Cultural Digital newsletter #93
Cultural Digital
Hello
This week we've got thoughts on digital chiefs, quite a few virtual things, some ecommerce, and Taylor Swift.
Ballet Rotoscope is a short film by Masahiko Sato and EUPHRATES, a Japanese art/design/research group. It came out last year ago but it's been featured everywhere in the past week or so.
The emergence of the chief digital officer in cultural institutions from Russell Reynolds Associates. "The study attempted to shed light in particular on how digital disruption is being felt by cultural institutions, where leading-edge digital talent can be found, and how institutions facing resource constraints can move in the right direction".
Google are shutting down Google Open Gallery "to focus entirely on a single cultural experience on Google Arts & Culture". So if you've been using that then best
Virtual museums’ aim to attract 11 million visitors This is interesting/baffling from Thailand. "The Culture Ministry is embracing the Thailand 4.0 initiative with its new hi-tech “smart museum” and “virtual museum” projects that aim to attract 10-11 million visitors next year". From what I can make out it'll all be delivered though apps. I couldn't find a website.
Snapshat launched art.snapchat.com with some Jeff Koons AR stuff. Techcruch said "If the launch goes well, it could get people flocking to physical locations in mobs reminiscent of Pokémon GO". Which seemed optimistic.
Some thoughts on the new Science Museum website from their Digital Director, John Stack.
Cambridge University museums are looking for a Digital Maker in Residence to "develop new way of engagements for our visitors at the intersection of art and technology using for example Raspberry Pi, MakeyMakey, Arduino, Micro:Bit, conductive paint, 3D printing".
Deaf and hard of hearing theatre goers to be given hi-tech glasses so they can watch performances. The National Theatre and Accenture (their partner for the Immersive Storytelling Studio) have developed "a system which enables users to see captions projected onto lightweight smart glasses". Here's Olivia Colman and Olivia Williams trying them out.
These are the nominations for the Immersive Perspective Awards. With categories for music and documentaries.
Look What You Made Me Do, Chrome. Amy Nguyen on how to use Chrome Developer Tools to get tickets to Taylor Swift’s next concert.
SHSMG is "supporting social media contributors within the Scottish history, heritage, archaeology and museum sectors".
#AskACurator: What is the biggest challenge in the digital age? Greatest opportunity? Dana Allen-Greil asked this the other week and got some good responses.
Why museums need to up their eCommerce game "a look at the opportunities and challenges facing museums looking to implement eCommerce websites while making the most out of digital".
Jobs
There are digital-related jobs available at the National Theatre, Marlowe Theatre, Christie's, and Westminster Abbey.
If you thought anything in this email was worth sharing then please do. If not… well, you have my sincere apologies.
Until next week.
Chris Unitt
PS. I've slung together a new website at culturaldigital.com and have very quietly soft-launched a new thing there.
When not writing emails like this, I run a digital analytics and user research consultancy called One Further, working with some truly excellent cultural organisations.