The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how CALIMERA set out to help ordinary citizens right across Europe to join e‐Europe through the digital services provided by their local cultural institutions and to extend the European research area by sharing knowledge and exchanging best practice with those countries providing strong potential for beneficial research partnerships with Europe in the local cultural services area.
During its 18‐month duration (December 2003 to May 2005) CALIMERA monitored technical developments and solutions emerging from IST and national research and assessed their potential as widely transferable technologies for use by local institutions and citizens. It also aimed to co‐ordinate and sensitise the stakeholders including professional networks, national and local authorities and solution providers, contributing strongly to increased knowledge and confidence for national strategic bodies in designing and implementing IST strategies for local cultural services.
The results of CALIMERA: portal web site www.calimera.org 42 country reports; state‐of‐the‐art report on national and local policies; policy toolkit for cross‐domain working; best practice guidelines; policy and best practice forum; impact measurement recommendations; business models report; solutions noticeboard http://solutions.calimera.org; training guidelines; research road‐map; community mapping model; usability guidelines. Originality/value – The extensive portfolio of guidance, evidence and tools for policy makers and professional practitioners developed by CALIMERA will contribute to enabling local cultural institutions to play the important role necessary for achieving a new citizen‐centred and culturally aware Europe
