LabforCulture - an online information and knowledge platform

LabforCulture has been developed as an online tool for cultural practitioners, operators and managers, as well as artists and arts organisations, cultural researchers, research bodies, policy makers and funders in arts and culture. It is very much a partnership project and is jointly developed, funded and supported by many of Europes leading cultural organisations.

LabforCulture was initiated by the European Cultural Foundation (ECF) in 2004. Evidence showed that information on cultural cooperation across borders was difficult to access, specifically highlighted in the Ruffolo Report on cultural cooperation in the European Union commissioned by the European Parliament in 2001. Research carried out by the European Commission, European think tanks and the ECF confirmed that an online platform was needed to promote online participation and to encourage debate.

LabforCulture.org was developed to fill this gap. This exciting new online tool aims to facilitate cultural dialogue, exchange and cooperation across physical, cultural and imaginative borders between 48 countries in the broader Europe and beyond.

A network of partners and stakeholders (Arts Management Network is one of them) produced content and played a vital advisory role in the development of LabforCulture. The website welcomes submissions from anyone involved in the cultural cooperation field.

Technical development of the website has centred on making LabforCultures source software open and accessible to all users. This means that other practitioners in the field can share what we have learned over two years of site development. Users can also modify and redistribute the source code.

Details: http://www.labforculture.org