221A, Hypha Worker Co-operative, and TechSoup area are hosting a two-day hybrid workshop on data sovereignty for galleries, libraries, arts organizations, archives, museums, and special collections.

Participants can expect to learn about methods of preserving and sharing digital assets into distributed storage systems such as Filecoin and InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) and their benefits.

Participants may attend online or in-person.

Day 1: Intro to Decentralized Storage

• Date: February 20, 2025
• Time: 1PM – 3PM PST

Day 2: Hands-on Implementation Workshop

• Date: February 27, 2025
• Time: 1PM – 3PM PST
• Register

Why Decentralized Storage Matters for GLAM

Cultural institutions face mounting challenges in safeguarding digital collections, from ensuring long-term accessibility to protecting data against obsolescence and centralization risks. Decentralized storage offers a groundbreaking alternative that addresses these challenges through:

• Immutability and Permanence: Safeguard cultural data with tamper-proof systems and guarantee provenance in an era of AI-generated slop.
• Community Ownership: Empower cultural organizations to maintain control over their digital assets, fostering shared stewardship and ethical management of cultural heritage.
• Transparency: Build trust with verifiable data history and open systems.
• Cost-Effectiveness: Reduce reliance on costly centralized storage solutions with affordable, scalable technologies.
• Redundancy: Avoid single points of failure with distributed networks that ensure resilience.
• Innovation and Experimentation: Explore new possibilities for collaborative archiving and digital preservation.

What You'll Learn

Participants will gain:

• A foundational understanding of decentralized storage technologies like IPFS and Filecoin.
• Insights into how these tools address specific challenges in cultural preservation.
• Practical knowledge through case studies and examples and implementation examples.
• Opportunities to collaborate and share resources with peers in the GLAM sector.

Participants will also learn about The Node Library, 221A’s ambitious project to develop, run, and maintain decentralized physical infrastructure for arts and culture organizations.

Next Steps

Join us to explore how decentralized storage can empower your organization and transform how cultural data is preserved, shared, and owned. Together, let’s build a future where cultural heritage thrives in the digital era.

Register now to secure your spot in this groundbreaking conversation about the future of digital preservation!

This event is supported by an award from the Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web.

Public Good App House is a project of Caravan Studios, a division of TechSoup.