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The Museum Data Service was names as one of “Six things to look out for in art and tech in 2024”.

On November 7th, Art UK (in conjunction with Collections Trust and the University of Leicester) introduced the Museum Data Service at the 2023 Museums Association conference, with the beta version of the MDS core system set to become available at the end of November for collections to deposit their data. The information site for MDS has also launched at https://museumdata.uk.

The MDS offers UK museums, or museum-like collection the ability to share their object records with other museums and beyond, on their own terms. Data can be accepted in any format and MDS allows collections to keep full control over how records are accessed and reused by data consumers.

Art UK and Collections Trust have begun to receive expressions of interest from museums to sign up, with 29 organisations currently expressing interest or attending one of the MDS workshops. With 11 early adopters already onboarded, the next steps will involve onboarding the new organisations to MDS, which is projected to add 5.2 million records to the repository in the coming months.

Further development work continues, with a public interface to MDS planned for release in spring 2024 and the final stages of the transformation service that will allow Art UK to double the number of artwork records on its platform by June. Confirming the transformational importance of MDS, the Arts and Humanities Research Council has confirmed additional funding support to supplement that of Bloomberg Philanthropies. The full public launch of MDS with some 100 collections on board will be in May 2024.

On 22 November, Clean Break launched its online  Knowledge Hub  – an extensive and ever-growing source of information and resource for the company’s multiple audiences. Connecting and promoting Clean Break’s artistic, community, and training activities, the Hub will be an invaluable home for in-depth content, learning, and experiences. The launch of Clean Break’s new Hub also marks the digital premiere of its co-created film HOPE – a story of personal growth and community activism that explores what hope means to women facing adversity.

Investment in strengthening the organisation’s technological infrastructure will support its strategic ambitions. The Hub will enable Clean Break to expand its role as a leading force in the arts, criminal justice and women’s sectors – sharing practice, sparking compassion and action in audiences, and investing in and nurturing the voices of its Members. This new digital space will also enable Clean Break to grow its digital audience and diversify income streams through training opportunities and other paid for content.

Going forward, Clean Break will continue to develop content for the Hub which shares the depth of its practice, deepens understanding of the experiences of women who are marginalised in society and provide creative wellbeing support to its Members, and other women with lived experience.

FACT Liverpool are currently testing the beta version of Studio/Lab, a new space for creative experimentation that nurtures a vibrant community of artists, researchers, curators, and technologists. Studio/Lab is dedicated to supporting artistic practice as well as providing space to create new work and test out ideas. Studio/Lab offer access to digital production tools such as high-speed computers (equipped with licenced software needed to create, animate and edit), 3D printers, various VR headsets, motion tracking and 3D scanning devices. Alongside new, easy-to-use film and sound production equipment, the space has everything an emerging artist might need to test the limits of their digital art practice, and in doing so gain valuable transferable skills for the digital and creative industries. 

Over the next three months, 20 artists will be using the space as a testing ground, providing critical feedback to FACT about the ways in which the space can best support them, and provide room for innovation and risk-taking in digital art. During this time they will introduce and refine booking software and systems, develop a code of conduct for use of the space, as well as investing in any last pieces of technology artists need to create work.