Research data is a valuable resource and, with appropriate curation and management, it has much to offer learning, teaching, research, knowledge transfer and consultancy in the visual arts. From the outset in 2011, the KAPTUR project team noted that very little was known about the curation and management of this data: none of the specialist arts institutions had research data management policies or infrastructure in place and evidence suggested that practice was ad hoc, left to individual researchers and teams with little support or guidance. In addition, the curation and management of such diverse and complex digital and physical resources presented unique challenges.

Led by the Visual Arts Data Service (VADS), a Research Centre of the University for the Creative Arts (UCA), in collaboration with the Glasgow School of Art; Goldsmiths, University of London; and University of the Arts London, and supported by Jisc, the KAPTUR project (2011-2013) sought to address this lack of awareness.

The objectives of the KAPTUR project were two-fold: to investigate the nature of research data in the visual arts and, to consider the application of technology to support collection, discoverability, usage, and preservation of research data in the arts. To support this, policies, procedures and systems were reviewed and case studies were developed to demonstrate emerging knowledge and practice.

The project began with an environmental assessment which considered issues of terminology, the role of the visual arts researcher, how visual arts research data is created, used and preserved.

Next, the technical review considered two questions. First, what did researchers need to support effective research data management in the visual arts? Second, what was the most appropriate technology solution to facilitate the appropriate management of research data in the visual arts?

Following on, the Visual Arts Data Skills for Researchers (VADS4R) project is extending and developing this work, by tailoring these learning materials for use with early careers researchers and postgraduate students in the visual arts to inform, support and embed appropriate research data management practice across the visual arts. Led by the Centre for Digital Scholarship (formerly known as VADS), at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA), and in collaboration with Falmouth University and Glasgow School of Art, VADS4R will develop, deliver, and evaluate a training programme at each partner institution. VADS4R runs from February 2013 to July 2014 and is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). The approach, method and lessons learnt from the project will be considered.

In conclusion, research data in the visual arts can be: tangible and intangible; digital and physical; heterogeneous and infinite; and complex and complicated, and as such does not always fit into the natural scheme of data management. The development of policies, procedures, systems and training requires an innovative and flexible approach which is iterative and open to interpretation.