A pilot conceptualisation of the data space ecosystems for cultural heritage

Abstract

The digital heritage sector is among the nine common European data spaces out- lined in the EU Data Act: Health, Industrial, Agriculture, Finance, Mobility, Green Deal, Energy, Public Administration, and Skills. The data space concept is complex, and being linked with the data ecosystem brings together methodologies and techniques from numerous domains: artificial intelligence (AI), text/data mining, data visualisation, mapping, image analysis, audio analysis, network analysis, and rights management. There is a need for clarifying data terminology in use for the GLAM field and transferable methodology to strengthen its’ ongoing datafication and digital skill set. The paper offers a comprehensive literature review (incl. EU Data (space) policy documents) on data spaces and data ecosystems aimed at (1) formulating the main challenges in data collection, data processing, and data maturity for heritage-related information systems and (2) justification of the necessary mindset and digital skill set change for a mature museum. General conclusions are made as well as rec- ommendations for the Bulgarian GLAM sector.