Understanding diversity and representativeness in the current cultural and creative sectors

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What terms are employed in the metadata of cultural heritage collections? Are minoritised communities represented? Is there any education and training framework providing skills and competences to address this aspect? This ENCATC Members Talks in partnership with CHARTER, the European Cultural Heritage Skills Alliance (Erasmus+ funded), and DE-BIAS project (funded by the Digital Europe Programme), will provide a space of exchange between the projects to address the problem of bias in language and its role in creating power imbalances among disadvantaged communities.

On the one side, DE-BIAS project is working with the aim to foster a more inclusive and up-to-date approach to describing cultural collections and democratise the sector by addressing power imbalances and fostering co-creation with historically disadvantaged communities. On the other side, CHARTER Alliance works in identifying skills shortages and mismatches in the cultural heritage sector to bridge the gap between education and occupational systems to ensure Europe has the necessary skills to support sustainable societies and economies, including transversal competences such as digital/technological and green/blue economy skills.

CHARTER has analysed the impact of the digital transition for the heritage sector, identifying it as a key future challenge requiring new skills and competences. Technologies like AI and immersive experiences are transforming how we share and engage with cultural heritage, with future audiences expecting it to be accessible in digital formats. To stay relevant, heritage organisations must embrace digital transformation and strategically use these technologies to connect with their audiences. In response, CHARTER has proposed an education and training pathway, “Cultural Heritage in the Digital Environment,” targeting professionals such as archaeologists, art historians, and digital communicators who use digital tools for research and public engagement.

DE-BIAS is developing an AI-powered tool to detect and contextualise offensive terms in cultural heritage metadata, promoting respectful and inclusive language. A key component of the project involves collaboration with minoritised communities, historically under- or misrepresented in metadata. DE-BIAS has identified different forms of bias in cultural heritage collections and object descriptions, offering a framework for understanding and addressing bias through concepts like intentionality, dimensionality, and intersectionality. This framework guides strategies for bias mitigation and prevention.

These projects unite around the critical need for a comprehensive approach to addressing bias in the cultural heritage sector in a holistic way. By equipping professionals with the right skills through education and training, and by developing innovative tools to detect and correct biased language, we can foster a more inclusive and equitable future for heritage collections. Join us for an engaging and practical discussion that delves into how these initiatives are tackling bias head-on and learn actionable strategies for identifying and mitigating bias in your own work.

Understanding diversity and representativeness in the current cultural and creative sectors