'How are new media artists working with cultural institutions to document the creation and authenticity of their work for future access and use?' A comparative case study of two digital media residencies at The British Library and Victoria & Albert Museum.
Creators: name: Durham, Wendy
Publisher: name: unknown
Year: 2017
Subjects: subject: Libraries
subject: Digital art
subject: Cultural property
subject: Documentation
subject: Digital preservation

description: A body of research suggests that inconsistency in documentation resources and a lack of understanding regarding the technological processes that create and therefore characterize new media artworks present challenge to preservation strategies and need further support and research. The purpose of this study is to investigate the documentation of new media artwork created within artist residencies due to their natural focus on process and collaboration. It compares and contrasts the documentation developed through two separate artist residencies hosted by the British Library and the Victoria and Albert Museum as part of their provision for learning and public engagement. It uses a qualitative case study methodology based on interviews with a purposeful sample of 8 residency stakeholders and multiple sources of documentary evidence to explore the opportunities and challenges for the documentation of new media artwork within collaborative contexts. 

The study findings reveal that in this sample, both residency and artwork documentation is driven by funded outputs for public engagement and knowledge capture coupled with artist scholarly working ethic. The artists own communication of artistic process and natural documentation practices are central to each residency as opposed to particular emphasis on the use of curatorial documentation models, leading to unique, variable, documentation outcomes.

This study demonstrates the value and importance of new media artists co-creating digital work within cultural institutional environments that may be able to help both artists and institutions jointly understand the behavioural or 'significant' properties required to further preservation strategies that occur in the creation process of the work. The recommendations will be of use to artist, cultural institutions and other residency hosting communities as well as adding to a proactive new media research knowledge base.
description: A body of research suggests that inconsistency in documentation resources and a lack of understanding regarding the technological processes that create and therefore characterize new media artworks present challenge to preservation strategies and need further support and research. The purpose of this study is to investigate the documentation of new media artwork created within artist residencies due to their natural focus on process and collaboration. It compares and contrasts the documentation developed through two separate artist residencies hosted by the British Library and the Victoria and Albert Museum as part of their provision for learning and public engagement. It uses a qualitative case study methodology based on interviews with a purposeful sample of 8 residency stakeholders and multiple sources of documentary evidence to explore the opportunities and challenges for the documentation of new media artwork within collaborative contexts. The study findings reveal that in this sample, both residency and artwork documentation is driven by funded outputs for public engagement and knowledge capture coupled with artist scholarly working ethic. The artists own communication of artistic process and natural documentation practices are central to each residency as opposed to particular emphasis on the use of curatorial documentation models, leading to unique, variable, documentation outcomes. This study demonstrates the value and importance of new media artists co-creating digital work within cultural institutional environments that may be able to help both artists and institutions jointly understand the behavioural or 'significant' properties required to further preservation strategies that occur in the creation process of the work. The recommendations will be of use to artist, cultural institutions and other residency hosting communities as well as adding to a proactive new media research knowledge base.