Quality is paramount in everything CODART does. This is acknowledged and appreciated by all those who use our services. CODART is seen by its members, friends, and other target groups as a reliable, established, and professional organization. All visits – whether online or in person – are of high quality. CODART is service-oriented and supportive and is constantly looking for opportunities to forge beneficial connections.

CODART connects its international membership – the curators – with each other and constantly exerts itself on their behalf. But curators do not work in isolation. They collaborate with numerous others. The organization supports curators by helping them forge ties with other groups – for instance through the Friends of CODART Foundation or by setting up partnerships with other organizations in the field and facilitating meetings. CODART also pursues cohesiveness in other ways, such as in relation to diversity and inclusion.

CODART believes in the importance of personal contact – an importance that was confirmed during the COVID-19 crisis. No online resources can ever take the place of personal meetings between people. Personal contact possesses great added value – particularly for a network of curators in which knowledge-sharing and cooperation are largely based on trust.

On its website, CODART aspires to a personal style of communication, without compromising on quality. This makes the information provided more accessible. Anyone with an interest in Dutch and Flemish art before 1800 should feel welcome on the website and should not experience a barrier just because CODART is a network of specialists.

CODART strives to achieve sustainability in every respect.

• Programming – CODART devotes attention to sustainability policy in museums by programming themes about it and through the choice of subjects for online publications.
• Organizing activities – When organizing congresses and CODARTfocus meetings, sustainability is a major consideration. The food served is vegetarian and congress materials are kept to a minimum. In practical information, CODART advises members to travel by train rather than by plane whenever possible. Sustainability is also a key factor in the choice of new congress venues. Organizing more online meetings instead of physical events also helps to achieve sustainability goals.
• Knowledge preservation – In CODART’s view, sustainability includes the preservation of knowledge. CODART champions the importance of expertise and research within museums and heritage institutions, focusing in particular on Dutch and Flemish art before 1800. Continuing to conduct good research on objects and collections is an investment in the future, with a view to the longer term. This must always be borne in mind.
• Organization – Sustainability is also important within the organization, for instance in purchases and use of office materials, and in the choice of suppliers. In addition, CODART staff work from home for 50% of their working hours.
• Relationships – Creating enduring relationships with our members, friends, and all our partners is also a kind of sustainability and is crucial to a networking organization like CODART. By building up good, enduring relationships, CODART can carry out its task of forging connections to the best effect and continue to provide added value to the museum sector.

CODART is a unique organization in that it has both an exclusive and an open character. As an exclusive network for curators, CODART provides a safe environment for in-depth debate and knowledge sharing. At the same time, it also functions as an open portal to the world of Dutch and Flemish art, thanks to its large online presence (website and social media) and diverse activities aimed at the public. This dual character enables CODART to serve the needs of both specialists and the general public. By combining the expertise of its members with an accessible style of communication, CODART plays a vital role in the preservation and promotion of our rich cultural heritage. In the coming period, CODART plans to further strengthen this unique role, partly by adopting a new online strategy.