Purpose To examine how the Image Cluster projects, funded by the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), have made very varied collections of images available to higher education and the wider public. Design/methodology/approach Looks at the lessons learned and shared within the group of nine projects: Artworld, Bristol BioMed Learning and Teaching, Crafts study Centre, Designing Britain, Digital Image Resource for the Practical Study of Woven and Printed Textiles, FILTER, Fineart.ac.uk, LTSN Bioscience ImageBank, PICTIVA. Findings Reveals that many of the lessons learned in the Cluster arose out of difficulties experienced in common throughout the group, as they worked on ambitious projects to strict standards. Possibly the most serious lesson learned from these projects is that good time and cost estimation from the very start can avoid problems later. Another lesson was in managing the work of external contractors. Originality/value Presents an analysis of lessons from Image Cluster projects that can be built on by strategists.