DARIAH - Digital Research Infrastructure for the Arts and Humanities

What is DARIAH?

DARIAH (Digital Research Infrastructure for the Arts and Humanities) is a project to support the digitisation of arts and humanities data across Europe.

DARIAH brings together researchers, information managers and information providers. It gives them a technical framework that enables enhanced data-sharing among research communities.

What are some key dates in the DARIAH project?

DARIAH officially began on September 01, 2008, with the formative Preparing DARIAH stage. Preparing DARIAH will run for 30 months and will lay the foundation for the construction of DARIAH, set to begin in March 2011.

Who is taking part in DARIAH?

There are fourteen partners from ten European countries participating in the Preparing DARIAH phase. DARIAH has also built links with many other institutions over the course of the Building DARIAH phase, several of whom have joined the project as Associate Partners.

What will DARIAH do?

DARIAH will provide a coordinated technical infrastructure for supporting the preservation of cultural heritage in Europe, and will enable dramatically improved access to research material for the humanities.

How will DARIAH do this?

Through key processes such as:

• Bringing together the best efforts at national, organisational and individual level in order to launch enhanced Europe-wide actions, initiatives and services.
• Developing national services and digitisation programs, particularly in countries where these are non-existent at present.
• Bringing together research, education, cultural heritage and “memory” institutions and organisations in the commercial sector.
• Enhancing digital scholarship in the humanities and arts across Europe.

What are some of the benefits of DARIAH?

• Promotion of the preservation, exchange and reuse of research data.
• Facilitation of collaboration between researchers on a pan-European level.
• Ensuring a consistently high level of source data quality.
• Bringing within reach new and novel approaches to research.
• Providing an environment for the development and exchange of new research tools and methods.