# collaborative curation

> joint efforts by more than one actor to maintain, expand or otherwise care for a collection

**Wikidata**: [Q108766429](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108766429)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/collaborative-curation

## Summary
Collaborative curation refers to the joint efforts by more than one person or group to maintain, expand, or otherwise care for a collection. It is a specific type of curating that emphasizes partnership and shared responsibility over the traditional single-curator model. This process applies to the management of collections in places like museums, galleries, or other institutions.

## Key Facts
*   **Core Definition:** The practice involves joint efforts by multiple actors to maintain, expand, or care for a collection.
*   **Primary Classification:** It is a subclass of curating, which is the process of overseeing collections, exhibitions, and research.
*   **Secondary Classification:** It is also classified as a form of collaboration.
*   **Key Participants:** The process is defined by the involvement of "more than one actor."
*   **Scope of Work:** Activities include overseeing collections, exhibitions, and research activities for a museum, gallery, or other collection.

## FAQs
### Q: What is the main difference between curation and collaborative curation?
A: The primary difference is the number of participants. While traditional curation can be performed by a single individual, collaborative curation is explicitly defined by the joint efforts of more than one person or group in the decision-making and management process.

### Q: What kind of work is involved in collaborative curation?
A: The work involves a range of activities focused on a collection, including its maintenance, expansion, and general care. It also extends to overseeing the collection itself, related exhibitions, and research activities.

### Q: Who can be an "actor" in collaborative curation?
A: The source material defines an actor broadly as any of the "more than one" participants involved in the joint effort. This can include multiple curators, institutions, researchers, or other stakeholders working together.

## Why It Matters
Collaborative curation is significant because it represents a shift away from the traditional model of a single, authoritative curatorial voice. By involving multiple actors, this approach can introduce a wider range of perspectives, expertise, and skills into the process of managing and interpreting a collection. This can lead to richer, more diverse, and more inclusive exhibitions and research outcomes.

This collaborative model helps solve the problem of potential bias or limited knowledge inherent in a single-person approach. It distributes the responsibility of care and decision-making, which can be particularly beneficial for large or complex collections. In its field, collaborative curation plays a crucial role in fostering partnerships between institutions, engaging different communities, and democratizing the process of how collections are managed and presented to the public.

## Notable For
*   **Emphasis on Joint Effort:** Its defining characteristic is the requirement of participation from more than one actor, distinguishing it from solo curatorial work.
*   **Dual Classification:** It is formally categorized as both a type of `curating` and a form of `collaboration`, highlighting its interdisciplinary nature.
*   **Broad Mandate:** The practice is not limited to exhibition design but encompasses the full scope of caring for a collection, including maintenance and expansion.

## Body
### ### Definition and Core Concepts
Collaborative curation is formally defined as the "joint efforts by more than one actor to maintain, expand or otherwise care for a collection." This definition centers on three core concepts:
*   **Joint Efforts:** The actions taken are shared and coordinated among participants.
*   **Multiple Actors:** The process requires a minimum of two individuals, groups, or institutions working in partnership.
*   **Care for a Collection:** The objective is the stewardship of a collection, which includes preservation, growth, and general management.

### ### Classification and Relationships
Collaborative curation is a subclass of two broader concepts, inheriting properties from both:
*   **Curating:** As a form of curating, it falls under the general process of overseeing the collections, exhibitions, research activities, and personnel of an institution like a museum or gallery.
*   **Collaboration:** As a form of collaboration, it is fundamentally an act of working with others to produce or create something.

### ### Scope of Activities
The activities associated with collaborative curation are derived from its role in managing collections. Based on its definition and its parent class of "curating," these activities include:
*   Maintaining the existing collection.
*   Expanding the collection through acquisition or other means.
*   Overseeing the collection's general care and preservation.
*   Managing exhibitions related to the collection.
*   Directing research activities associated with the collection.