Introducing Digital Cyclades

Archipelago Network announces its new project “Digital Cyclades,” which documents and highlights the voices of local communities with the aim of creating a bilingual (GR–EN), open-access online database dedicated to the cultural heritage of the Cyclades.

Building on the organization’s ongoing research and creative output across eleven Cycladic islands, the project serves as a hub for documenting and disseminating local, vernacular, and community-based knowledge systems rooted in Cycladic traditions. By placing cultural heritage preservation and digital engagement at the center of an open, participatory, community-oriented initiative, the project presents the contemporary cultural heritage of island Greece as a vivid asset with significant—yet still underexplored—artistic, creative, and research potential.

“Digital Cyclades” is implemented under the auspices and with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture, as well as with the financial support of the Ministry of Digital Governance and the General Secretariat of the Aegean & Island Policy of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy.

Multi-Site Workshop Series

In collaboration with local partners and communities, Archipelago Network organizes three participatory documentation workshops on Amorgos, Milos, and Syros, inviting residents, researchers, students, and cultural practitioners to contribute to the preservation and sharing of local heritage. Each workshop includes a day of practical training followed by online documentation sessions. Participation is free of charge, with pre-registration required.

WORKSHOP PROGRAM

Workshop I: Amorgos (December 2025) – Documentation of the photographic archive of the “Chozoviotissa” Professional Fishing Association, in collaboration with the Ioannideos Municipal Library of Amorgos.

Workshop II: Milos (March 2026) – Documentation of photographic and audiovisual archives concerning the island’s mining history, in collaboration with the Milos Labor Center and Milos Mining Museum.

Workshop III: Syros (April 2026) – Documentation of photographic and audiovisual archives concerning traditional boatbuilding, in collaboration with the Department of Product and Systems Design Engineering, University of the Aegean.

The workshops are carried out in collaboration with WikiEllinisti, a newly established initiative promoting the Greek presence on Wikipedia and the participatory creation of Greek-language and Greece-related content.

A Living Archive Linking Local Knowledge with Global Networks

“Digital Cyclades” integrates community-generated heritage data into Archipelago Network’s collections, linking these assets with Wikidata and the Wikipedia ecosystem. Through this connection, Cycladic cultural heritage becomes part of the global digital commons, enhancing its visibility and accessibility worldwide.

The “Digital Cyclades” platform, launching in 2026, brings together for the first time the audiovisual collections from all of Archipelago Network’s projects. By aggregating and interlinking these archives, the platform serves as a central hub for the cultural and scientific mapping of the Cyclades—bridging local knowledge with global access.