The Cultural Heritage Cloud

The Cultural Heritage Cloud or European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage (ECCCH) is a European Union initiative to create a shared digital infrastructure that connects cultural heritage institutions and professionals across the EU. It will provide specific digital collaboration tools for the sector while removing barriers for smaller and more remote institutions.

The Cultural Heritage Cloud aims to add a digital dimension to cultural heritage preservation, conservation, restoration, and enhancement by providing cutting-edge technology for artefact digitisation and artwork research. The goal is to assist cultural heritage institutions and research organisations of all sizes, and both professionals and non-professionals, in managing their digital objects more effectively. The Cultural Heritage Cloud will facilitate this through enhanced visibility, interconnectivity, and access to scientific resources, training, and advanced digital tools. These tools will help them navigate the challenges posed by the digital transition in the cultural heritage sector.

Through Horizon Europe, the Commission has allocated a significant budget (around €110 million) to fund innovative projects that contribute to enrich the Cultural Heritage Cloud by developing tools and services to digitise, preserve and valorise Europe’s cultural heritage. Visit the European Commission page to learn more or download the official flyer (412kb).

Infographic presenting key figures of the ECHOES/ECCCH project and a map of member countries in Europe. On the left, several data panels show: Countries: 17 ECHOES countries and 30 ECCCH countries. Partners: 53 ECHOES partners and 7 ECCCH partners. Additional indicators: 1 Cloud, >20 Projects, €110M, Fully implemented by 2029. A note stating: “16 umbrella organisations representing more than 1000 organisations in Europe.” Logos of CNRS, Fondation de France, and another institutional logo appear at the top. On the right, a map of Europe displays countries colored according to membership: Blue for countries that are only ECHOES members. Yellow for countries that are only sister-project members. Blue-and-yellow striped for countries belonging to both ECHOES and sister projects. Non-member countries appear in grey.

Here are all the projects funded by the European Union that, together with ECHOES, contribute to the creation of the Cultural Heritage Cloud.