In the past, each medium had its own life cycle: the production of manuscripts, books, film or video were very different. In the digital age, the life cycles of all media are potentially related. Needed is a new research matrix that covers the whole spectrum of the knowledge life-cycle ranging from technologies and infrastructure, content creators, content holders, content brokers, context creators, content and context communication, to applications and implications. The creation of such a research matrix is the first major goal of E-Culture Net, including both a macro-level for the big picture and a detailed micro-level research matrix. The research matrix brings into focus existing solutions, standards, theoretical methods, critical thinking, teaching, provides roadmaps for future research and helps to understand potentials for new employment and e-creativity in the knowledge economy (figure 1).

The research matrix prepares the way for a Distributed European Electronic Resource (DEER) that serves two main functions: a distributed repository of European digital cultural resources, with a portal to make them accessible to all the people of Europe and a forum for communication between researchers, content creators, the commercial sector, and users: a virtual agora for European culture.

Together the research matrix and the Distributed European Electronic Resource (DEER) serve as the basis for new European Masters and Doctorates in digital culture. E-Culture Net brings together those in universities, research institutions, cultural organisations (museums, libraries and archives), industry and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). E-Culture Net links with more specialised networks, emerging national networks and international networks to provide a new vision of European Culture in a global context.

E-Culture Net is presently a thematic network under the 5th Framework Programme (IST-2001-37491) working to establish an European Network of Centres of Excellence in the 6th Framework Programme (FP). Beginning from a group of 34 founding members, it has acquired 112 candidate members in the past four months. Building on the efforts for broadband connectivity through GEANT, E-Culture Net will extend the vision of an E-Science Grid to create a Grid for E-Culture to create a European Research Area (ERA) and give substance to the larger vision of E-Europe (Lisbon, 2000).