Digital Inclusion or Exclusion?

The Digital Culture Network has been helping organisations embrace digital technology over the last two years. Since the pandemic began, the move to digital content creation, distribution, audience engagement and participation has rapidly accelerated. While this shift has enabled audiences to continue experiencing arts and culture, a significant proportion of the population is still encountering barriers to digital engagement. This is due to multiple factors ranging from connectivity, skills, confidence and access to technology.

Did you know that 7 million people do not have access to the internet at home? Or that 17 million people only use the internet for limited purposes?

Organisations now have the opportunity to place digital accessibility at the heart of their planning and digital inclusion strategies in work with local communities.

The Good Things Foundation has launched its Digital Nation 2020 infographic and #FixtheDigitalDivide campaign.

Click on the link to register for our webinar presented in partnership with Google Arts & Culture, Connected to Culture LIVE: Digital – Inclusion or Exclusion? on 26th February to explore the digital divide in more depth, with panellists from Birmingham Museums Trust and Revoluton Arts sharing their examples of inclusive practice.

Tiina Hill, Senior Manager at the Digital Culture Network: “Digital delivery offers opportunities for equal access to arts and culture, and I believe that as a sector our work should be digitally inclusive by default. Inclusion means different things for everyone. By starting with this at the heart of our strategic planning and by staying audience-focused, we can remove barriers like access, confidence or skills. We can combine online and offline as the pandemic eases, and support people who lack the skills and confidence to get online. The arts and culture sector has always been brilliant at engaging local communities, so we should now extend that to digital too.”

At the Digital Culture Network we always advocate inclusive digital marketing, check out our practical resources like How to Make Your Online Content Accessible and webinar recording.