Intangible cultural heritage presentation and preservation – Challenges and opportunities for museum specialists

Abstract

Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) is a term invented to represent living practices, representations, expressions, skills and knowledge that communities, groups and individuals recognize as distinct but important aspects of identity. The safeguarding of ICH has become a topic of international concern primarily through the work of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) (UNESCO, 2018). Digital technologies and the internet bring unprecedented opportunities to present and preserve cultural assets globally and from a long-term perspective. The use of new technologies in the preservation and transmission of intangible heritage imposes urgent and significant changes in the museum specialists' competency matrix. The paper presents the main results from research conducted within the scope of the international project DigiCult in four European countries, aiming to identify the main gaps and constraints regarding the active inclusion of museum professionals in the ICH digital presentation and safeguarding processes.