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5 Case Study 1 - Leicester Research Archive - University of Leicester

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present and interpret art? (2) What can museum visitors do with podcasts and in<br />

what ways might it enhance their experience <strong>of</strong> art? (3) What is the possible<br />

impact <strong>of</strong> podcasting upon the relationship between museums and audiences?<br />

The theoretical basis <strong>of</strong> the research<br />

The first part <strong>of</strong> the thesis addresses the nature <strong>of</strong> the changes which affect<br />

museums today: the rapid digitisation <strong>of</strong> culture and its accessibility online,<br />

changes in the way artists produce, museums present and audiences consume<br />

works <strong>of</strong> art, and finally the challenges and opportunities which arise for<br />

museums within a Web 2.0 environment. The analysis <strong>of</strong> these key contexts will<br />

build the theoretical basis <strong>of</strong> the thesis, and set the stage for the second, the<br />

empirical part <strong>of</strong> the thesis on podcasting.<br />

The aims and objectives <strong>of</strong> Chapter 1 are to analyse the question whether online<br />

connectivity leads to enhanced accessibility <strong>of</strong> art. What will come out <strong>of</strong><br />

Chapter 1 is that there is currently a vast amount <strong>of</strong> cultural content on the Web.<br />

However, the data collected for this research shows that because this content is in<br />

many cases not appropriately contextualised, the database model <strong>of</strong> a website<br />

does not necessarily make art more accessible for audiences beyond that <strong>of</strong><br />

experts. The thesis argues that giving people free access to collections is a step<br />

into the right direction <strong>of</strong> making culture accessible, but the engaging,<br />

participatory and accessible museum is not guaranteed by the provision <strong>of</strong> rich<br />

cultural content databases. Moreover, the chapter reveals that online media in<br />

general, and new broadcasting models <strong>of</strong> publication in particular, should be<br />

drivers for the production <strong>of</strong> new types <strong>of</strong> content rather than as mere channels <strong>of</strong><br />

distributing existing content. Furthermore, the chapter concludes that the<br />

museum should play an active role in moderating and interpreting content, so as<br />

to support audiences to become active participants in the experience <strong>of</strong> culture.<br />

Chapter 2 focuses on the museological context. It addresses key questions<br />

regarding notions <strong>of</strong> authenticity and originality. It assesses the question whether<br />

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