4. Summary and Recommendations

4.1 Summary


The digital landscape is in flux and unformed. All that is certain is that new connections between media are becoming possible, and a new economy between content and distribution channels is being established. Being a content-owner is the most sought-after position in this new landscape, replacing the dominance of the channel holder.

If the Tate is committed to using digital media to ensure the fullest possible public access to, and use of its resources, and if it wishes to be a innovator and leader in this area, the long-term challenge is a dual one:
  • To fully document all activity at the Tate, to create digital assets that can be re-used and re-purposed across different distribution platforms. Thes can be primarily self distribution platforms (Internet, CD-ROM/DVD), or partnerships with broadcasters. Most digital assets can be based on existing resources. Only editorial approaches and some complementary information needs to be new.
  • To move towards a coherent database/cataloguing system for those assets, which can be integrated into existing databases, i.e.. an asset management system. It should be emphasised that this is not simply an internal matter, but is central to the Tate's ability to realise its ambitions to be a world wide renowned and fully accessible centre for resources on British and Modern art.

The ambition and complexity of such a strategy is fully acknowledged. However, an incremental approach can be implemented now. As has already been suggested at the Tate in the "Digital Media Strategy" paper, modest beginnings, rather that a large-scale, comprehensive implementation of a institution-wide system has important advantages. This paper extends scope and detail of these advantages, which can be summarised as:
  • Creating a learning opportunity for all levels of the organisation.
  • Beginning the creation of new and re-usable assets from the earliest opportunity and evaluating demand for them from audiences and other arts and media organisations.
  • Beginning the building and refinement of tools that combine archiving and publishing.
  • Exploring new patterns of use and testing audience and constituency-building strategies.
  • Providing a firm basis from which to approach new media partnerships and collaborations.
  • Allowing on-going response to fast-changing technologies and patterns of media production, ownership and public access.
  • Allowing for the participation of artists, curators and education specialists in making both content and tools.
  • Revealing areas for research and development.
  • Developing new expertise inside and close to the Tate.


4.2 Recommendations

  • Web phase II to be implemented, and to concentrate on building up dynamic audio-visual content, reflecting and drawing upon existing activities of the Tate. It should build on the significant existing strengths, but additionally, concentrate on linkages to related resources outside of the Tate website, on highlighting under-used but appealing materials such as those in the archive, and on responding dynamically to the day to day work of the museum.
  • Media production, especially digital video, resources and expertise is needed in-house, is now affordable, and should be linked to "Web Phase II". If an audio-visual production resource is set up as part of the Tate Modern webcasting project then it should have a cross-departmental remit. It should create standards for documenting and distributing all Tate Gallery events. Ideally it would incorporate a research role, potentially developing archiving, cataloguing and art education tools and interfaces. As well as gathering content, the research and development remit of the webcasting project should connect to:
    • copyright issues
    • media partners
    • archival formats
    • relevant artist projects
    • research and development funds and partners
    • content management and education tools

  • Decisions about new IT and Collections Management infrastructure must incorporate a clear commitment to public access to the core resources of the Tate.
  • Explorations of new partnerships with both broadcast and on-line media should begin with plans firmly in place positioning the Tate as a content producer and owner.
  • Pilot projects should be undertaken, which test and explore different areas of potential of the new medias, which involve experienced media artists and which have some critical inflexion. The projects should be modest scale and devised to focus on the following areas:
    • Archiving and documentation
    • Education, participation and new learning materials
    • Webcasting and audience development


(See appendix 1)


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