Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS) have been among the most negatively affected since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. If before, CCS institutions already struggled to respond to the vulnerabilities of this sector, now it has become almost impossible for many of them to continue with their activities. Cultural institutions, specially museums, have indeed faced big challenges over the last couple of years, being closed for prolonged periods or with very reduced access in order to follow the social distancing measures. This impossibility of fully experiencing the physical dimension of Cultural Heritage has therefore led to increasing efforts to transfer cultural experiences, products and services in an online format.

The project proposal stems from the need to support small and medium-sized museums in this transition towards a digital era, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. These institutions, along with the whole CCS, will have to rebuild themselves in order to face the new challenges of a post-Covid era, but often they lack resources and concrete possibilities to update themselves and the skills of their staff. The aim of the project is therefore to provide small and medium-sized museums with a new generation of specialized EU professionals working in the Cultural Heritage sector, equipped with a recognised, cross-cutting and high-level digital skillset: the Digital Curators. This professional figure will be essential for the future of such museums in an era of Digital Cultural Heritage. The Digital Curator is able to apply the most modern digital tools and resources to a variety of aspects essential for museum management, such as: facility

management, cataloguing, management and updating of archives, online dissemination and promotion, creation of new formats and visitor experiences, user support in both physical and digital spaces, among many others. The project wants to pursue digitalisation as a strategic goal, in a twofold process: to improve museum management by streamlining internal

procedures and promoting efficiency; and to promote culture through digital tools, attracting and stimulating the interest of the public through tailor-made initiatives. The Digital Curator is an emergent, strategic professional, essential for the restructuring of small and medium-sized museums in a digital era. Nevertheless, up to date, there is no single, unanimously adopted reference framework for empowering learners with relevant skills, competences and expertise for this career. The general objective of the project is therefore to enhance the professional figure of the Digital Curator as a strategic profession to revive the system of small-medium sized museums, hard hit by the economic crisis attributable to the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath.