New technologies in support of creativity and innovation

The Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Forschung) has launched school projects such as the annual media literacy award. Media manual provides best practice examples and information material for media competence. Further initiatives to foster young people's media literacy and the safe use of new media are detailed in the Austrian Youth Wiki Chapter 6.8.

eEducation Austria

The primary goal of the initiative eEducation Austria of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research is to advance digital and ICT-based competencies throughout all schools in Austria. More than 2,450 Austrian schools have already become members of the initiative. Furthermore, eEducation.expert.schools are asked to transfer their know-how to new schools that have just started their journey towards the organisational development of digital competencies. The project envisions the didatical useful integration of digital media into all subjects.

Netguides - National Libray

In a cooperation between the National Library and the institute for youth literature, pupils have designed a multimedia guide for the ceremonial room and the globes museum of the National Library. This project work enabled them to create many, partly audiovisual, contributions relating to objects of their own choice. The results are presented to the public online, thus allowing other young people to discover 'Roman numerals celebrating a party in a ceremonial hall, an interview with a 17th century polymath, children's favourite reading places, videos, comics, dances, poems and a puppet show'.

Museum for Applied Arts (Museum für angewandte Kunst, MAK)

Knowledge, history, and visions are taught in a clear, playful, and constantly changing way at the MAK. Workshops provide young people with the opportunity to get involved and bring their ideas to life. In addition to the regular educational program on the permanent collection displays and current exhibitions, there are ongoing personal and media projects in the field of art education. It focuses on encouraging young people to participate as well as on involving digital educational approaches.

The MAK as a federal museum as well as the National Library receive their funding through a basic compensation by the Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport (Bundesministerium für Kunst, Kultur, Öffentlicher Dienst und Sport). In 2019, according to the Federal Arts and Culture report 2019 (Kunst- und Kulturbericht) the Federal Ministry paid a basic compensation of € 87,062,500 to the Federal Museums (of which the MAK received 9.661 thousand euros) and € 25,020,500 to the Austrian National Library for expenses incurred in the fulfilment of its cultural policy mandate.

Facilitating access to culture through new technologies

The Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research is placing an emphasis on new media: The master plan for digitisation in education (Masterplan für die Digitalisierung im Bildungswesen) at the efficient, sustainable and systematic utilisation of modern information and communications technology in the fields of education, arts and culture.

The master plan is divided into three major fields of action:

1. Software: pedagogy, teaching and learning content
2. Hardware: infrastructure, modern IT management, modern school administration
3. Teachers: education, training and further education

Further initiatives to strenghten young people's media literacy and the safe use of digital media are depicted in the Austrian Youth Wiki Chapter 6.8.

Kulturpool

Kulturpool is the central search portal for digital Austrian Cultural Heritage Assets. (Digital) cultural heritage plays a central role in future strategies of our information society. An important concern in this realm is the comprehensive access to digitized assets of museums, libraries and archives. The goal of the joint project Kulturpool is to provide a central searchable access point to all publicly available digital objects and catalogues of Austrian cultural institutions. Strategically this aims at encouraging a closer relation of culture and education. Beyond this, Austria's cultural heritage is made more accessible to a broader public through new technology. Targeted user groups of Kulturpool are the interested public, teachers, students as well as scientists and research personnel. Alongside the image databases Artothek and the digital collection of photographs owned by the Republic of Austria (Fotosammlung), this has enabled young people's and schools' access to a broad variety of works of arts and culture throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Kulturpool is a joint initiative of the Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport and the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research.

Ars Electronica

A main actor in the field of media and digital arts is the Ars Electronica museum in Linz (Upper Austria), which annually organises one of the most important festivals at the interface of arts, new media, politics and society. It views itself as a museum, centre and school for the future through enabling (young) people to create their visions of the future in its future lab. It specifically targets young people through the presenting of trendsetting technologies, art and social change with people at its centre and an interactive approach that listens to the views and ideas of its visitors. It is characterized by a playful, creative approach, enthusiasm for new ideas and a commitment to making them accessible to a broader public. In this context, a number of digital offers has been developed during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to enable the museum to become part of  virtual classrooms. The Ars Electronica museum is inter alia co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union and the city of Linz.

Museum of Art History (Kunsthistorisches Museum, KHM)

KHM Stories is a free of charge app provided by Kunsthistorisches Museum (KHM). This app enables users to discover collections through interactive tours on topics such as »Love« or »Magic«. Highlights, both famous and little-known or concealed, are described. Hidden secrets such as the reverse of an artwork, its interior or X-ray images play a part in the app. Interactive elements make the original artefact even more fascinating, connecting the past and the present and captivate young people's interest into art through digital media. With numerous high definition scans of its collection highlights and virtual tours through the museum’s venues, the MAK participates in the Google Arts & Culture platform - which has gained further relevants for young people and their educators during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Albertina

Mediation work taking multimedia tools into account hasbeen intensified. Tablets have already accompanied tours for years by showing comparative examples and playing music or movies. For some exhibitions, special tablets for school class tours have been provided. The devices enable the pupils to act as photographers or film directors, making photographies and movies, and writing individual plots.

As federal museums, MAK and Albertina receive their funding through a basic compensation by the Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport (Bundesministerium für Kunst, Kultur, Öffentlicher Dienst und Sport). In 2019, according to the Federal Arts and Culture report 2019 (Kunst- und Kulturbericht) the Federal Ministry paid a basic compensation of € 87,062,500 to the Federal Museums, of which the MAK received 9.661 thousand euros and the Albertina 7.747 thousand euros.