The Europeana Network Association (ENA) has become a flourishing movement of over 3000 professionals across Europe and beyond who promote digital cultural heritage as a powerful agent in our ever-changing world. In our proactive community we share knowledge and experience, and engage in creative cross-border and cross-domain collaboration on topics of common interest.
Among the membership benefits we offer to our members is the opportunity to be formally represented in the governance of the Europeana Initiative. Every year, our members elect their representatives on the Members Council, who then confer and determine decisions on their behalf. The Members Council is composed of 36 representatives, some of whom will complete their terms and step down this year. We are currently seeking new, committed Councillors to fill nine open seats.
Responsibilities of a Councillor
Being a Councillor means formally representing and championing the interests of ENA members. As a Councillor, you can help us look into new ways of adding value to ENA membership, support work to make the ENA more inclusive, and develop new initiatives with societal impact. In the coming years, as a Councillor you will also have an opportunity to advise and actively help Europeana implement its new Strategy, as well as support and deepen the impact of Europeana’s wider initiative to digitally transform the cultural heritage sector. You will be able to elect the ENA’s Management Board in January 2021, and will have the opportunity to join the steering Groups, and lead the activities of the ENA communities, task forces and working groups. The Council continues to create new opportunities for members to get involved in community activities, establish projects in the ENA, and build on the vital collaboration with the Europeana Aggregators’ Forum and Europeana Foundation.
We are looking for committed members who are ready to actively participate in these activities and available to attend meetings that take place three times a year - around March, July and November. The Councillor Terms of Reference offer an overview of your responsibilities as a Councillor.
Join the Council
On behalf of the ENA’s Governance Working Group, we are excited to formally kick off the 2020 elections campaign. From now until 18 October 2020, we invite all ENA members to come forward as Members Council candidates to fill the nine open seats.
We want the ENA to be inclusive and diverse, and we welcome candidates from all backgrounds and sectors relevant to Europeana, providing you are a member of the ENA. Whether you're brand new to Europeana or have many years experience in the cultural heritage sector we want to hear from you! We welcome everyone - current students, recent graduates, emerging professionals, cultural enthusiasts and diligent experts working in research, education, copyright, technological development, creative industry, copyright, or any other area related to Europeana’s work. If you’re not a registered member yet, there’s still time to sign up - make sure you do so before 1 October 2020.
Please send us your candidate profile and submit your candidacy via the button below by the end of 18 October 2020. You will be asked to describe why you wish to run, what you stand for, and what you want to work towards as a Members Councillor. We will then formally announce the candidates and start the campaigning process on 20 October 2020, inviting each candidate to introduce themselves to the ENA. Don’t forget to follow the campaign using the hashtag #EuropeanaElects.
The election process
Official voting for Members Councillors begins in mid November during the General Assembly meeting at the Europeana 2020 annual event. All Europeana Network Association members will then have one week to vote for nine candidates for the vacant seats. The voting process will be anonymous.
The election campaign and voting procedure will be overseen by the Voting and Elections Committee. We will guide you through the elections until the announcement of the final results. If you have any questions please get in touch with us at [email protected].
We look forward to receiving your applications!