Transforming Collections: Reimagining Art, Nation and Heritage

Lead Research Organisation: University of the Arts London
Department Name: Decolonising Arts Institute

Abstract

Over 20 years ago, Stuart Hall posed the question, 'Whose heritage?' (Hall, 1999). Hall's call for the critical transformation and reimagining of heritage and nation, for 'un-settling "The Heritage" and re-imagining the post-nation', remains as urgent as ever. In the context of the ongoing disparate impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and the global re-ignition of the Black Lives Matter movement, 'a national collection' cannot be imagined without addressing the structural inequalities in the arts, debates around 'contested heritage', and the difficult and contentious histories imbued in objects.

Transforming Collections: Reimagining Art, Nation and Heritage aims to build on decolonial feminist approaches and creative machine learning (ML) development: to enable digital cross-search of collections, to surface patterns of bias, to uncover hidden and unexpected connections, and to thus open up new interpretative frames and potential narratives of art, nation and heritage.

Transforming Collections seeks to address the following questions:
- How can we counter structural biases and decentre white Western narratives in our cultural collections? (Wekker, 2016; Olusoga, 2016)
- How can we surface suppressed histories, amplify marginalized voices, and reevaluate artists and artworks ignored or sidelined by dominant narratives?
- How can we transform the architectures and 'algorithms of oppression' (Noble, 2018) that underpin collections and reproduce inequalities and erasures?
- How can we imagine a distributed yet connected 'national collection' that builds on and enriches existing knowledge, with multiple and multivocal new narratives?
- How can we reimagine art, nation and heritage through collections as part of the wider 'digital cultural record' (Risam, 2019)?

Transforming Collections is an interdisciplinary collaborative project led by University of the Arts London (UAL) with Tate, home to the national collection of British art from the 16th century and an international modern and contemporary art collection. The project will be led by a core team from UAL's Decolonising Arts Institute and Creative Computing Institute, working closely with Tate as an Independent Research Organisation (IRO). In addition to Tate, Transforming Collections has nine project partners and four collaborating organisations across the UK, representing significant public collections as well as major arts charities and key archives of different scales. These are: Arts Council Collection, British Council Collection, Birmingham Museums Trust, Glasgow Museums, Liverpool Museums Trust, Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, Wellcome Collection, Art Fund, Contemporary Art Society, Art UK, the JISC Archives Hub and Iniva (Institute of International Visual Art). We also have an international project partner in the Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, who will host a major project conference in year one.

The project adopts a braided approach enfolding 1) Critical art historical and museological research with 2) Creative machine learning development and participatory design and 3) Artists digital commissions as interventions into collections. Building on the insights and emerging findings of the Tate-led TANC Foundation project, Provisional Semantics (2020-22), and the UAL-led projects, AHRC Black Artists and Modernism (2015-18) and UKRI MIMIC project (Musically Intelligent Machines Interacting Creatively, 2018-21), Transforming Collections approaches the challenge of 'dissolving barriers' as a problem of knowledge and power - not only a question of what becomes visible, legible, accessible, but also how, and for whom. As such, Transforming Collections aims to model and test new and sustainable ways of searching across collections; to expose in-built inequities in collections data; to reconnect, recontextualise and reinterpret the work of 'artists of colour'; and empower diverse stakeholders in discovering the sometimes uncomfortable stories that collections.
 
Description The project conducted an audit of 33 UK public art collections leading to the key findings summarised below. The audit data should be treated cautiously as broadly indicative of collecting practices across a range of national and civic collections during the period under review (1900 to 2022), and represents neither a comprehensive assessment nor a solution to institutional gaps and omissions. Auditing collections against protected characteristics can evidence the degree to which particular artists are represented. However, based as it is on problematic racialised classifications, the audit itself raises questions around how the data might be mobilised and potentially instrumentalised to the detriment of the artists included. As such, the project uses the data as points of departure for research that engages substantially, ethically and inclusively with the artists and artworks at stake. (See 'susan pui san lok et al (2023) 'Second Report - Transforming Collections: Reimagining Art, Nation and Heritage'. Annex 'Collections Audit Report' p.53. Zenodo. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.7967237)

- Between 1% and 5% of works in collections were attributed to 'black artists'
- Information is managed in various ways across the sector. Size and complexity can be a barrier to access. Legacy information management systems (digital and analogue) is an issue for all organisations.
- Several collections hold work by racialised or minoritised artists from the early part of the organisations' histories. However, there is little information on record.
- Records and information vary noticeably in volume and consistency between institutions, even in the case of well-known artists for whom there can be substantial bodies of published material.
- Documents and records supplied by collections evidence bias, racialisation, perpetuation of colonial perspectives, as well as revealing changes in interpretation, acquisition and funding practices over time.

Consequently, researchers have drawn on the audit data to develop cross-collection analyses focused on specific artists and artworks, which have in turn shaped the interactive machine learning development. Case studies and findings include:

- Acquisition policies: Patterns in the language of benevolence, entreaty, wealth and health, surfacing connections between philanthropic, paternalistic, and colonial ideologies. Such evidence can support further analyses of ecologies and relations of power over time.
- Artwork labels and descriptions: Patterns in the recurrence of problematic or euphemistic language, habitual narratives and errors. Such evidence underlines the under-resourcing of research in collections, and the need to engage the knowledge and expertise of global majority scholars and practitioners in relevant fields, ethically and equitably.
- Catalogue entries: Patterns in the privileging or preclusion of different types of information (e.g. biographical, educational, cultural) in relation to the racialized, gendered and 'othered' identities of artists. Such evidence can be mobilised to critically address their systemic marginalization of artists, and enrich the content of existing records.
- Reconnecting collections: Resurfaced artworks within and between collections, sometimes unaware of the bodies of work held across them. Such evidence can support further analyses of hitherto hidden or overlooked practices and networks, and underlines the need for long-term resourcing to embed individual embodied knowledge into the data records on which institutional memory, digital cultural heritage and archives rely.
Exploitation Route The project findings may be taken forward by colleagues across the GLAM sector, to inform critical approaches and potential changes to collections acquisitions, management, information, research, interpretation and curatorial policies and practices.

The critical collections case studies frame and model a range of decolonial and intersectional feminist approaches and questions, that can be applied to future art historical and museological research and practice in relation to collections, as well as approaches to critically reflexive, participatory and ethical interactive ML development.

The usable, adaptable interactive ML software will enable researchers, curators and wider audiences to engage with wide-ranging datasets from GLAM collections. As an analytical tool that can help surface expected and unexpected connections and patterns in text and image descriptions, it can help individuals and institutions to scope and evidence cataloguing and research needs, in order to appropriately resource and and ethically address them.

The data ethics questions, principles and framework developed and tested through the project, and shared with all Discovery Projects, can inform the Towards a National Collection programme policy recommendations, to positively influence future digital infrastructure projects and their implications for the handling and use of GLAM collection data on a national scale.
Sectors Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software)

Education

Culture

Heritage

Museums and Collections
 
Description Artists and artworks surfaced through the collections audit are receiving attention from collections curators, managers and researchers affiliated with project partners and collaborating organisations. The collections audit has resulted in collections prioritising documentation and cataloguing work around the audit artists; finding and re-engaging with artists and works; and exploring opportunities to foreground this work in their own research and displays. Several partners have contributed images to highlight selected artists and artworks on Art UK, enhancing their representation on the Art UK database with properly illustrated works. Digitisation of half of iniva's artist archive has established a rich dataset for the research purposes of this project and beyond. Together with the data on artworks and artists uncovered by the extended and expanded audit of UK public art collections, iniva's digitised archive offers a valuable dataset for critical comparison with partners' collections data, which together inform a range of ongoing case studies, as well as the ongoing interactive ML development. The digitisation process has surfaced questions and ambiguities around archival donation policies and processes, and the need to address artists rights within a changing archive. This work forms part of iniva's ongoing strategy and lies beyond the scope of the Transforming Collections project. Nevertheless, the digitisation of iniva materials within the context of the project represents a vital step towards iniva's creation of a unique research resource, which will have a significant impact on research capability in this area when it becomes publicly accessible.
First Year Of Impact 2023
Sector Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections
Impact Types Cultural
 
Description Collaborating Organisation - Institute of International Visual Arts (Iniva) 
Organisation Institute of International Visual Art
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Transforming Collections hosted three All Partners Workshops. These were whole day events held at UAL Creative Computing Institute and Tate Modern, which included presentations from the research team on a range of collections-based case studies, and hands-on testing of the machine learning (ML) prototype in early and iterative development. For partners, the workshops fostered understanding of the project's interdisciplinary approach, and the interactive process of the ML development, driven by researchers' needs and questions. For the project, partner engagement further informed the ML development and the ways in the ML could potentially support collections as an analytical tool. Follow-up meetings were organised to gain understanding of specific partners' collections information management and possible early applications of the ML tool in each institution. In addition, Transforming Collections provided funding to digitize iniva's artists archive and engaged with iniva's Library and Archive Manager and Archivist and Engagement Producer in project meetings and workshop/seminar discussions related to this activity.
Collaborator Contribution iniva have participated in all of the project's All Partner Workshops, as well as the project's international conference at the Van Abbemuseum. Their Library and Archive Manager, and Archivist and Engagement Producer have participated in various project discussions and supported the project team on individual research case studies. iniva has now digitised its uncatalogued archive of c.3,000 slides and c.180 artists' files. This work generates an important new dataset for the Transforming Collections project, and represents a vital step towards establishing a future research resource within iniva's Stuart Hall Library, located at UAL. The digitisation and ongoing cataloguing work is fundamental to increasing the discoverability of hard-to-access documents relating to global majority artists and provide a critical counterpoint within the project to objects and data both present and absent in UK collections.
Impact n/a
Start Year 2021
 
Description Collaborating Organisation - Van Abbemuseum 
Organisation Van Abbemuseum
Country Netherlands 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Transforming Collections hosted three All Partners Workshops. These were whole day events held at UAL Creative Computing Institute and Tate Modern, which included presentations from the research team on a range of collections-based case studies, and hands-on testing of the machine learning (ML) prototype in early and iterative development. For partners, the workshops fostered understanding of the project's interdisciplinary approach, and the interactive process of the ML development, driven by researchers' needs and questions. For the project, partner engagement further informed the ML development and the ways in the ML could potentially support collections as an analytical tool. Follow-up meetings were organised to gain understanding of specific partners' collections information management and possible early applications of the ML tool in each institution. In addition, Transforming Collections engaged with Van Abbemuseum's Research Curator, Digital Archivist and Event Manager in conceptualization, development and planning of the project's international conference in April 2023.
Collaborator Contribution The Vanabbemuseum's Digital Archivist attended all three of the project's All Partners Workshops. They worked closely with the museum's Research Curator and project's Principal Investigator to curate and convene the international conference, Transforming Collections / Rewinding Internationalism in April 2023. The conference welcomed researchers from the wider TaNC programme and engaged organisations and projects in the Netherlands. The museum provided multiple spaces in kind, including the auditorium and meeting rooms, logistical and administrative support, and promotion through its website and social media channels.
Impact n/a
Start Year 2021
 
Description Collaborating organisation - Art UK 
Organisation Art UK
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Transforming Collections hosted three All Partners Workshops. These were whole day events held at UAL Creative Computing Institute and Tate Modern, which included presentations from the research team on a range of collections-based case studies, and hands-on testing of the machine learning (ML) prototype in early and iterative development. For partners, the workshops fostered understanding of the project's interdisciplinary approach, and the interactive process of the ML development, driven by researchers' needs and questions. For the project, partner engagement further informed the ML development and the ways in the ML could potentially support collections as an analytical tool. Follow-up meetings were organised to gain understanding of specific partners' collections information management and possible early applications of the ML tool in each institution.
Collaborator Contribution Art UK has participated in all of the project's All Partners Workshops. They have provided data records and images (where rights allow) relating to selected artists and artworks that are the focus of the Transforming Collections research case studies. Art UK is also facilitating project researchers to showcase their case studies and ongoing work on the website through a series of curated stories highlighting under-represented artists, artworks, exhibitions and project research to reach wider audiences, to be published over summer and autumn 2024.
Impact n/a
Start Year 2021
 
Description Project Partner - Art Fund 
Organisation Art Fund
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Transforming Collections hosted three All Partners Workshops. These were whole day events held at UAL Creative Computing Institute and Tate Modern, which included presentations from the research team on a range of collections-based case studies, and hands-on testing of the machine learning (ML) prototype in early and iterative development. For partners, the workshops fostered understanding of the project's interdisciplinary approach, and the interactive process of the ML development, driven by researchers' needs and questions. For the project, partner engagement further informed the ML development and the ways in the ML could potentially support collections as an analytical tool. Follow-up meetings were organised to gain understanding of specific partners' collections information management and possible early applications of the ML tool in each institution.
Collaborator Contribution The Art Fund participated in all of the project's All Partners Workshops. They are providing staff time across their programmes and technical development teams to support the Transforming Collections team in accessing data related to acquisitions funding and related information about supported works, artists and organisations, gifts and bequests, targeted funding initiatives, institutional archive, and public reports on organisation activities.
Impact n/a
Start Year 2021
 
Description Project Partner - Birmingham Museums Trust 
Organisation Birmingham Museums Trust
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Transforming Collections hosted three All Partners Workshops. These were whole day events held at UAL Creative Computing Institute and Tate Modern, which included presentations from the research team on a range of collections-based case studies, and hands-on testing of the machine learning (ML) prototype in early and iterative development. For partners, the workshops fostered understanding of the project's interdisciplinary approach, and the interactive process of the ML development, driven by researchers' needs and questions. For the project, partner engagement further informed the ML development and the ways in the ML could potentially support collections as an analytical tool. Follow-up meetings were organised to gain understanding of specific partners' collections information management and possible early applications of the ML tool in each institution.
Collaborator Contribution Birmingham Museums Trust have participated in all of the project's All Partners Workshops. They are facilitating access to their collections management data and records, providing curatorial support to researchers, and participating in selected workshops/seminars.
Impact n/a
Start Year 2021
 
Description Project Partner - British Council 
Organisation British Council
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Transforming Collections hosted three All Partners Workshops. These were whole day events held at UAL Creative Computing Institute and Tate Modern, which included presentations from the research team on a range of collections-based case studies, and hands-on testing of the machine learning (ML) prototype in early and iterative development. For partners, the workshops fostered understanding of the project's interdisciplinary approach, and the interactive process of the ML development, driven by researchers' needs and questions. For the project, partner engagement further informed the ML development and the ways in the ML could potentially support collections as an analytical tool. Follow-up meetings were organised to gain understanding of specific partners' collections information management and possible early applications of the ML tool in each institution. This collaboration will enable the analysis of British Council Collection's data gathered through the AHRC Black Artists and Modernism project (2015-18) and follow on activity with the Decolonising Arts Institute in 2019, which informed a strategic shift in acquisitions thereafter. The machine learning dimension is important in helping them to uncover their and the sector's operational biases and inform an inclusive strategy for management, development and enriched digital dissemination of the Collection.
Collaborator Contribution The British Council Collection have participated in all of the project's All Partners Workshops, as well as the international conference at Van Abbemuseum. The British Council is providing access to collections data, records, library and other relevant information systems, facilitate research visits to the Collection, and support the project with staff time, knowledge and advice and participation in workshops.
Impact n/a
Start Year 2021
 
Description Project Partner - Contemporary Art Society 
Organisation Contemporary Art Society
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Transforming Collections hosted three All Partners Workshops. These were whole day events held at UAL Creative Computing Institute and Tate Modern, which included presentations from the research team on a range of collections-based case studies, and hands-on testing of the machine learning (ML) prototype in early and iterative development. For partners, the workshops fostered understanding of the project's interdisciplinary approach, and the interactive process of the ML development, driven by researchers' needs and questions. For the project, partner engagement further informed the ML development and the ways in the ML could potentially support collections as an analytical tool. Follow-up meetings were organised to gain understanding of specific partners' collections information management and possible early applications of the ML tool in each institution.
Collaborator Contribution The Contemporary Art Society have participated in all three of the project's All Partners Workshops, as well as the international conference at Van Abbemuseum. They are providing access to the organisation's digital database of gifts since 1910, holding records of 4,500 individuals and organisations and 10,000 objects. The project is being supported by staff with responsibility for the database and record keeping, the Copyright Manager and the Collections Information Manager.
Impact n/a
Start Year 2021
 
Description Project Partner - Government Art Collection 
Organisation Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Transforming Collections hosted three All Partners Workshops. These were whole day events held at UAL Creative Computing Institute and Tate Modern, which included presentations from the research team on a range of collections-based case studies, and hands-on testing of the machine learning (ML) prototype in early and iterative development. For partners, the workshops fostered understanding of the project's interdisciplinary approach, and the interactive process of the ML development, driven by researchers' needs and questions. For the project, partner engagement further informed the ML development and the ways in the ML could potentially support collections as an analytical tool. Follow-up meetings were organised to gain understanding of specific partners' collections information management and possible early applications of the ML tool in each institution.
Collaborator Contribution The Government Art Collection have attended two of the project's All Partners Workshops. They have provided access to data and staff time in-kind to support research fellows with expertise from their Documentation Manager, Curatorial team and Head of Collection Information.
Impact n/a
Start Year 2022
 
Description Project Partner - JISC Archives Hub 
Organisation Jisc
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Transforming Collections hosted three All Partners Workshops. These were whole day events held at UAL Creative Computing Institute and Tate Modern, which included presentations from the research team on a range of collections-based case studies, and hands-on testing of the machine learning (ML) prototype in early and iterative development. For partners, the workshops fostered understanding of the project's interdisciplinary approach, and the interactive process of the ML development, driven by researchers' needs and questions. For the project, partner engagement further informed the ML development and the ways in the ML could potentially support collections as an analytical tool. Follow-up meetings were organised to gain understanding of specific partners' collections information management and possible early applications of the ML tool in each institution.
Collaborator Contribution JISC Archives Hub have participated in all of the project's All Partners Workshops. JISC are providing expertise from over 20 years of running an archival aggregator and working with a whole range of UK archive repositories, particularly around sustainability and the challenges of working with archival metadata. They will disseminate the project aims, developments and outcomes to its contributors, to encourage a wide range of archives to engage with the interactive ML systems to potentially benefit over 350 institutions, including public art institutions.
Impact n/a
Start Year 2021
 
Description Project Partner - Manchester Art Gallery 
Organisation Manchester Art Gallery
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Transforming Collections hosted three All Partners Workshops. These were whole day events held at UAL Creative Computing Institute and Tate Modern, which included presentations from the research team on a range of collections-based case studies, and hands-on testing of the machine learning (ML) prototype in early and iterative development. For partners, the workshops fostered understanding of the project's interdisciplinary approach, and the interactive process of the ML development, driven by researchers' needs and questions. For the project, partner engagement further informed the ML development and the ways in the ML could potentially support collections as an analytical tool. Follow-up meetings were organised to gain understanding of specific partners' collections information management and possible early applications of the ML tool in each institution.
Collaborator Contribution Manchester Art Gallery have participated in all of the project's All Partner Workshops. They are supporting the Transforming Collections with curatorial and collections management staff time in kind, providing access to their collections management database, artists' files and related research, and will disseminate the project activity as part of their transparent communication about their decolonisation work.
Impact n/a
Start Year 2021
 
Description Project Partner - Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art 
Organisation Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Transforming Collections hosted three All Partners Workshops. These were whole day events held at UAL Creative Computing Institute and Tate Modern, which included presentations from the research team on a range of collections-based case studies, and hands-on testing of the machine learning (ML) prototype in early and iterative development. For partners, the workshops fostered understanding of the project's interdisciplinary approach, and the interactive process of the ML development, driven by researchers' needs and questions. For the project, partner engagement further informed the ML development and the ways in the ML could potentially support collections as an analytical tool. Follow-up meetings were organised to gain understanding of specific partners' collections information management and possible early applications of the ML tool in each institution.
Collaborator Contribution MIMA have participated in all three of the project's All Partners Workshops, as well as the international conference at Van Abbemuseum. They are further contributing curatorial and research staff time in kind by facilitating access to the Middlesbrough Collection, its related data and archives. They have also facilitated site visits for researchers, partners and collaborators will support the dissemination of the research with a related events.
Impact n/a
Start Year 2021
 
Description Project Partner - National Museums Liverpool 
Organisation National Museums Liverpool
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Transforming Collections hosted three All Partners Workshops. These were whole day events held at UAL Creative Computing Institute and Tate Modern, which included presentations from the research team on a range of collections-based case studies, and hands-on testing of the machine learning (ML) prototype in early and iterative development. For partners, the workshops fostered understanding of the project's interdisciplinary approach, and the interactive process of the ML development, driven by researchers' needs and questions. For the project, partner engagement further informed the ML development and the ways in the ML could potentially support collections as an analytical tool. Follow-up meetings were organised to gain understanding of specific partners' collections information management and possible early applications of the ML tool in each institution.
Collaborator Contribution National Museums Liverpool have participated in two of the project's All Partners Workshops. They have facilitated access to their collections management data and records, and provided digital photography. They are contributing curatorial support, and will promote the project and share its outputs to support audience engagement.
Impact n/a
Start Year 2021
 
Description Project Partner - Southbank Centre 
Organisation Southbank Centre
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Transforming Collections hosted three All Partners Workshops. These were whole day events held at UAL Creative Computing Institute and Tate Modern, which included presentations from the research team on a range of collections-based case studies, and hands-on testing of the machine learning (ML) prototype in early and iterative development. For partners, the workshops fostered understanding of the project's interdisciplinary approach, and the interactive process of the ML development, driven by researchers' needs and questions. For the project, partner engagement further informed the ML development and the ways in the ML could potentially support collections as an analytical tool. Follow-up meetings were organised to gain understanding of specific partners' collections information management and possible early applications of the ML tool in each institution.
Collaborator Contribution Arts Council Collection have participated in all three All Partners Workshops. In support of the project, the South Bank Centre and Arts Council Collection have provided registrarial and IT support to enable access to collections management data, and curatorial expertise in response to project researchers' case studies.
Impact n/a
Start Year 2021
 
Description Project partner - National Museums Scotland 
Organisation National Museums Scotland
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Transforming Collections hosted three All Partners Workshops. These were whole day events held at UAL Creative Computing Institute and Tate Modern, which included presentations from the research team on a range of collections-based case studies, and hands-on testing of the machine learning (ML) prototype in early and iterative development. For partners, the workshops fostered understanding of the project's interdisciplinary approach, and the interactive process of the ML development, driven by researchers' needs and questions. For the project, partner engagement further informed the ML development and the ways in the ML could potentially support collections as an analytical tool. Follow-up meetings were organised to gain understanding of specific partners' collections information management and possible early applications of the ML tool in each institution.
Collaborator Contribution The project's Co-Investigator based at National Museums Scotland is undertaking a case study which takes up questions and concerns raised by Transforming Collections, in the context of the National Museums Scotland's current digital transformation project. Informing the development of an action plan through which constructive change can accountably be implemented, National Museums Scotland's website redevelopment project will see their commitment to transparency about the colonial histories and legacies associated within its collections applied to their digitised collections, and the ways by which they are made available online. They have participated in one of the All-Partners Workshops.
Impact n/a
Start Year 2023
 
Description Project partner - Tate 
Organisation Tate
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Transforming Collections hosted three All Partners Workshops. These were whole day events held at UAL Creative Computing Institute and Tate Modern, which included presentations from the research team on a range of collections-based case studies, and hands-on testing of the machine learning (ML) prototype in early and iterative development. For partners, the workshops fostered understanding of the project's interdisciplinary approach, and the interactive process of the ML development, driven by researchers' needs and questions. For the project, partner engagement further informed the ML development and the ways in the ML could potentially support collections as an analytical tool. Follow-up meetings were organised to gain understanding of specific partners' collections information management and possible early applications of the ML tool in each institution.
Collaborator Contribution The project's Co-Investigators based at Tate, and other Tate colleagues, have contributed to interconnected strands of enquiry, in line with the project's braided, interdisciplinary approach to research. Tate has undertaken art historical and museological research that has fundamentally informed the development of machine learning prototypes. The research reveals the ways in which collection interpretation at Tate has perpetuated racism, white supremacy and imperialist attitudes. This has involved consolidating existing information about artwork interpretation and auditing texts for biases, which has so far identified almost 300 individual texts on artworks across all periods of history and a range of practices. Particular case studies demonstrate the various ways in which bias is manifested, including offensive or euphemistic language, absence/erasure and the neutralisation of violence. Tate has supported historiographic research on the acquisition and display of specific artworks. The Tate Digital team has undertaken research into its own workflows with a focus on the subject index tagging process to examine the contingent and co-constitutive relationship between institutional practice and technical systems. Subject indexing is a critical back-of-house digital data process of identifying and describing items held in Tate's collection, which allows visitors to Tate's website to use key words to search 150,000 digitised items (as of 2022). Inconsistencies are known to exist in the dataset as a result of differing approaches to subject tagging, resources and revisions to the terms applied, as such posing the risk of replicating harms and biases. Tate Digital are engaging with the project research to inform changes to institutional practices and systems. Tate have participated in all of the project's All Partners Workshops, with several curators attending the international project conference at Van Abbemuseum. Curatorial staff also participated in the selection of artists to undertake practice research residencies as part of the project. Tate Learning is collaborating on the development of a public programme to be realised in autumn 2024. This will showcase and reflect upon the project's innovations and discoveries, including an academic conference, temporary artist displays, machine learning workshops, a large-scale evening event, as well as series of smaller events over a week-long programme across Tate Modern and Tate Britain.
Impact n/a
Start Year 2021
 
Description Project partner - Wellcome Trust 
Organisation Wellcome Trust
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Transforming Collections hosted three All Partners Workshops. These were whole day events held at UAL Creative Computing Institute and Tate Modern, which included presentations from the research team on a range of collections-based case studies, and hands-on testing of the machine learning (ML) prototype in early and iterative development. For partners, the workshops fostered understanding of the project's interdisciplinary approach, and the interactive process of the ML development, driven by researchers' needs and questions. For the project, partner engagement further informed the ML development and the ways in the ML could potentially support collections as an analytical tool. Follow-up meetings were organised to gain understanding of specific partners' collections information management and possible early applications of the ML tool in each institution.
Collaborator Contribution The Wellcome Trust has provided live access to their collections data via their open collections APls and datasets, to inform and iteratively test the project's developing machine learning software. They have participated in two of the project's All Partners Workshops, smaller online co-design meetings with project researchers, and provided space in kind to host the TaNC programme Cross-Project Ethics Workshop. The Wellcome Trust will continue to provide access and the support of its team, to enable further exploration of uncatalogued and/or undigitized items in its collections that are absent from the current digital record.
Impact n/a
Start Year 2021
 
Description 'Models on the margins' talk at Microsoft Research Cambridge 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Rebecca Fiebrink, Ireti Olowe and Jon Gillick presented their research on developing interactive machine learning prototypes for the project to the Microsoft Research Cambridge "Models on the Margins" staff group in November 2023.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description BRAID Launch Events, Panel Discussion 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Rebecca Fiebrink spoke about the project at the AHRC BRAID launch event, in a panel titled "The Future of Responsible AI".
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://media.ed.ac.uk/media/BRAID+Launch+Livestream/1_wkzemd7l#:~:text=Bridging%20Responsible%20AI%...
 
Description Blk Art Group and Curatorial Praxis 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact Ian Sergeant presented on his research around Donald Rodney, Keith Piper, Claudette Johnson, Eddie Chambers and Marlene Smith's work at the university of Leeds in March 2023 to 3rd year fine art students.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Conference Paper at Birkbeck College for 'Latent Space' 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Ananda Rutherford was invited to speak at a workshop for researchers and artists called 'Latent Space: From Datasets to Digital Heritage' organised by Aarati Akkapeddie for the Vasari Institute at Birkbeck College, University of London in June 2023. Ananda's presentation was titled 'Ethical cataloguing practice and the digitisation of GLAM collections.'
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.bbk.ac.uk/events/remote_event_view?id=37530
 
Description Conference Paper at British Art Network Annual Conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Alice Correia presented her research on artist Gurminder Sikand at the British Art Network Annual Conference in November 2023 at Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, within the panel titled 'Devolving Art's Histories: regionalism and reception', to an audience of GLAM professionals, art historians, and researchers.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://britishartnetwork.org.uk/activity/conferences/british-art-after-britain/
 
Description Discovery Projects Workshop: 'Considering research and data ethics across the TaNC Discovery projects' 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The purpose of this one-day workshop was to share and advocate for developing research and data ethics across the five TaNC Discovery projects. It was led by Ananda Rutherford of Transforming Collections, and Dr Sara Perry of Unpath'd Waters. Ananda Rutherford also presented work done with Dr Charlotte Webb to foreground ethics in research, data and technology on the Transforming Collections project.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description International Project Conference: 'Transforming Collections, Rewinding Internationalism' 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Transforming Collections, Rewinding Internationalism was a 2-day conference on 20th and 21st of April 2023, held at the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven, Netherlands. The conference shared ongoing research and emerging project findings, foregrounding practice as research. The conference attracted a specialist and general audience, including representatives from organisations in Amsterdam, Arhus, Rotterdam, Stockholm, Utrecht, and the UK. Project PI susan pui san lok co-convened the conference, and project team members presented in panel discussions and lead workshop activities.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://vanabbemuseum.nl/en/see-and-do/exhibitions-activities/transforming-collections-rewinding-int...
 
Description Lunchtime talk for British Library Staff 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Ananda Rutherford delivered a talk on her research into ethical museum cataloguing and the relationship of collections data with machine learning, in October 2023 as part of a series of presentations for British Library staff called '21st century curatorship'.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description National Galleries of Scotland Research in Progress seminar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Alice Correia presented an introduction to the interpretation of artist FN Souza, and South Asian women artists in public collections for National Galleries of Scotland staff in November 2023.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Residency Research Presentation: Kings College Anthropocene Legacies Seminar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Christina Peake presented about research undertaken as part of her 15 month practice research residency on the Transforming Collections project, titled 'Cultural ecosystem health framework - taking an ecological approach to collection intervention'. This event was organised by King's College London's new Global Cultures Institute, and was part of the Anthropocene Legacies seminar series in May 2023.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/anthropocene-legacies-seminars-2-christina-peake-tickets-630580953607...
 
Description TaNC Discovery Project Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Tehmina Goskar presented her research at the TaNC Webinar: 'Language & Access. Machine Learning for Digital Collections', in a paper titled 'Learning the biased languages of benevolence, equity and the machine' in March 2023.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/tanc-webinar-language-access-machine-learning-for-digital-collections...
 
Description Talk for the Empire and Place Research Group 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Alice Correia presented her research on the interpretation of artists FN Souza and Gurminder Sikand to the Empire and Place Research Group at UAL in June 2023. This was a online work-in-progress talk for a group of academics and curators mainly based in the South West of England.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Towards a National Collection Conference 2023: Unlocking the Potential of Digital Collections - Inclusion session panel discussion 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact susan pui san lok presented reflections as PI of the Transforming Collections project as part of the Inclusion panel discussion with Laura Van Broekhoven and Setareh Noorani, with a pre-recorded contribution from Dr Anjalie Dalal-Clayton and Ananda Rutherford.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Transforming Collections All Partner Workshop 1 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The project team shared ongoing research and emerging findings with delegates from project partners and collaborating organisations at UAL CCI Camberwell in May 2022.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Transforming Collections All Partner Workshop 2 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The project team shared ongoing research and emerging findings with delegates from project partners and collaborating organisations at UAL CCI Camberwell in November 2022.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Transforming Collections All Partner Workshop 3 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The project team shared ongoing research and emerging findings with delegates from project partners and collaborating organisations at Tate Modern in November 2023.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Turing Institute Presentation 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Rebecca Fiebrink spoke about the project, specifically the interdisciplinary teaching and learning about machine learning experiences, in a talk titled "Interdisciplinary AI Pedagogies in Practice". This was part of a hybrid event titled "AI&Arts and MusAI: Towards Radically Interdisciplinary AI Pedagogies" at the Turing Institute.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.turing.ac.uk/events/aiarts-and-musai-towards-radically-interdisciplinary-ai-pedagogies