Future-Proofing the AV Archive Pathways to Resilient Heritage in Uncertain Times

This report discusses recent developments in audiovisual archives and possible pathways to ensuring the viability of AV archives as resilient heritage in uncertain times. It draws on interviews with more than 25 AV archivists from 15 European countries (predominantly working at public service media archives), with particular attention to how archives are 1. adapting their archival workflows to a digital transformation including AI [Internal Processes], 2. working to increasing their value via access strategies and public engagement [External Relations], and 3. taking precautions against diverse threats, with further potential to improve disaster planning [(Inter)national Pressures]. The report also includes insights from the author’s experience of collaborating with the Netherlands Institute for Sound & Vision (NISV) on the creation of a Tilt digital story as a way to engage both the broader public and archive professionals in the topic of potential threats to AV archival collections. Overall, AV archives’ diverse and rich collections hold significant public value, yet it is essential to ensure that they are ‘future-proof’ as they face a diverse set of present challenges and potential risks.