Arts and Culture DIGITAL ACCESS PLAN Background

The Arts and Culture Digital Access Plan (the Plan) is a key output of the South Australian Government’s Arts and Culture Plan 2019-2024 Objective 4 to:

develop and deliver on a state-wide Digital ‘Access Plan for our irreplaceable cultural collections – building on the work of those institutions that are already engaged in this work and helping to ensure that these collections are therefore accessible to all South Australians and the world. ‘

Gladys Sym Choon skirt and jacket c.1920. Silk, satin, embroidered in couched gold and silver thread.

The Sym Choon family collection illustrates the contribution of migrant families to South Australian business, the role of independent women entrepreneurs and the continuing presence of Chinese families in Australia after 1901, despite the provisions of the Immigration Restriction Act. History Trust of South Australia

1. Arts and Culture Digital Access Plan The Plan is informed by the work Through the Digital Access The Plan also addresses the of institutions holding significant Consultative Group (DACG), these outcomes of: cultural heritage collections, institutions provided essential • Recommendation 4.1. Undertake namely: guidance to make the outputs of the a feasibility study to create a • The Performing Arts Collection, Plan practical and useful. new digitisation business that Festival Centre Trust provides this service to the • Art Gallery of SA (AGSA) Outputs include the Digitisation of sector across the state – along • Botanical Gardens of South SA Cultural Heritage Collections the lines of Artlab Australia, a Australia (Botanic Gardens) Baseline Report (2020) as well semi-commercial, not for profit • as DACG’s own Digital Access enterprise • History Trust of SA (HTSA) Principles that scaffold this Plan. • Recommendation 4.2. Establish a • (SAM) Digital Cultures Fund to support • State Library of SA (SLSA) digital infrastructure and digital • State Records of SA (SRSA), skills development • State Herbarium of South • Recommendation 4.3. Establish Australia (the Herbarium) a Digital Cultures Matched Fund supporting digital learning and innovation.

Digitising a set of shoes, trophy and ball, memorabilia from Phyllis Honan who played cricket for South Australia from 1931 – 1937. SLSA PRG 1762. State Library of South Australia

2. Arts and Culture Digital Access Plan Purpose

The Plan aims to take what is already well underway in South Australia’s cultural heritage Implementation institutions and: Work on digitisation collaboration has a two-staged approach. • expand and extend best practices more widely across the The first stage The second stage sector Focuses on strengthening Incorporates digital • build on existing national and the digitisation capabilities preservation services and international relationships and and infrastructure of the key the expansion of digitisation networks such as Collab, the collecting organisations and services to the wider North Terrace Cultural Precinct’s building a community of community of collecting digital innovation lab, to foster practice. organisations. digitisation expertise and skills • identify opportunities for digital collaboration across both major SRSA GRG2/1: Despatches received and dispersed collections from the Secretary of State, , later • provide practical mechanisms Governor General, Despatch No. 86 of 1903 to address operational and New Device for Badge on the Flag of the strategic digitisation and digital Governor. State Records of South Australia. infrastructure needs going The original watercolour design of South forward. Australia’s state seal included the iconic piping shrike and a pomegranate, which as the king of fruits signified the fine fruit The Plan does not replace individual products of South Australia. In 1901 this organisational digitisation planning, image was adopted by the new State but rather informs how strategic Government as the Seal of the State and Badge on the flag of the Governor. The and sector-wide initiatives can be image of the piping shrike was incorporated identified and progressed. into the state’s Coat of Arms in 1984.

3. Arts and Culture Digital Access Plan Structure

The Plan uses the following foundations to deliver improved public access to digital assets.

Leadership Digital Access Consultative Group

Shared Action Digital Access Digital Community Principles of Practice

Outcome Improved public access to digital assets

Support Testing Digital Access Cultures Collaborative and Matched Cultures digitisation model and Funds pilot project

4. Arts and Culture Digital Access Plan Principles and actions

PRINCIPLE DESCRIPTION ACTION

ACCESS Provide enhanced digital access and Maximise access by avoiding the creation of: visibility to South Australia’s major • barriers to copying or reusing public cultural collections through a model domain material that: • new copyright-based restrictions through • is engaging and discoverable digitising. • is based on open access principles for public domain materials • provides opportunity for user contributions.

STEWARDSHIP Apply digital and physical Ensure Digitisation Life Cycle Model informs preservation practices to support operational and strategic planning active managed care of digital and physical collections to ensure they are accessible into the future.

INTERCONNECTED Apply a holistic and integrated Ensure Digitisation Life Cycle Model informs APPROACH approach to digital access and operational and strategic planning preservation practices, enabling opportunities to effectively align workflows and practices for digital and physical collections.

Hans Heysen, Australia, 1877 - 1968, Mystic 1997 The Seagull, detail of Nina costume worn The Big Tree (Te raau rahi), Paul Gaugin c Morn, 1904, Adelaide, oil on canvas, 122.8 x by Cate Blanchett, directed by Neil Armfield 1894 Polynesia/France, gouache on bark cloth 184.3 cm; Elder Bequest Fund 1904, Art Gallery and designed by Tess Schofield. Donated by 17.2cm X 57.5cm of South Australia, Adelaide, © Chris Heysen Company B Belvoir, Performing Arts Collection, Carrick Hill Centre. Photograph by Grant Hancock

5. Arts and Culture Digital Access Plan PRINCIPLE DESCRIPTION ACTION

COLLABORATION In conjunction with the extensive Build a Digitisation Community of Practice range of state, national and (D-CoP) to facilitate sharing expertise, international collaborations currently investigation and adoption of new technologies undertaken by the collecting and raising resource/ support awareness organisations, commit to closer collaboration between collection Broaden membership of CoP to create a state- managers, digital and data wide digitisation cohort

management staff, and engagement Implement an accessible online space for CoP teams to support: members to share and collaborate on resources • coordinated digitisation practices and programs Develop a strategic review of the digital and • training and sharing of expertise. physical infrastructure to support the D-CoP

Continue regular reviews of the Digital Access Glossary to inform communications and education activities

Maximise opportunities for coordination and collaboration of digitisation projects

Coordinate promotion of work with national and international networks to raise South Australia’s profile and public awareness of collections more widely

Develop a strategy to deliver targeted education/upskilling programs based on Digital Access Plan resources for smaller, dispersed networks and volunteers

A night parrot, Pezoporus occidentalis, SLSA B 285 First successful aeroplane flight SRSA GRG35/342 Glass plate and other negatives collected in the Gawler Ranges in 1880. Photo over Adelaide, by aviator Arthur W. Jones, 2 - Photolithographic Branch, Department of Lands, Alexis Tindall. Board of the South Australian January 1914. Photographer Henry Krischock. GN5612 View of Government House and North Museum State Library of South Australia Adelaide, photographer: Frank Hurley, 1935. State Records of South Australia

6. Arts and Culture Digital Access Plan PRINCIPLE DESCRIPTION ACTION

CHOICE AND Develop selection/appraisal/ Ensure the Digitisation Selection Framework SELECTION significance criteria and processes informs operational and strategic planning, as to inform digitisation priorities well as pertinent policies and procedures at organisational and state-level including: Coordinate strategic funding applications to • organisational and strategic optimise the state’s digitisation and digital objectives skills investment

• research value, uniqueness, Share existing Digital Access Consultative provenance, context Group customer engagement practices to • community input ensure end user needs are reflected in digital • sponsorship opportunities. collections

Progress Arts Plan Recommendations 4.2 Digital Cultures Fund and 4.3 Digital Cultures Matched Fund Plan

QUALITY Develop and apply digitisation Ensure the Technical Quality Standards inform strategies and quality guidelines that: operational and strategic planning • reflect national and international best practice • address different levels of organisational maturity in digitisation.

SCALE Identify and apply effective and Progress outcomes of Recommendation 4.1 efficient digitisation practices Digitisation Service Feasibility Plan as a priority that can provide value for money by addressing large quantities of Identify digital access targets and qualitative materials and ensures care of original measures to track and report progress to the items. Minister and the public

Star of Greece Figurehead, 1888. The Star of A tiny slater in the Genus Cubaris collected 1918 page from Robbery Under Arms program, Greece figurehead was salvaged after being from the River Murray in 1913. Photo Amy New Tivoli Theatre, from the Performing Arts involved in one of South Australia’s most tragic Pfitzner. Board of the South Australian Museum Collection, . maritime disasters when the Star of Greece was Performing Arts Collection, Adelaide Festival wrecked in a violent storm off Port Willunga on 13 Centre July 1888. History Trust of South Australia

7. Arts and Culture Digital Access Plan PRINCIPLE DESCRIPTION ACTION

RISK Incorporate risk management Ensure the implementation of risk MANAGEMENT principles to reduce the likelihood management principles through adoption of of negative impacts on digitisation Life Cycle Model components objectives and programs.

LEGAL RIGHTS Address legal and cultural protocols Adapt or share existing Digital Access AND CULTURAL including: Consultative Group resources to ensure PROTOCOLS • legislative and other legal best practices are in place to support digital mandates collections • cultural protocols • copyright and intellectual property rights (IP) • Freedom of Information and privacy issues.

COMMON Provide a common platform for Investigate the development of a streamlined PLATFORM AND access and ongoing management delivery portal that promotes and leverages FUNCTIONALITY that is: existing platforms thereby delivering South • interoperable across different Australia’s digital assets more widely via systems and organisations existing high-profile national and international • flexible enough to incorporate new platforms media and born-digital collections.

DOCUMENTATION Use common metadata standards Ensure metadata follows requirements of AND METADATA and conventions to enable and agreed data schema enhance access, preservation and interoperability.

1953 WM Holden Racer. The WM Holden Cooper Bristol passed through numerous hands and in many forms during its life as a race car. It is most significant for its connection to Jack Myers, a legend in the history of Australian motor racing. History Trust of South Australia

8. Arts and Culture Digital Access Plan