FAQ

Anyone can access a digitized photo, a video file, a map, or other materials from the Urban Media Archive by sending a request to [email protected]. You need to indicate your purpose for use, as well as an ID and a reference to the record.

Urban Media Archive consists of digitized or digital copies of materials originating from private or institutional collections. Upon receiving the request, we will send you contacts of a person or institution holding ownership of the material or the rights thereof. You can get a file with a digital copy as soon as the user permit is confirmed. The holder of these materials shall be entitled to suggest their terms of use.

The use of any materials can be possible with the mandatory link to the Urban Media Archive of the Center for Urban History indicating the collection and the author (if available).

Yes, a large part of materials of the Urban Media Archive has not yet been posted on the website but they are available offline.

Researchers can study the assembled but not yet processed collections by receiving direct access to the files and the archives. There is a separate allocated computer for that purpose in the Center where you can view digitized materials in high resolution.

Access to offline collections in the library of the Center for Urban History is available during the week, from 10:00 to 18:00 (6 Akademika Bohomoltsia Street).

For any questions on the offline access and collections, please, contact [email protected].

Yes, if you have any interesting materials and wish to share them to become part of the media archive, please, send a description to us. While our research interests are rather broad, we mainly focus on visual media and urban history. The topics we explore:

• visual history of urban life;
• history of photography and archives of photographers;
• non-conformism and dissident movement in the 20th century;
• media history of the 20th century (television and newsreel documentary footage, radio);
• industrial heritage of cities in East and Central Europe;
• urban everyday life (private archives);
• home video and amateur films (8mm, 16mm, VHS);
• mapping of cities and historical events;
• cities and urban life in feature and documentary films;
• oral history of urban communities and spaces;
• creative communities in the city and urban creativity.

We do not store originals and physical media but only digitize collections and return them to owners. Instead, researchers and users of the Urban Media Archive have a chance to study them via our resource. We do not transfer the materials to third persons without prior agreement with their authors or holders.

We are open to cooperation with researchers, interns, artists, curators, and various institutions and initiatives. If our research interests overlap, please, write to use about your ideas. We are interested to exercise individual research on the basis of collections of the Urban Media Archive and projects related to digital technologies, archives, and archiving.

Does your research involve the use of Urban Media Archive? Please, pay attention to the program of monthly scholarships from the Center for Urban History.

In addition to archiving and research, we cooperate with artists and host residents who produce their own works with the use of archival collections. Moreover, we organize public events, exhibitions, and film screenings as part of the [unarchiving] program.

You can take the internship at the Urban Media Archive but it is not a regular practice. That is why we consider every request on a case by case basis. We usually have a lot of work to share but we prefer responsible persons who can work independently and systematically. Please send your CVs and motivation letters and we will consider them.