Portfolio of assets for the Creative Content Exchange
Collections and content
The project will work with selected assets from the University of Birmingham Cultural Portfolio. The portfolio includes The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, The Lapworth Museum of Geology, Winterbourne House and Garden, Cadbury Research Library and University Collections. Together, these collections include fine art, archives, manuscripts, images, objects, specimens, records, gardens, heritage materials and research-linked collections.
During the project, the team will review selected material to determine whether it is suitable for the Creative Content Exchange. Suitability will depend on rights and ownership, licensing authority, metadata quality, technical file readiness, responsible-use considerations and commercial licensing potential.
The project will also maintain a reserve list of potential content. This means that if an asset or asset group cannot progress because of rights, sensitivity, technical or metadata issues, an alternative can be considered without weakening delivery.
Asset definition
For project purposes, an asset may be an individual item, a digital representation, a collection-level grouping, a curated subset or a content package. Final definitions will be aligned with CCE expectations and recorded through the Data Readiness Register. The same underlying item may appear in more than one thematic package where this is appropriate, transparent and properly documented.
Collection areas
Barber Institute of Arts - Fine art, object culture and related collection records with potential value for art, design, education, media and cultural interpretation, subject to rights and licensing checks.
The Lapworth Museum of Geology - Geological, scientific and public knowledge assets with potential value for education, research, interpretation, creative content and responsible digital reuse.
Winterbourne House and Garden - Heritage, garden, house and museum collection material that may support public engagement, education and creative interpretation, subject to digital and rights readiness.
Cadbury Research Library - Special collections, archives and manuscripts with potential value for research, education, heritage interpretation and carefully governed reuse.
University Collections - A wider body of University-held or University-managed cultural, heritage and research-linked collections that may contribute to the project’s initial and reserve content pipeline.
The cultural data readiness model
The project uses a data readiness model to decide which cultural assets can be prepared for trusted licensing and reuse. The model recognises that cultural data readiness is not only a technical question. It requires legal clarity, metadata quality, technical preparation, commercial logic and responsible stewardship.
The Data Readiness Register will record the status of selected and reserve assets across five readiness gates. Only content that passes the relevant gates will proceed to the CCE test package or final package.
Readiness gate
Rights gate - Checks whether the University or relevant collection holder has the authority to license the asset, and records restrictions, permitted uses, attribution and takedown routes.
Metadata gate - Checks whether descriptions, provenance, keywords, rights statements, file information and reuse labels are clear enough for external discovery and use.
Technical gate - Checks file formats, identifiers, naming, version control, quality, storage and transfer readiness.
Commercial gate - Checks whether the asset or package can support a meaningful licensing proposition, including value, use cases, pricing logic and licence categories.
Responsible innovation gate - Checks sensitivity, provenance, public value, AI-related reuse risks, restrictions and escalation requirements.
CCE content packages
The project will develop at least three content packages for the Creative Content Exchange. These packages will be prepared from selected existing digital or near-ready University of Birmingham Cultural Portfolio assets. Final content will depend on rights, metadata, technical and commercial readiness checks.
Package themes
Civic memory and heritage - Content that supports understanding of Birmingham, the University, civic identity, institutional memory, public engagement and heritage interpretation.
Art, design and object culture - Content that supports creative production, design, education, media, visual interpretation and responsible cultural reuse.
Scientific heritage and public knowledge - Content that supports education, research communication, science engagement, digital learning and responsible interpretation of scientific and natural heritage.
Responsible licensing and AI use
The project treats rights and licensing as part of responsible stewardship. The aim is not simply to make content available, but to ensure that selected cultural assets are described, licensed, attributed and reused in ways that respect rights, provenance, public value and institutional responsibilities.
The project will distinguish between different forms of use, including education, research, public engagement, creative production, commercial media, high-resolution use and AI-related use. Where AI-related use is considered, the project will record whether it is permitted, restricted, prohibited or requires escalation.
Assets with unclear rights, contested provenance, sensitivity concerns, unresolved third-party interests or unsuitable commercial licensing conditions will be excluded from the first CCE packages or held in reserve until appropriate permissions, restrictions or safeguards are in place.
Responsible use categories
Education and Research - Use in teaching, learning, scholarship and research communication, subject to relevant licence terms.
Public engagement - Use in public-facing interpretation, exhibitions, learning materials and cultural engagement.
Creative reuse - Use by creative practitioners, designers, media producers and cultural organisations, subject to permitted-use terms.
Commercial reuse - Use in commercial products, services, media or campaigns where pricing, attribution and restrictions are clearly defined.
AI-related use - Use involving AI-enabled discovery, classification, interpretation or model-related processing, only where explicitly permitted and appropriately governed.
Work packages
The project will run from September 2026 to April 2027. Work packages will run in parallel because rights, metadata, technical, commercial and responsible-use decisions are interdependent. The project team will use a readiness register, regular project reviews and quality gates to manage delivery.
Packages and purposes
WP1 Governance and content confirmation - Establish governance, confirm priority and reserve content, create the Data Readiness Register and agree the CCE engagement route.
WP2 Rights and licensing - Complete rights classification, legal review, licence conditions, permitted-use decisions and exclusions.
WP3 Metadata enhancement - Map, clean and enhance records, apply quality standards and prepare content manifests.
WP4 Product, pricing and responsible-use model - Develop product packaging, valuation, pricing logic, licence categories and AI-related conditions.
WP5 Technical preparation and CCE onboarding - Complete file checks, identifier mapping, test transfer, CCE feedback actions, product listing and final submission.
WP6 Learning, clinics and legacy - Manage progress evidence, final outputs, two readiness clinics, dissemination and reusable guidance.