Catalogue Stewardship

Creating a digital catalogue raisonné is a significant achievement—but publication is just the beginning. Digital resources require continuous maintenance, technological updates, and vigilant preservation to remain accessible and functional over time. The Foundation for Artist Catalogues provides comprehensive, long-term stewardship that ensures your catalogue endures.

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What Stewardship Means

 

Digital stewardship goes far beyond simple web hosting. It's an active, ongoing commitment to preserve the integrity, functionality, and accessibility of your catalogue as technology evolves and standards change.

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Our stewardship services include:

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Technical Maintenance

• Regular software updates and security patches

• Performance monitoring and optimization

• Server maintenance and backup systems

• Bug fixes and technical troubleshooting

 

Digital Preservation

• Adherence to established archival protocols

• Regular data integrity checks

• Redundant backup systems across multiple locations

• File format monitoring and migration as needed

 

Technology Adaptation

• Updates to maintain compatibility with modern browsers and devices

• Integration of emerging web standards

• Platform enhancements to improve accessibility and performance

• Adaptation to evolving scholarly and metadata standards

 

Continuous Access

• 24/7 uptime monitoring

• Protection against data loss or corruption

• Disaster recovery protocols

• Long-term URL stability for citations and references

 

Built for the Long Term

 

Unlike commercial web hosting services that may discontinue support or change focus, the Foundation for Artist Catalogues exists exclusively to preserve and maintain digital catalogues raisonnés. Our nonprofit mission ensures that stewardship remains our primary commitment, regardless of market forces or technological trends.

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Adapting to Change

 

The digital landscape evolves constantly. Web standards change, file formats become obsolete, security requirements increase, and user expectations shift. Our stewardship services actively monitor and respond to these changes, ensuring your catalogue remains current, secure, and accessible.

We handle the technical complexity so scholars, researchers, and the public can focus on engaging with the content itself.

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Funding Long-Term Stewardship

 

Permanent stewardship requires sustainable funding. We offer flexible options to ensure your catalogue receives ongoing care:

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Endowment Gift - Stakeholders can provide a one-time grant or gift that contributes to an endowment fund dedicated to the long-term preservation and maintenance of their catalogue. This approach ensures permanent funding independent of future institutional changes.

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Third-Party Support - Catalogues may be supported through grants or gifts from cultural institutions, philanthropic organizations, or individual benefactors committed to preserving artistic legacies and advancing scholarship.

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Subscription Access Model - For catalogues that benefit from broader usage, optional subscription fees for enhanced access can generate ongoing revenue to support stewardship costs while maintaining free basic access for researchers and the public.

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We work with each stakeholder to identify the funding approach that best aligns with their goals, resources, and vision for accessibility.

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Peace of Mind

 

When artist foundations sunset, institutional priorities shift, or original stakeholders transition, catalogues can become orphaned—left without anyone responsible for their care. Our stewardship services provide certainty: your catalogue will be maintained, preserved, and accessible for generations to come.

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Your scholarly work deserves permanent protection. ​Whether you're planning a new catalogue or seeking long-term stewardship for an existing publication, we're here to ensure artistic legacies endure.