How can we collaborate across institutions and domains to curate heritage data? How can authority data, vocabularies and metadata practices be aligned across institutions while respecting institutional autonomy? How can we improve the interoperability, quality and reuse of heritage data and digitised collections? How can a shared linked open data platform such as Wikibase be maintained?
Over the last three years, four Federal Scientific (heritage) Institutions have worked together within the MetaBelgica project to develop a shared semantic infrastructure that brings together individuals and organisations linked to Belgian heritage collections.
On 18 November, the Royal Library of Belgium, the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium and the Royal Museums of Art and History are organising the international “Shared Heritage, Shared Data” conference. During the conference, the MetaBelgica partners and other European heritage institutions will share their experiences of managing authority data, among others via Linked Data platforms. They will highlight the best practices and pitfalls encountered along the way.
The conference aims to strengthen cooperation with (inter)national partners and enable more coherent, FAIR and semantically connected access to distributed collections, supporting research and reuse by society.
International conference | 18 November 2026 | on-site at KBR or online
Register now Discover the MetaBelgica Project
DISCOVER THE PROGRAMME
9:00 Registration
9:30 Welcoming words
9:40 MetaBelgica, Welcome from project team and introduction of the day
9:45 Keynote: Antoine Isaac (Europeana)
10:30 Break
11:00 Sven Lieber (Royal Library of Belgium | KBR), MetaBelgica project results
11:40 Federal Open Science Cloud | FedOSC, FAIR Heritage Data
12:00 Lunch break
13:00 Barbara Fischer (Deutsche Nationalbibliothek | DNB), The GND or Integrated Authority File
13:20 Enno Meijers (Dutch Digital Heritage Network | NDE ), Building the network of connected heritage information
13:40 Axelle Vanmaele (meemoo)
14:00 Luc Wanlin (Archives et Musée de la Littérature | AML), SCAPIN : Technical and institutional challenges for a shared platform of performing arts memory in FWB
14:20 Edurne Kugeler (Musée national d’archéologie, d’histoire et d’art Luxembourg | MNAHA),
LUDAP – The Luxembourg Authority File Project
14:40 Vincent Boulet (Bibliothèque nationale de France | BnF)
15:00 Break
15:30 Panel discussion with previous speakers
16:30 Closing remarks
16:40 End
17:00 Library closes
The conference provides a forum to:
- collaborate across heritage institutions and domains
- share best practices and insights while curating cultural heritage entities
- discuss strategic developments and the future of (authority) data management
- strengthen professional networks and international cooperation
By hosting this event, KBR reaffirms its commitment to international collaboration, high-quality and interoperable metadata, and the continued development of expertise in the field of linked data and international standards.
This event is taking place during the week of the DARIAH-EU General Assembly in Brussels and thus there will be an opportunity to follow parallel meetings to learn more about DH projects in Belgium, EOSC & FEDOSC, and AI in the heritage sector from 18 – 20 November.
Practical information
- This will be a hybrid event
- Registration is free, but mandatory
- English will be the language of the conference
- Contacts for further information: zrgnorytvpn@xoe.or
- The Panorama at KBR is accessible for people with reduced mobility
Organisers
- Royal Library of Belgium (KBR)
- Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA)
- Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (KMSKB-MRBAB)
- Royal Museums of Art and History (KMKG-MRAH)
Funding
This conference is part of the MetaBelgica-project financed by the INFRA-FED call of BELSPO.