Abstract
Research data is increasingly perceived as a valuable resource and, with appropriate curation and preservation, it has much to offer learning, teaching, research, knowledge transfer and consultancy activities in the visual arts. However, very little is known about the curation and preservation of this data: none of the specialist arts institutions have research data management policies or infrastructure and anecdotal evidence suggests that practice is ad hoc, left to individual researchers and teams with little support or guidance. In addition, the curation and preservation of such diverse and complex digital resources as found in the visual arts is, in itself, challenging. Led by the Visual Arts Data Service, a research centre of the University for the Creative Arts, in collaboration with the Glasgow School of Art; Goldsmiths College, University of London; and University of the Arts London, and funded by JISC, the KAPTUR project (2011-2013) seeks to address the lack of awareness and explore the potential of research data management systems in the arts by discovering the nature of research data in the visual arts, investigating the current state of research data management, developing a model of best practice applicable to both specialist arts institutions and arts departments in multidisciplinary institutions, and by applying, testing and piloting the model with the four institutional partners. Utilising the findings of the KAPTUR user requirement and technical review, this paper will outline the method and selection of an appropriate research data management system for the visual arts and the issues the team encountered along the way.
Highlights
The first stage of the project focused on an environmental assessment (Garrett & Gramstadt, 2012; Garrett et al, 2012) which included eight short informal interviews, sixteen in-depth recorded and transcribed interviews, a literature review, information gathered through attendance at various meetings and events, desk research and information collected from projects reporting from the previous round of JISC MRD funding (2009-11)
Following on from the publication of the environmental assessment report in February 2012, the Technical Manager embarked on a series of interviews with the four KAPTUR Project Officers and with information technology staff at each partner institution, with the purpose of creating a user requirements document for the curation and preservation of research data in the visual arts
With reference to the user requirements, the Technical Manager identified seventeen potential systems that could be relevant to the curation and preservation of visual arts research data
Summary
Following on from the publication of the environmental assessment report in February 2012, the Technical Manager embarked on a series of interviews with the four KAPTUR Project Officers and with information technology staff at each partner institution, with the purpose of creating a user requirements document for the curation and preservation of research data in the visual arts. With reference to the user requirements, the Technical Manager identified seventeen potential systems that could be relevant to the curation and preservation of visual arts research data (details can be found in Appendix 2).
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