IASA-BAAC 2026 Conference

Name: Safeguarding Indigenous Sound: Archival Integrity, Resilience, and Authenticity in Australia’s National Audiovisual Memory
Start: 2026-10-21T12:00:00+0300
End: 2026-10-21T12:30:00+0300

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Safeguarding Indigenous Sound: Archival Integrity, Resilience, and Authenticity in Australia’s National Audiovisual Memory

Wednesday October 21, 2026 12:00pm - 12:30pm EEST

Events hall: Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania: Great Hall

National Archives of Australia’s two audio studios have recently undergone a major refurbishment, encompassing a significant procurement process, a complete redesign of audio signal pathways, and the renewal of digitisation workflows. This work has reinforced a central archival principle: that the foundations of analogue‑to‑digital transfer are inseparable from the long‑term integrity, authenticity, and trustworthiness of archival audiovisual files.

In a global context where cultural memory is increasingly threatened—by conflict, technological disruption, and misinformation—this presentation positions technical infrastructure as a form of preparedness and resilience planning. Robust signal design, transparent workflows, metadata integrity, and security frameworks are not merely operational considerations; they are essential safeguards that ensure audiovisual records remain credible and defensible in contested environments.

At the National Archives of Australia, these concerns are especially significant given our custodianship of irreplaceable recordings of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices, past and present. These recordings embody ancient and living cultures and carry deep responsibilities around access, care, cultural authority, and protection. Preserving Indigenous audiovisual heritage requires approaches that prioritise respect, collaboration, and ethical stewardship alongside technical excellence—particularly when communities and their histories have been, and remain, vulnerable to erasure or misrepresentation.

Senior Audio Officer Craig Field will share how the National Archives of Australia has applied new technologies to strengthen archival standards and professional principles, outline the role of security and integrity controls in protecting both collections and people, and discuss how authenticity can be maintained in an era of AI‑generated and manipulated audiovisual content. The presentation will also reflect on the Archives’ vision for accessible, culturally appropriate curation that honours Indigenous knowledge systems while ensuring long‑term preservation.

By embedding resilience, integrity, and collaboration into everyday technical practice, this work demonstrates how audiovisual archives can actively safeguard memory, identity, and trust—both in times of stability and in moments of crisis.

Speakers

Craig Field

Senior Audio Officer, National Archives of Australia

Craig Field is a Senior Audio Preservation Officer at the National Archives of Australia, bringing more than 26 years of professional experience across music, audio, and sound pre- and post-production. His career spans extensive work in Australia and internationally as a commercial... Read More →

Wednesday October 21, 2026 12:00pm - 12:30pm EEST
Events hall: Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania: Great Hall

Short Presentation, Online - TBD

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IASA-BAAC 2026 Conference

Craig Field

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