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Culture Online

Lessons for the future of online engagement with culture

Culture Online has pioneered a project-based approach to bring new audiences to arts and culture using new technology. In this it differs significantly from the portal approach of many cultural websites. Demos is working with Culture Online to place their achievement in a wider context of policy development, and to articulate lessons for practitioners and policymakers.
New technologies are transforming the possibilities for public engagement in the arts and culture.  Current policy statements are showing increasing interest in "cultural democracy" and "public value", suggesting that a more public facing culture is both inevitable and desirable.

At the same time, peer-production tools and the capacity to upload and shape the services that we use and the forms with which we engage have transformed our use of digital media.  From blogs to file-sharing, and from podcasting to message-boards, we are offered new user-experience and new opportunites to engage.  What lessons does Culture Online hold for the future?