all?
What are the potential issues and challenges?

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What happens when our institutions are not equipped to share their collections online? What happens when the internet connection fails or the electricity is off?
Does digital engagement work for all audiences? What about older audiences or those without access to devices?
Does engaging digitally with one audience exclude another?
In smaller museum contexts, can these institutions catalogue their collections and share with the audiences in different and adaptable ways, for example having partnerships with other institutions – museums, universities or private institutions with other equipment and additional personnel?

We would also like to include, as usual, any news you’d like to share on what is happening in your institution, updates on your personal and professional news and details of any ITP ‘meet-ups’ around the world.

Read the full, detailed call for papers here. The deadline for contributions is 31st January 2019 and we are looking forward to reading what’s new with you and your institution!

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