Transformation Digital Art 2026: 10th Anniversary Edition

Caring for digital art in a networked society

26 September 2025 - 27 March 2026

LI-MA, Arie Biemondstraat 111, 1054 PD Amsterdam

LI-MA proudly presents the 10th edition of Transformation Digital Art, the annual international symposium dedicated to the preservation of digital art. On 26 and 27 March 2026, we will bring together artists, curators, researchers, conservators, programmers and institutions from around the world. Together, we will explore how we can continue to exchange knowledge, test ideas, and imagine new and relevant models for care and conservation of digital art.

This anniversary edition centres on Networks, exploring the structures that shape our digital society and the ways in which digital art both inhabits and critiques them. From online platforms to social infrastructures, from interconnected collections to networks of care, the symposium examines how artists, museums, and communities navigate – and challenge – today’s networked society.

A Unique Meeting Place

Transformation Digital Art reflects LI-MA’s mission to safeguard, activate, and innovate digital art and how to care for it. Over the past decade, the symposium has established itself as a globally unique hub, connecting artists, museums, universities, and independent practitioners. With its 10th edition, LI-MA reaffirms the urgency of collective responsibility: caring for digital art not only as heritage but also as a living, evolving practice.

“In today's world, the need for collaborative action for change is greater than ever. At LI-MA, sharing infrastructure and knowledge is in our DNA. Operating as a community means working from a networked approach. I am happy the symposium highlights new networks and forms of collaborations. – Gaby Wijers, Director, LI-MA

Looking ahead, LI-MA seeks to expand this network further – welcoming a new generation of conservators, artists, and autodidacts, and strengthening ties with academies and universities worldwide. Perspectives from beyond Europe and cross-disciplinary exchange will remain central to this evolution.

Programme

The 2026 programme will be centred around four core lines of inquiry:

Curating & Preservation
Archiving & Preservation
Modeling & Connecting
New Approaches

Workshops with students and hands-on sessions led by artists will further enhance the symposium’s learning dimension. More information about the programme will be announced soon.

The Future of LI-MA

LI-MA plays a vital role in the preservation, accessibility and development of digital art. Its conservation, distribution and research tasks are widely recognised: leading institutions such as Eye Filmmuseum, Nieuwe Instituut, the Foundation for the Conservation of Contemporary Art, Rhizome and the Digital Preservation Coalition affirm that LI-MA’s knowledge and tasks are crucial to the future presentation of digital art.

Dutch museums, collectors and artists actively support these responsibilities, while international project partners and funders including the University of Nottingham, the University of Exeter and EMBARK (European Media and Born-Digital Art Conservation and Knowledge Network) reinforce this commitment. Digital sustainability requires expertise, dedication, as well as stability and continuity.

"Digital art is at the cutting edge of digital creativity… It is the perfect laboratory to test and enhance the preservation, sustainability and reproducibility of the digital estate. LI-MA has a first-class reputation as a leading practitioner and collaborative partner in this field, working at the cutting edge of a global challenge." – William Kilbride, Executive Director, The Digital Preservation Coalition

Building on this broad foundation of support, LI-MA continues to strengthen its position and looks ahead to a future in which all tasks including its distribution and presentation tasks can once again be fully realised.

This event is made possible with the generous support of the Amsterdam Fund for the Arts (AFK) and UKRI.