How can digital art collections become more discoverable, shareable, and sustainably accessible? That question formed the starting point for the first public gathering of the Digital Art Data Workshop, organised by LI-MA and the Foundation for the Preservation of Contemporary Art (SBHK). Held on 17 April 2026 in Amersfoort, at the office of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE), the workshop brought together a fully booked room of museum, archive, and heritage professionals to exchange knowledge on the future of digital art collections.

The Digital Art Data Workshop was established on behalf of the Digital Heritage Network (NDE) and the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Its aim is to support institutions working with digital art collections through shared expertise around Linked Open Data, Persistent Identifiers, terminology, and digital preservation infrastructure.

The day opened with a welcome by Ariënne Boelens, co-coordinator of SBHK, followed by an introduction from LI-MA registrar and workshop coordinator Joost Dofferhoff. Participants from institutions including Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Kröller-Müller Museum, Noord-Hollands Archief, and Mauritshuis introduced themselves and reflected on the current state of their collections.

As part of the introductions, participants were asked to position themselves on a speculative Linked Open Data timeline. Collections already discoverable through platforms such as Wikidata placed themselves around 25%, while institutions working with standardised terminology and structured datasets moved closer to 75%. Collectively, most participants estimated their progress at around 40–50% – suggesting that many institutions are already engaged with linked data practices, albeit unevenly. Some organisations were only just beginning, while others had already implemented advanced data structures.

The workshop continued with a presentation by linked data specialist Petra Dreiskämper, who introduced the principles behind Linked Open Data and the infrastructures developed through the NDE, including Persistent Identifiers, terminology networks, and dataset registries. The session highlighted how structured, machine-readable collection data can increase discoverability and interoperability across institutions.

For some participants, the scope of the information felt complex or overwhelming. At the same time, it opened up productive conversations about shared challenges and the possibilities of collaboration.

A practical case study followed from Lisa van Beek of the Noord-Hollands Archief, who demonstrated how the archive has published a photographic collection of nearly two million images according to linked data principles. The organisation has also been developing a broader blueprint for structuring information objects across its collections.

Digital Art or Digital Heritage?

During the afternoon sessions, participants split into smaller working groups to discuss the challenges surrounding digital art collections and their expectations for the workshop moving forward.

One discussion quickly revealed a recurring question: where exactly does digital art end and digital heritage begin?

The conversations showed that institutions still approach this material differently depending on their organisational context. Art museums often frame works as digital art, while archive institutions tend to categorise them as digital heritage. These distinctions are not merely semantic – they directly affect how works are described, preserved, and maintained over time.

The workshop made clear that there is a growing need for shared frameworks and vocabularies that can support institutions navigating these questions. Participants repeatedly pointed to terminology as one of the areas requiring the most collective attention.

Towards Shared Terminology

Although many collections are already making progress with Linked Open Data more broadly, discussions around digital art specifically revealed significant gaps. Participants noted that standardised terminology for describing and contextualising digital artworks remains underdeveloped, particularly for smaller collections without dedicated media art expertise.

Many expressed the hope that LI-MA and the Digital Art Data Workshop can play a coordinating role in developing clearer frameworks, shared vocabularies, and practical guidance for the field.

Next Steps

For LI-MA, SBHK, and the NDE, the workshop served both as a first point of exchange and as a way of mapping the needs of the sector more clearly. While many institutions are already experimenting with linked data practices, the workshop showed that digital art collections still present specific challenges around terminology, infrastructure, and preservation strategies.

At the same time, the discussions demonstrated a strong willingness to collaborate and share knowledge across institutions.

The themes and questions emerging from the workshop will shape future activities organised by the Digital Art Data Workshop later this year, including practical sessions focused on data cleaning, collection infrastructure, and digital art conservation.

If you or your organisation would like to stay informed about future events and developments, you can register for updates via SBHK at info@sbhk.nl.

Photos: Rob Becker