Wikimedia Spain took part in GLAM Labs Futures 2026, an international event held on 25 and 26 June at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, which brought together professionals and researchers from galleries, libraries, archives and museums (GLAM) to discuss the future of innovation labs in the field of digital heritage.
Representing Wikimedia Spain were Gustavo Candela, who was part of the organising team for the event (University of Alicante and a member of the Wikimedia Spain Board of Directors), and Rubén Ojeda (project manager at Wikimedia Spain), both of whom spoke at various sessions.
The event began with a key question that shaped the course of the sessions: how can GLAM Labs remain relevant and sustainable in a context characterised by artificial intelligence, data infrastructure and resource constraints?
The event took place at a pivotal moment for initiatives of this kind, characterised by advances in artificial intelligence, the consolidation of new data infrastructures and the need to rethink the sustainability of digital cultural projects.
A programme featuring leading international voices
The programme brought together some of the leading international voices in the fields of GLAM Labs, digital research and open knowledge infrastructures, cementing the event’s status as a key forum in this field.
The keynote sessions were led by Melissa Terras (University of Edinburgh) and Tim Sherratt (historian and hacker), two key figures in the field of digital humanities, cultural data and experimentation with digital collections.
Alongside them, the event was attended by leading international figures such as Abigail Potter (Library of Congress, USA), Alba Irollo (Europeana), Katrine Hofmann (Royal Library of Denmark), Mahendra Mahey (University of Tallinn), Olga Holownia (Internet Preservation Consortium) and Sally Chambers (DARIAH-EU and the British Library), amongst others, who offered different perspectives on the development of cultural laboratories in Europe and the Americas.
Digital Heritage Laboratories in Transition
Over the course of the two days, the debate highlighted that GLAM Labs are currently undergoing a process of redefinition. These spaces, which in many cases began as experimental initiatives, have established themselves as hubs linking research, technology and cultural heritage, but now face the challenge of ensuring their long-term sustainability.
Sustainability was one of the central themes of the programme. The discussions addressed the need to explore new organisational models, funding strategies and ways of integrating the laboratories into the permanent structures of cultural institutions, there by avoiding their dependence on temporary projects.
Data, artificial intelligence and cultural infrastructure
Another key focus of the event was the impact of data infrastructures and artificial intelligence on the cultural heritage sector.
The sessions examined how open science initiatives, European cultural heritage data hubs and technological platforms are transforming the way in which digital collections are described, linked and reused. In this context, GLAM Labs are emerging as key spaces for experimenting with these technologies and translating them into practices that are accessible to cultural institutions.
Open science, participation and the commons of knowledge
The programme also addressed the relationship between digital heritage, citizen science and the knowledge commons. Discussions centred on the importance of encouraging public participation in cultural projects, promoting open access to knowledge and strengthening communities around cultural data.
These reflections reinforce the role of GLAM Labs as infrastructures that can contribute to more open, collaborative and sustainable models of knowledge production and reuse.
Learning from mistakes in innovation processes
Among the sessions was “Learning from failure: When Labs go wrong”, which focused on projects that failed to achieve the expected results despite their technical or conceptual soundness.
The session highlighted the value of learning from mistakes as a fundamental part of institutional innovation processes, particularly in contexts where experimentation forms part of the projects’ very design.
Wikimedia Spain’s involvement
Wikimedia Spain took part in a session dedicated to rethinking the concept of the GLAM Lab, its limitations and its opportunities in the current context.
The debate centred on a key question: when a cultural institution shares its data on Wikidata, is it returning knowledge to the public or helping to fuel new technological infrastructures based on artificial intelligence?
This reflection helped to open up a conversation about the role of free knowledge platforms within the GLAM ecosystem and the importance of ensuring that open data translates into access, re-use and the social return of knowledge.
An ecosystem undergoing redefinition
GLAM Labs Futures 2026 showcased a well-established international community currently undergoing a period of strategic review. Digital heritage labs are no longer seen merely as spaces for technical experimentation, but as cultural infrastructures with organisational, social and political implications.
The challenge arising in this context is not only technological, but also institutional: how to sustain these spaces, how to integrate hem securely into cultural structures, and how to ensure their long-term impact.
At Wikimedia Spain, we particularly value participation in this type of international gathering, which enables us to continue strengthening dialogue between communities, institutions and open projects centred on free knowledge and digital heritage.
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