Digital meets Culture

the talk was organized by the Charleville Heritage Society and presented the INCULTUM work done in the PIlot in County Cork

Historic Graves Pilot from INCULTUM at Charleville Heritage Society’s May talk

INCULTUM partner Eachtra is engaged in The Historic Graves project, that is a community focused, grassroots heritage project where local community groups are trained in low-cost, high-tech field surveys of historic graveyards; also recording their own oral histories.

25th May 2023 – Presentation Historic Graves “Headstones of the Charleville area”

Speaker: John Tierney Archaeologist.

John has surveyed all the local graveyards in the Charleville area such as Charleville Church of Ireland, Charleville Holy Cross, Ballyhea old, Imphrick, Aglishdrinagh, Cooliney & Ardskeagh.

John and his team of community volunteers have traced over 100 gravestones carved by three generations of the one family for a time based here in Charleville North Cork.

The Historic Graves project is a community focused grassroots heritage project. By curating and publishing the survey records centrally the individual community graveyard surveys combine to form a national resource where the value of each survey is compounded by its association with others.

The website allows visitors from Ireland and across the globe to freely explore and search the growing database of multimedia records and stories.It allows communities to self publish historic graveyard surveys and the related multimedia stories.

The surveys are being funded by a number of Local Development Partnerships through LEADER funds and are supported by Local Heritage Officers, County Archaeologists and Local Authorities.

For more details about the project visit www.historicgraves.com

Read More about the Pilot 9 Historic graves in Ireland

The presentation discussed current projects to support digital transformation of the cultural sector such as the Data Space for Cultural Heritage and EUreka3D

EUreka3D presented at CitizenHeritage multiplier event

Improving and facilitating the participation of citizens and local communities in heritage-related projects, such as with collection days, metadata co-curation, transcriptions, and other citizen-science activities, is important to support knowledge sharing and deeper enjoyment of cultural collections.

In the context of the CitizenHeritage project, that is dedicated to foster citizen science practices in the Cultural Heritage sector and at Universities, the multiplier event Citizen Science in Cultural Heritage: practices and digital technologies held in Athens and online on 29/5/2023 was espressely focused on the role of digital technologies and available tools to enable citizen participation. The various presentations explored successful case studies in the field and considered methodological aspects and lessons learnt.

As part of the conference, a presentation by Valentina Bachi (Photoconsortium) addressed the importance of fostering the digital transformation of the cultural heritage sector by improving digitization and online sharing and reuse of cultural collections. In the presentation, current projects such as the Data Space for Cultural Heritage and EUreka3D were illustrated to discuss opportunities and challenges faced by Cultural Institutions.

Download the presentation (PDF)
More information about the Citizenheritage multiplier events: https://www.citizenheritage.eu/multiplier-events/

The survey will include ontology network and competency questions on musical cultural heritage.

European H2020 project Polifonia’s survey on music history

Polifonia is a project funded by the EU Horizon 2020 Programme that will recreate the connections between music, people, places and events from the sixteenth century to the modern day. These findings will be available to everyone as an interconnected global database on the web – a knowledge graph – and will enhance our understanding of European musical heritage.

In the Polifonia project, an ontology network and competency questions pertaining to music history and musical cultural heritage is been developing. In this context, they are running a questionnaire and ask for your participation. You can find the survey here, it will take around 5 minutes to complete.

If you have any questions, please contact Polifonia’s consortium member KCL through albert.merono@kcl.ac.uk or jacopo.deberardinis@kcl.ac.uk.

Making the way to a marginal tourism destination in a major tourism hub: The perception of Campina de Faro by Danish tourist

INCULTUM master thesis between Denmark and Portugal

text by Viktor Smith, Copenhagen Business School

Following a call for master thesis in summer 2022, partner CBS Copenhagen Business School is supervising students interested in cultural tourism, including the work done with the H2020 project INCULTUM. One of the thesis was specifically focused on the INCULTUM Pilot set in Portugal, with title “Attracting Danish tourists to Portugal: A case study of Campina de Faro” by Nickoline Rugaard.

>>> Access the thesis (PDF, 5 Mb)

In dialogue with the work of the Portuguese Pilot coordinated at the university of Algarve, investigations have been carried out by the INCULTUM team at Copenhagen Business School with a special focus on Danish visitors to Algarve and their image (or lack of such) of the Campina de Faro. More than 100.000 Danish tourists visit Algarve coast every year (apart from a temporal decline during the pandemic) which yields it the third-largest destination in Portugal after Madeira and Lisbon. However, an exploratory survey among 117 recent Danish visitors to Portugal carried out as part of the Master thesis project (among which 34% had visited Algarve) showed that only 5 persons (4%) had heard the name ‘Campina de Faro’ and only 3 had actually been there. Moreover, when the respondents at large were asked what they would imagine ‘Campina de Faro’ to be, 59% said they had had no idea at all while the rest expected it to be some facility or place in or near Faro – predominantly a camping site (17 respondents) or, alternatively, a lighthouse, an airport, etc.

Taking further these and other findings gained through two online surveys and a series of qualitative interviews, the thesis analyzes the challenges of crystallizing a more salient and adequate place-brand image among potential ´visitors from Denmark while at the same time aligning it with a brand identity desirable to the local communities.

Current follow-up research takes the topic further and specifically considers the potential of participatory bottom-up approaches to the naming and framing a marginal tourism destination close to a major tourism hub, as illustrated by Campina de Faro. The emphasis in on the so-called low-budget route of (place-)brand development which assigns a major role to what people actually see and do when exposed to the location and/or its name, and how the local inhabitants may actively contribute to the image/identity-building process in word and in deed, including also testimonies of older residents.

The key event about e-infrastructure takes place in Poznań (Poland) from June 19th to June 23rd.

EUreka3D goes to EGI2023 conference to present the project’s DataHub

The annual EGI 2023 conference gathers international scientific communities, computing and service providers, European projects, security experts, community managers, and policy makers, to share and discuss the recent trends of research in data-intensive processing and analytics forward.

EGI is the federation of computing and storage resource providers united by a mission of delivering advanced computing and data analytics services for research and innovation., and is one of the technical partners in EUreka3D, with the task of developing a data hub and new services dedicated to cultural heritage institutions, to support digital collections management and sharing.

On the occasion of the EGI conference, the first version of the EUreka3D DataHub will be presented in a poster and informative flyers are also distributed to the audience.

The presentation follows the recent publication of the project’s D3.1 Report on the EUreka3D services and resource hub: design and implementation.

In this initial deliverable, the DataHub and services currently under development are described. These facilities and resources will enable Cultural Heritage Institutions to access a virtual data space, use storage and computing resources to manage their 3D assets in a secure and easy to use and integrate manner. Additionally, this approach is intended to be an illustrative use case to provide an innovative cost-effective solution to data storage and the online delivery of heritage assets, by providing CHIs with a secure environment, which is technically more flexible and energy efficient.

EGI DataHub deployment diagram

This document is the first technical deliverable of the project and presents the design and initial implementation of the EUreka3D services and resource hub (what can be considered the “EUreka3D infrastructure”). The deliverable presents the general concepts behind the services such as Cloud computing and data management, followed by description of the service architecture and design, used technologies and hardware resources provisioned for deployment of the service.

The final product will be extended during the project to meet its future technological infrastructure and capacity needs, so it will be fully described in Deliverable 3.3 at the end of the project (December 2024).

Download the D3.1 Report on the EUreka3D services and resource hub: design and implementation from the project’s website

Participatory fieldwork continues to restore and valorize rural areas in the Altiplano de Granada

INCULTUM Pilot: annual cleaning Barjas irrigation channel Cáñar (Granada)

text and images courtesy of Elena Correa Jiménez (University of Granada).

On May 6 we carried out the annual cleaning of the Barjas irrigation channel Cáñar (Granada). The activity was organised by the Biocultural Archaeology Laboratory (MEMOLab), coordinated by Professor Dr. José María Martín Civantos, from the Department of Medieval History and CCTTHH of the University of Granada.

This is a medieval irrigation ditch that, after 30 years of abandonment, was recovered in 2014, by MEMOLab Laboratory, in collaboration with the Irrigation Community of Cáñar/Barjas. Since then, we have collaborated in the annual cleaning of the ditch, to achieve irrigation in the summer period, ensuring water in the driest periods.
This activity has been carried out thanks to the work of 50 volunteers from different interests, who, using traditional techniques, cleaned the irrigation ditch of vegetation and soil accumulated throughout the year.

Learn more about INCULTUM Pilot 1 – Altiplano de Granada

The two competitions were launched simultaneously on 5 May 2023.

European Commission launches the European Capital and Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2024 competitions

On behalf of the European Commission, DG GROW, we are pleased to inform you about the launch of two competitions open to cities in the EU Member States, and non-EU countries participating in the current Single Market Programme: the European Capital and European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2024 competitions.

1. European Capital of Smart Tourism

The European Capital of Smart Tourism is an established EU initiative which recognises outstanding achievements by European cities as tourism destinations in four categories: sustainability, accessibility, digitalisation as well as cultural heritage and creativity. It aims to promote smart tourism in the EU, network and strengthen destinations, and facilitate the exchange of best practices. The European Commission is implementing the European Capital of Smart Tourism initiative since 2019. Currently it is financed under the SME Pillar of the Single Market Programme (SMP) and is a successor of the Preparatory Action proposed by the European Parliament. The competition is open to cities across both the EU, as well as the non-EU countries that take part in the Single Market programme, with a population of over 100,000.

2. European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism

The European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism is the successor of the European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) initiative and rewards the best achievements in sustainable tourism and green transition practices in smaller destinations. The competition is founded upon the principle of promoting the development of sustainable tourism in destinations which brings value to the economy, the planet and the people. The competition is open to destinations across both the EU, as well as the non-EU countries that take part in the Single Market programme (See list), with a population between 25,000 – 100,000.

3. Online workshops to guide cities/destinations interested in both competitions

At this occasion, we cordially invite cities to attend two online workshops guiding applicants through the process of writing a successful application for the European Capital and Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2024 competitions.

European Capital of Smart Tourism: Applicant workshop on 1 JuneThe online workshop will take place on 1 June 2023, at 14:00 – 15:00 CET.To attend the workshop please register here.
European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism: Applicant workshop on 5 JuneThe online workshop will take place on 5 June 2023, at 14:00 – 15:00 CET. To attend the workshop please register here.

Find here more information about “How to nail your application in 7 steps”, or listen to the dedicated EU Smart Tourism podcast episode.

To compete for the European Capital or Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2024 title, apply online by 5 July 2023, at 17:00 CET. We invite you to read more about the initiative and find out how to apply on: https://smarttourismcapital.eu/.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact the initiative secretariat: info@smarttourismcapital.eu.

Athens, 29 May 2023

Citizen Science in Cultural Heritage: practices and digital technologies

Wedding dance, Litohoro, Olympus di Άγνωστος δημιουργός – 1979 – Greece – CC BY-NC-ND. https://www.europeana.eu/item/2064929/https___www_searchculture_gr_aggregator_edm_LEMMTH_000043_11533_1902

On Monday, May 29 2023, the National Technical University of Athens, partner of the CitizenHeritage project, organises the workshop entitled Citizen Science in Cultural Heritage: practices and digital technologies.

CitizenHeritage is a European project funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the EU, which collaborates with the UNCHARTED project.

The workshop of 29th June is the 4th and final multiplier event organised by the CitizenHeritage project, which follows the previews workshops in Pisa, Rotterdam and Leuven. Thanks to the collaboration between the projects, UNCHARTED attended and participated in all these events with presentations, posters and distribution of leaflets.

This time, Antonella Fresa, Network & Communication Manager of the UNCHARTED project and Vice-President of Photoconsortium Association, will present the Data Space for Cultural Heritage, the initiative of European Commission aiming to accelerate the digital transformation of Europe’s cultural sector. Photoconsortium is partner of the CitizenHeritage project and of the Data Space for Cultural Heritage initiative.

The workshop is a hybrid event that will take place physically at the Library of the National Technical University of Athens and accessible online.

Agenda and registration are available here.

The workshop will take place online on 25 May from 13:00 to 14:30.

Europeana-Ki Culture Sustainability Workshop Series: Workshop II – Climate Action

Bauhinia variegata, Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Garden and Botanical Museum, CC BY-SA

The Europeana Network Association’s Climate Action Community is holding a series of workshops in collaboration with Ki Culture and supported by Europeana Foundation on sustainability and sustainable digital cultural heritage management: these workshops will focus on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), climate action, and better digital information management practice.

“Workshop II – Climate Action” is the second of a three-session workshop series and it will focus on the climate crisis and specifically what the cultural sector can do about it: the workshop challenges participants to discuss topics that they may feel are controversial or difficult to discuss.

By providing moderated, small discussion spaces, participants are given space and time to explore their own thoughts and feelings regarding the climate crisis and the larger and smaller actions happening. Participants should leave feeling empowered and relieved – having a clearer takeaway on what the nuances are of these topics and a clearer idea of their thoughts on these issues.

Find all the related information and register to participate at this link.

The workshop takes place in Brussels on 31st May 2023, with 3 parallel tracks dedicated to different stakeholders

CitizenHeritage presented at Scivil workshop ‘Shared Challenges in Citizen Science’

There are many unique challenges involved in setting up citizen science. Scivil, a Flemish knowledge center for citizen science that promotes citizen science projects in Flanders and beyond, is organizing a workshop on 31/5/2023 with three parallel tracks to discuss these challenges and come up with possible solutions together.

CitizenHeritage joins forces with Scivil in this event, to provide insights about citizen participation in cultural heritage and its potential with citizen science.

The workshop includes a general presentation and three thematic sessions in parallel, focused on shared challenges in citizen science:

citizen science in museums, archives and libraries
citizen science and the role of local authorities
support citizen science in your organization

The workshop is an in-presence event, in Dutch language.

Speakers and presenters:
– Thomas Van Oppens (city of Leuven)
– Prof. Fred Truyen (Citizen Heritage Project)
– Luiza Mitrache (Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences & Royal Museum for Central Africa)

More information and registration: https://www.scivil.be/event/workshop-gedeelde-uitdagingen-citizen-science