Cultural institutions: Digital Interfaces and Virtual Presence

• Main Author: Maletkovic, Maja
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Stockholms konstnärliga högskola, Institutionen för film och media 2020
• Subjects: virtual; virtual reality; XR; VR; digital interfaces; culture; cultural institutions; media; corona; covid-19; cover-19 and culture; Media Studies; Medievetenskap; Cultural Studies; Kulturstudier; Performing Arts; Scenkonst
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uniarts:diva-744

This essay deals with the relationship of cultural institutions and the digital age. With the COVID-19 crises serving as a backdrop to this research paper, the not-often-questioned ideas on what cultural institutions are are reassessed. With the backbone of cultural life being presented by the almost fifty percent of cultural workers who are self – employed, we first address a more accurate definition of what a cultural institution is, judging by the state of the industry. Following this, a clear and novel differentiation between digital interfaces and virtual presence that is possible in the realm of culture is made.These terms are coined in this paper due to the need to make these two both important and valid strategies more understandable. Making these distinctions clear in practice, numerous opportunities in the digital realm for cultural institutions are presented.