Michael Culture Association

“We’re in a constant process of learning from others. Learn how other sectors work and communicate. Learn by doing - be human and curious about others.”

 https://michael-culture.eu/

WHO

Michael Culture Association is a European trans-domain network aimed at supporting digital cultural heritage communities in a variety of topics, such as the aggregation, protection, preservation, valorisation and reuse of digital heritage. Based in Belgium, they are part of many European networks and initiatives, including one of their most visible roles as an aggregator for Europeana. They were also part of an interdisciplinary project, NETCHER, that aimed to support the fight against the looting and trafficking of cultural heritage, where they worked with partners representing the police, technology, and archaeology. 

Corinne Szteinsznaider, the Coordinator of Michael Culture Association, and Marco Fiore, a policy and project officer at Michael Culture, spoke to RECHARGE about how their experiences differed when partnering and collaborating within the cultural heritage sector and working with other sectors. 

WHAT

Like many other cultural heritage organisations, Michael Culture typically partners with other organisations through a project. Their experiences as being part of a Europeana, a long-term network that has evolved into one of the European Data Spaces, and NETCHER, a project bringing together diverse partners that has also led to further collaborations, highlight how projects still reflect a long-term investment in relationship building and collaboration. 

Europeana brings together a community of heritage organisations, such as museums, archives, galleries, libraries, and more, with the goal to share and learn from each other's work. Activities and efforts are focussed in smaller, sometimes thematic groups, to make it easier to share good practices and to keep learning. As part of this network, Michael Culture focuses on the role of technology in heritage and discussions around digital transformation. 

NETCHER brought together partners from quite different sectors, but all aligned with a common goal of fighting and reducing the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage. Michael Culture was invited to join this project due to their knowledge of cultural heritage in general, but there was a strong learning curve to working alongside the more strict and secure working protocols of the police for example. The project co-produced policy recommendations that were well received by the European Commission, which also helped to form the foundations for a future strategy and partnership.

HOW

COLLABORATION

While both initiatives are working towards different goals, Corinne and Marco reflected on what were common practices for collaboration, and what is important when working together with people from the same or very different sectors:

• Invest time in building a common mission, message, and vocabulary. This can be more challenging to do when working at scale, such as in a larger network, or when working remotely.

• Learn by doing - be human and be curious about learning about how others and other sectors work to build strong collaborations. This will reduce misunderstandings in a collaboration.

• Make sure to leave room for informal opportunities to talk. Building trust and relationships is crucial no matter the setting or type of collaboration.

• Do not always look for consensus, as at some point there will be parties with different perspectives.

• Recognise the value of a skilled coordinator, a person who ‘animates’ the collaboration and network, and manages to keep people involved long-term. 

FINANCING

Financing a network can look quite different from how a specific project is funded. In the context of Europeana and its members, there are some paying members that help to cover costs for those who cannot afford it. On the other side, there can be competition between CHIs for funding. This is only exacerbated by increasing costs and/or decreasing funding pots. This competition is at the moment less apparent in cross-sectoral work.

The NETCHER project relied on Horizon Europe funding, however this project has led to further collaboration as the partners designed a strategy together and developed a good working relationship.

IMPACT

Michael Culture sees a lot of value in trying different types of collaborations, as it is always possible to learn from them, and apply those lessons to future partnerships. They emphasise that it is crucial to share the learnings and good practices within an organisation and to support a constant learning process. Even when working in a project-based way, they see each as contributing to a common long-term strategy and vision.