Save the Date: Coding da Vinci final conference (and celebration!)

By Philippe Genêt (Project Coordinator for Coding da Vinci)

Eight years ago, our first nationwide cultural data hackathon took place in Berlin. The initial skepticism of some data suppliers gave way ("... we don't work with hackers!") to a great enthusiasm for the commitment of the participants, because they opened up cultural treasures that had previously lingered in the collections and holdings of the cultural institutions.

“I am very touched by the variety of activities, but also by all the developers. The creativity that is in it, the love that is shown by how much you have incorporated yourself and apparently also the fun that many have associated with it."

Dr. Wolfgang Both, Sponsor, Senate Department for Economics, Technology and Research, 2014

The worlds still operating separately in 2014 – technology here and culture there – were brought together by Coding da Vinci and were able to learn with and from each other, whether about inconsistencies in (meta)data or about bird dialects. Above all, however, Coding da Vinci offered for the first time a space in which the representatives of the institutions and the participating coders (precisely those hackers) could meet on an equal footing in order to jointly develop new views and application contexts for open digital cultural data.

“Projects need feedback. Coding da Vinci has created communication possibilities."

Thomas Kollatz, Salomon Ludwig Steinheim Institut für deutsch jüdische Geschichte  (Institute for German Jewish History), 2014

Thus, Coding da Vinci marked a milestone for opening cultural data and free knowledge. Even today, the Coding da Vinci communities have not lost their enthusiasm for openGLAM. But openGLAM also implies that institutions open themselves structurally to their (digital) users and enter with them into an open discourse about cultural data heritage. So it's time for Coding da Vinci to take the next milestone.

“The hackathon was one of the highlights of my year at the museum so far, it was fun and opened our eyes to new perspectives and approaches.”

Sebastian Ruff, Stiftung Stadtmuseum (City Museum Foundation) Berlin, 2014 

Save the date: 23 September 2022 | 1 pm | Jewish Museum Berlin 

On 23 September 2022, we want to take a first step towards this future with a final conference and celebration - with all of you, the friends of Coding da Vinci. Starting at 1 p.m. at the Jüdisches Museum Berlin (where our first awards ceremony took place), we'll take a look back at the openGLAM trail we've been on thus far and look forward together. And above all, we want to celebrate with you: those eight years and all the many creative spirits, helping hands and supporters who have made Coding da Vinci an unforgettable and unmistakable experience. Even "more than a hackathon"!

Further information at codingdavinci.de