Discovering Collections, Discovering Communities (DCDC)

The Discovering Collections, Discovering Communities (DCDC) conference offers a unique collaboration opportunity for colleagues from across the Gallery, Library, Archive, Museum and Academic (GLAMA) sector.

What’s next?

Discovering Collections, Discovering Communities is taking a break in 2024.

The conference partners – The National Archives, The British Library and Jisc – have taken time to review and consider delegate feedback and so, going forward DCDC will be a fully hybrid, international, biennial event.

You can read the full announcement from partners here.

We are incredibly excited to share our DCDC25 vision with you soon. Watch this space!

Who is DCDC for?

  • Archivists
  • Librarians
  • Higher education (HE) professionals
  • Postgraduate students
  • Cultural heritage professionals and practitioners
  • Early career researchers, practitioners, and professionals
  • Digital practitioners
  • Digital and cultural consultants

We welcome archives, libraries, special collections, museums, galleries, heritage organisations, academics, independent research organisations, charitable and community organisations, and research support and impact professionals to attend the event.

Past events

DCDC23

DCDC23 explored the challenges of navigating the interplay between the physical and the virtual, the ‘materiality’ of physical collections and digital interventions. These conversations built on the radical reimagining of how we work in the GLAMA sector following the pandemic, from the way we collaborate, and engage with our communities, as well as the skills and tools we use which have all changed substantially.

DCDC22

DCDC22 showcased how digital innovation is transforming the cultural heritage and academic sectors and their relationship with their audiences. From individual projects to national programmes, for organisations and groups large and small, we examined the opportunities and challenges that digital technologies and collaboration can offer.

Videos of the presentations from DCDC22 are available on the DCDC website.

DCDC21

The DCDC21 conference explored how crisis can act as a catalyst for change within libraries, archives, museums and cultural organisations. It looked at the impact that crisis can have on working practices, collections and audience engagement, and how periods of turbulence can lead to new opportunities for research and collaboration. It also examined how cultural heritage organisations can look beyond times of crisis and foster innovation and collaboration in their institutions and communities.

Videos of the presentations from DCDC21 are available on the DCDC website.