How can open data from galleries, libraries, archives, and museums create commercially viable projects? What connects art and culture with people? How does a challenge become an innovation? These were the questions and tasks addressed by the "OpenGLAM.at" Culture Hackathon at FH St. Pölten in early June, organized in collaboration with E.I.N.S. Representatives from the mentioned institutions and creative minds were invited to develop exciting ideas and projects over three days. The aim of the OpenGLAM.at Culture Hackathon is to make data from collections, libraries, archives, and museums visible. Open data offers opportunities for collaborations and new insights, not only in science and business but also in the field of art and culture.
Experimenting with data
For three days, the hackathon participants were invited to experiment with data from the cultural heritage pool, develop projects, and design plans and prototypes. Together, the participants creatively connected to existing data pools and combined their knowledge and interests. One project group explored how storytelling and collecting can be used for data exploration to uncover meanings behind facts. Another team contemplated how to create a pluralistic, interactive, and democratic public digital archive. A third team investigated how public space can be utilized as a setting for identity construction. The goal was to create a map where the name of a public figure could be entered. The map would display streets, squares, and monuments named after that person and provide additional information, such as the naming date or the monument's establishment.
"The intention of the event was to bring datasets on art and cultural assets out of storage facilities and make them accessible to individuals from the fields of science, culture, research, and technology. With the project concepts that have been developed, we have taken a big step forward," explains Sylvia Petrovic-Majer, an independent cultural scientist, founder of the OpenGLAM working group in Austria, and co-organizer of the event.
Augmented Reality Workshop for Businesses
Parallel to the culture hackathon, a workshop was held on how companies can use augmented reality. Sergiu Ardelean from Artivive showcased the innovative potential of AR in the corporate context and presented best practices of AR applications. All participants had the opportunity to experiment with innovative storytelling using AR tools and even create their own AR projects. Find out more about this workshop in this news article.
"The FH St. Pölten defines itself as an open university where interdisciplinary collaboration, creativity, media, and digitalization hold significant importance. The fact that the OpenGLAM Culture Hackathon brought together experts from various disciplines, such as art and science education, perfectly aligns with our goals. We are pleased to be able to partner, support, and host the OpenGLAM Culture Hackathon," says Hannes Raffaseder, Managing Director of FH St. Pölten.
The event was sponsored by the Province of Lower Austria (Department of Art and Culture and Department of Science and Research) and the Cultural Department of the City of St. Pölten. It took place in cooperation with FH St. Pölten, the project HEI E.I.N.S. (Entrepreneurship and Innovation Network for Smart and Sustainable European Regions), and the University of Vienna as part of the Cultural Heritage 2.0 project and the SmartUp St. Pölten initiative. The event received support from numerous other institutions.
Links
➞ OpenGLAM
