DIGITALHERITAGE2025 EXPO
DigitalHeritage Expo is the exhibition of Digital Heritage, open to the conference attendees, but also to external participants, including decision makers, professionals and citizens. It is a “scientific” exhibition because exhibits are selected after a call and a peer review evaluation made by experts, scientists and artists, in the domain. The expo is meant to offer a physical space where professionals, scientists and also citizens can meet, debate and be inspired by digital ideas applied to Cultural Heritage. The upcoming edition is chaired by Sarah Kenderdine (EPFL) and Daniele Ferdani (CNR ISPC) and it will be supported by BMTA’s Archeovirtual and PERCEIVE, organised by CNR ISPC and University of Siena. In its previous editions, the Expo has attracted over 5,000 visitors, with more than 100 projects, installations and demonstrations coming from all over the world and organised around specific themes. In each edition, a Call4Expo has identified distinct categories, highlighting innovation across multiple sectors.
- LOCATION: San Niccolò Palace, Via Roma, 56, 53100 Siena SI – Italy
- DATES: 8-12 September 2025
- OPENING TIMES: 9 a.m. to 19 p.m.
You are kindly invited to join the 4th edition of the Call4Expo by submitting original contributions applied to the various areas within the Digital Cultural Heritage domain. You can submit applications and demonstrations that include immersive and interactive technologies, such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Extended Reality (XR), Mixed Reality (MR), Hybrid Technologies, Tangible Interactions, Natural Interactions, projection mapping, etc., alongside innovative solutions in areas like serious games, virtual tourism, interactive museums, digital born art, 3D printing, holography, digital publishing, ai-based and sensor-based applications etc. The application domain should be referred to any of the UNESCO categories of our tangible and intangible patrimony: Built Heritage, Culture & Traditions, Museums & Collections, Libraries & Archives, Art & Creativity.
HOW TO APPLY
Institutions, companies, organisations, but also groups or single artists and scientists, are encouraged to apply to the Call for Exhibition, by completing the Call4Exhibiton line form. APPLY NOW!
Selected projects and applications will give to the exhibitors the unique opportunity to present their works to hundreds of participants of the DigitalHeritage Congress, to engage thousands of local and international visitors in the historic city of Siena, and to gain visibility in the global digital heritage community and foster partnerships with leading researchers and institutions.
Each project will be given a space of 2×3 m, 3×3 m or 4×4 m in accordance with the requirements. In specific special cases of a project of high innovative value it may be assigned two spaces. Each space will be set up by the organisation with:
- subdividing modular walls (textile or PVC)
- (optional) carpets or similar to define clearly the assigned area
- (optional) panel with name of the project, author and short description
- one or two tables
- 2 chairs (the number might be increased in accordance with the project)
- LED lights
- electricity
- Wi-Fi access
- (optional) Monitor or Screen
THEMES
You can submit any application or demonstration within, but not exclusively, the following themes:
- Digital Preservation and Dissemination (innovative methods for digitally preserving, archiving, and sharing cultural assets to ensure long-term accessibility)
- Interactive and Immersive Experiences (Digital tools for enhancing visitor interaction at museums, galleries, and archaeological sites, through virtual tours, augmented reality, or interactive installations).
- Multi User and Collaborative Experiences and paradigms
- Virtual Museums and Virtual Tourism (design tools and digital experiences for museums, monuments and cultural places)
- Built and Architectural Heritage (Solutions for documenting, preserving, and presenting architectural heritage through 3D models, reconstructions, and immersive visualizations).
- Historical Reconstructions (Immersive storytelling techniques and technologies to recreate and explore historical sites, events, or periods, allowing visitors to engage with the past in new, interactive ways)
- Serious Games, Applied Games and Gamification
- Intangible Heritage (Capturing and preserving non-physical cultural elements such as traditions, languages, and rituals through digital platforms and media)
- Art and Creativity (Exploring the intersection of art and technology through digital innovations that enhance both artistic creation and engagement with cultural heritage).
- Artificial Intelligence in Art and Culture
- Libraries, Archives, and Collections (Solutions for digitizing and managing physical and digital collections, such as books, manuscripts, and artifacts, ensuring their long-term preservation and public access)
- Collaborative Restoration Projects (Digital tools that support collaborative efforts in the restoration of cultural heritage, enabling contributions from professionals and the public alike)
EVALUATION PROCESS
Up to a maximum of 20 applications or demonstrations will be selected. should demonstrate clear innovation. It will be evaluated also considering: the characteristics of immersivity, interactivity, how the application answers to specific objectives or problems, how it enhances public engagement and/or provide advanced tools and solutions for professionals working in the fields.
PUBLICATION
The accepted applications’ proponents will be given the possibility to publish their work as a journal paper, in the special issue of the Elsevier Journal Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage (DAACH): “Digital Heritage Frontiers: Exploring Immersive and Interactive Technologies”.
KEY DATES
| MILESTONE | Date |
|---|---|
| Submission Deadline | April 1st, 2025 |
| Notification of Selection | April 30st, 2025 |
| Expo Dates | September 8th to 12th, 2025 |
| Special Issue Paper Submission Deadline | September 8th, 2025 |
We look forward to receiving your innovative proposals and welcoming you to the Digital Heritage 2025 Expo in Siena!
For further information, please contact: digitalheritage@unisi.it