Katherine Biggs, Senior Digital Manager at the National Portrait Gallery, London. Photo © Courtesy of the NPG
1.What is your museum about and what is your work there?
The National Portrait Gallery, London, was the first portrait gallery in the world when it first opened in 1856. The Gallery holds a Collection of over 200,000 portraits of people who have made and are making British history and culture, and promotes the appreciation and understanding of portraiture in all media.
My role is to manage all of the Gallery’s digital activity, including the management of our Collection online, which 4.6m people engaged with in 2020. While the Gallery is closed until 2023, much of our digital work is around developing new ways to share our work and Collection with audiences through technology, often through innovative partnerships.
2.What is the impact on your digital activity? Do you have tips to share with your colleagues?
Since March 2020 there has been a significant impact on the Gallery’s digital activity, firstly impacted by the national lockdown here in the UK, and then by the planned closure of the Gallery for a major redevelopment as part of our Inspiring People project, which will transform our building in London.
