Collaborations

Current collaborations 2019-2020


Past collaborations 2019

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Project details

The Digital Studio is playing a key role in the future of national Humanities data-driven research as one of the nodes that is leading the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Data Enhanced Virtual Laboratory (HASS DEVL). Following a formative year with eResearch South Australia, the HASS DEVL and Tinker (its online data and tools platform) have come under new management in 2019.

The project’s new lead agent, the Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation (QCIF), in partnership with the University of Melbourne will bring together fragmented data, tools and services into a shared workspace as well as deliver training and engagement opportunities for HASS researchers nationally. University of Queensland’s Marco Fahmi (HASS DeVL project manager) is working closely with Dr Tyne Daile Sumner at the University of Melbourne in her role as deputy project manager. Tyne brings an invaluable set of skills and experience to the project with a research background in Humanities (Literary Studies and Surveillance Studies) as well as experience in digital research tools training, building communities of practice, consulting on digital and data projects and leading dynamic teams.

Funded by National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) investment through the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC), the HASS DEVL project aims to increase the capacity for innovative data-driven research in the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences by building skills and giving confidence to those using digital tools and methods. The Tinker digital platform provides an easy-to-use ecosystem of data, tools and services including Text Analysis tools, Transcription tools, guidance on working with Geospatial data, and a bespoke HASS environment for learning and using Jupyter Notebooks.

The project’s Queensland node (the Queensland Digital HASS Network - a collaboration between the University of Queensland, Griffith and QUT) will carry out technology development, training and skills development, communications. Meanwhile, the Victorian node (based at the University of Melbourne) will deliver a Data Curation Framework and community engagement activities including the Digital HASS Champions program, roundtables and workshops. Both nodes will continue working closely together to contribute to a future vision for digital HASS research

The project’s key institutional partners include:

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Theatre and Dance Platform: engaging with Australian performing arts collections

Cummins, Virginia (photographer). (2003). Production Image of Lucy Guerin's Plasticine Park 1. [Photograph]. Theatre and Dance Platform.

The Theatre and Dance Platform (TDP) is a digital repository at the University of Melbourne which houses and showcases significant Australian theatre and dance collections and resources.

By preserving archival documentation, the Theatre and Dance Platform acknowledges and provides access to important facets of Australia’s performing arts heritage, including the stories of key individuals, companies and institutions. It hosts a range of digitised material, including photographs, scenic and costume designs, video recordings, posters and textual material such as programmes, reviews, correspondence and related research, and is easily searchable by key words and standard catalogue terms.

Key collections in the Theatre and Dance Platform include significant materials and records from the University archives, e.g. La Mama Theatre and Union Theatre as well as unique digital content that belongs to artists and companies external to the University, e.g. Lucy Guerin Inc. It also includes research resources that have been developed by scholars at the University of Melbourne. Researchers can access these collections through the Theatre and Dance Platform as well as from Trove, the National Library of Australia’s search engine, and AusStage, a database of Australian live performing arts, or individual company websites.

With the establishment of the Theatre and Dance Platform in 2017, the University of Melbourne shares its century-long engagement with the performing arts sector, that extends to support for theatre companies, student theatre, indigenous arts and the Melbourne creative sector. The Theatre and Dance Platform with its digital collections makes Australian theatre and Dance now available to the global research community and general public.

Curated by Professor Rachel Fensham and Andrew Fuhrmann, the Theatre and Dance Platform is supported by staff in the University Library and we thank Jane Miller, Andrew Veal, Gillian Butcher and other volunteers for their assistance.

We welcome suggestions, corrections and further contributions to these collections. Please email rfensham@unimelb.edu.au or andrew.fuhrmann@unimelb.edu.au

A short video describing the approach to building the interoperability of the Theatre and Dance Platform is available here.

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Project team

Indigenous researchers

  • Molly Walker, Research and Collections, First Peoples
  • Daphne Daniels, Ngukurr News Editor
  • Maree Clarke, Independent artist

Museums Victoria

  • Shannon Faulkhead, Acting Head, First Nations
  • Melanie Raberts, Collections Manager, Indigenous
  • Nancy Ladas, Head, Arts

University of Melbourne

  • Dr Fran Edmond
  • Dr Richard Chenhall
  • Professor Rachel Fensham, Assistant Dean, Digital Studio

Project advisors

  • Associate Professor Kate Senior, University of Newcastle
  • Dr Greg Wadley, School of Computing and Information Systems, University of Melbourne

Project description

The Living Archive of Indigenous Collections provided a context and framework to test a digital Community Access Portal (CAP) linked with Museums Victoria’s collections. A collaboration between the University of Melbourne and Museums Victoria, the project employed a collaborative community-based approach engaging with the Ngukurr Community in southeast Arnhem Land.

The notion of a ‘living archive’ is a move towards acknowledging the networked, interconnected nature of Indigenous knowledge in archival and collection systems, traditionally static sites of preservation. Alongside work on the return of cultural heritage and data sovereignty, the ‘living archive’ is a valuable lens through which museum collection data structures and systems can be reformed and re-envisioned. By linking and enriching established catalogue information with contemporary representations of lived culture, a ‘living archive’ supports Indigenous communities to control their data and direct the narratives that surround this material.

Further resources

Living Archive of Aboriginal Collections report
Living Archive of Aboriginal Collections report
Feather-flowers and photographs
Pursuit article: "Feather-flowers and photographs"
UoM Digital Incubator

Hosted in room 306 of the Digital Studio, the UoM Incubator provides the team, structure, frameworks and capability so great ideas and tested prototypes can progress quickly and find a home within their existing UoM portfolios.

What is the UoM Digital Incubator?

In short, the UoM Digital Incubator is a collaborative initiative led by Chancellery, Digital and Data with the intention to:

  • Create a Proof of Concept environment for rapid prototyping
  • Bring to life ideas and insights from anywhere across UoM
  • Use agile development and user-centric design approach
  • The focus is on progress over perfection and creating a safe environment to explore, prototype, develop and iterate ideas

Why do we need it?

Current state

  • UoM has collected plenty of discovery and insights with limited capacity to act on them quickly
  • University wide challenges are recognised when attempting to do smaller scale innovation and discovery activities
  • Many UoM processes are set for large investments, but lack flexibility for smaller initiatives
  • The cost of PoC activities is still high and not becoming more efficient

The Incubator as a response

  • The UoM Digital Incubator fills in a gap for smaller size, discovery-oriented activities to come to life
  • It is focused on quick testing of new and innovative concepts
  • It provides an avenue for UoM teams to use experienced digital product designers and developers
  • Who can create a prototype solution for the challenge or opportunity they or their users are facing
  • Without extended wait period to kick off the process
  • And create a validated pathway to make some of these solutions production-ready

How to get involved?

To find out more about the UoM Incubator and the work we are doing: