Museums in the Highlands and Islands will be given a unique opportunity to showcase their collections on the global stage as XpoNorth Digital announces a new partnership with Smartify.
Smartify’s digital technology makes cultural heritage accessible for a global audience.
More than two million artworks from museums around the world have been scanned on the platform, where registered users can view artworks and collections via its online app.
XpoNorth Digital, Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s mechanisms for specialist digital support for creative and heritage networks, believes this partnership has the power to elevate the global status of regional museums.
Most downloaded museum app
This opportunity will give five museums in the region the chance to feature on the world’s most downloaded museum app and tell their story to audiences across the planet.
As part of the project, each museum will have their venue listed on the Smartify platform, which enables cultural attractions of any size to offer a smartphone-led experience to every visitor.
Their collection, which can range from 100 to 1,000 objects, will be digitised and uploaded.
Each experience will also come with a five-minute curated video telling their story, a multi-media tour, as well as the opportunity to create an e-shop.
Open to any museum based in the Highlands and Islands, participants will be selected through an open application process delivered in collaboration with XpoNorth, Smartify and stakeholder networks.
The application window will close at 5pm on December 2.
‘Transformational’
Nicola Henderson, XpoNorth specialist advisor for heritage said: “Smartify has over three million users across the world. That’s three million people who love museums; who love history, who love art.
“Helping Highland and Island museums to get on the platform and tell their stories to a targeted audience of this size could be transformational.
“It will help drive engagement with their collections and stories, while offering opportunities to generate revenue from a global audience.
“I’m really excited to work with museums of all sizes from anywhere in the Highlands and Islands to explore what this partnership could mean for their organisation.”
Christopher Bazley, Smartify’s head of global partnerships said: “Smartify’s commitment to making world-class digital engagement affordable and accessible to as many museums as possible is part of our DNA.
“As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting the Highlands and Islands and its globally significant cultural heritage, we are delighted to have the opportunity of working with XpoNorth on this important project.”
XpoNorth will be running two online information sessions in partnership with Smartify to allow museums to gain more information on the opportunity and ask questions ahead of making an application.
These will take place on October 19 and November 16.
Visit www.xponorth.co.uk for more information.
Conversation