The ECHOES project, funded by the European Commission and supported by UK Research and Innovation, has launched the ECHOES Consultation to prepare the ground for the development of the European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage (ECCCH). This digital infrastructure will support collaboration among heritage professionals and researchers across Europe, enabling new forms of cooperation and innovation in the field of cultural heritage.
The consultation aims to map the diversity of cultural heritage communities, understand their needs and expectations, and co-design the future Cloud platform accordingly. To ensure a comprehensive and inclusive approach, the initiative will combine an online questionnaire with workshops, interviews and focus groups throughout 2025.
The first step of the consultation is an online questionnaire, open until the end of June 2025. It builds on existing methodologies developed by projects and research infrastructures such as ESPADON, E-RIHS, ARIADNE RI, CLARIN and PERCEIVE, and aims to gather information on how heritage professionals and researchers currently use digital tools in their work.
All cultural heritage stakeholders are invited to take part in the consultation: professionals, researchers, IT developers, umbrella organisations, and institutions interested in the development and use of the Cultural Heritage Cloud. Contributions will help the project team:
– Design the technical and collaborative framework of the Cloud;
– Identify new communities and stakeholders;
– Define strategies for community building and knowledge sharing;
– Prepare future capacity-building and training initiatives.
E-RIHS, as one of the key initiatives informing the development of the Cultural Heritage Cloud, invites its community to participate actively in the ECHOES Consultation and help shape the digital future of cultural heritage.
The consultation survey is available at the following link: https://www.echoes-eccch.eu/echoes-consultation/
Stay informed about next steps and engagement opportunities by visiting www.echoes-eccch.eu