Digital meets Culture

Promoted by VAST

Survey on Cultural Institutions’ role in the diffusion of values

The H2020 VAST project, member of UNCHARTED community, launched a survey that hopefully will lead to a collaboration with Europeana.

The project aims at studying the transformation of fundamental European values by tracing and connecting the values of the past (preserved in documents from different Countries and periods of European history) with the one of the present. The research is carried out with the collection and the digitization of the different manners through which the values are conveyed today in cultural activities and through the analysis of the way in which they are perceived by the audiences.

This questionnaire, realised by the “Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienze (IMSS)”, Italy, has the goal to understand how the actors involved in the communication of the values (i.e. museum curators, museum educators, scholars, directors, artists, creative teams and other stakeholders related to the communication of values) perceive the role that cultural Institutions play in the dissemination of these values.

In addition, the survey aims at analyzing the users’ expectations regarding the availability of a project platform and digital tools that can help the analysis of the values, their research and communication.

Access the survey (estimated time 10 minutes) via https://platform.vast-project.eu/research-cultural-institutions-role/

the discussion was focused on social economy and development of Mountain Communities

INCULTUM pilot set in Greece participates in Vovousa festival

text and photos courtesy of The High Mountains cooperative.

Monday, July 18 The High Mountains Social Cooperative participated in the Vovousa Festival, a mountain festival dedicated to environmental protection, which has been organising events since 2015 that enhance sustainability and highlight the comparative advantages of North Pindos.

Colleagues of THM presented the INCULTUM Project and the pilot “Aoos the shared River” in a discussion about today’s mountain “Communities”, the problems and prospects of the mountain regions. We were invited to discuss about The Social Economy, as a traditional but also a modern tool for the development of Mountain Communities and give examples for production, culture and tourism. INCULTUM and our pilot in Konitsa was presented as a typical example of the utilization of cultural tourism by communities to their benefit, in order to survive and thrive.

More about the Aoos Pilot:

The Vjosa/Aoos River, considered as ‘one of Europe’s last living wild rivers’, springs from Mt. Pindus in Greece, and then enters Albania. On both sides of the river banks, extends a terrain of agrarian field terraces alternated with hilly lands of rich Mediterranean vegetation where the traditional settlements are situated, followed by high mountain massifs dominated by continental climate with rich water sources, forests, flora and fauna, and broad prominent pastures.

On the Greek side, Konitsa is the main town of the area and the capital of the municipality surrounded by some of the highest mountains of Greece. It is built on the edge of Vikos Canyon, core of the National Park of Vikos-Aoos and one of the four Greek Geoparks, which became a member of the European and Global Geopark Networks in 2010. Numerous geosites within the territory are situated in landscapes of incomparable beauty.

In the INCULTUM pilot 7, the main expected action relates to the mapping of the natural, social, cultural and productive resources of the area, analysis of the data gathered during the mapping and their visualization using Business Intelligence tools. With this digital platform we are going to give the ability to citizens, local authorities and stakeholders, but also to visitors, to virtually combine resources of the area and propose their own evidence-based development actions and policies. Furthermore, the database is going to be participatory and always open to new inputs, collected by questionnaires, free text, business registrations, comments for the area etc.

Discover all the INCULTUM Pilots: https://incultum.eu/pilots/

the Study report provides a review and analysis of practices in higher education that involved citizen to participate in cultural heritage research

CitizenHeritage Study about citizen enhanced open science in cultural heritage

CitizenHeritage, funded within the Erasmus+ programme of the European Commission, is a project about the involvement of citizens in cultural heritage as a booster for sustainable university research and higher education.

In this light, CitizenHeritage produced a substantial, evidence-based Study for a review of practices of Higher Education Institutions’ engagement in citizen enhanced open science in the area of cultural heritage. It defined best practices regarding HEI organisation, open practice, sustainability, and civic engagement.

It also identified untapped potential where HEIs can play a more active role thus to connect civic engagement with the open science virtuous circle, in the Cultural Heritage sector. Until 15 February 2021 a Survey was also open for collecting inputs about projects including Citizen Science in cultural heritage.

The results of the Survey and of the desktop research that converged in the Study were published in a open access report that summarizes the findings. The report was published in July 2022, on Zenodo.

Download the Study as PDF

Zourou, Katerina, & Ziku, Mariana. (2022). Citizen Enhanced Open Science in Cultural Heritage – Review and analysis of practices in Higher Education.

Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6875125

Executive Summary: This publication addresses a largely underexplored topic: open and citizen science dimensions in the field of cultural heritage, by emphasising the role higher education institutions can play. Some of the questions this study tackles are:
• How can universities act as citizen science incubators?
• How to connect civic engagement with open science?
• How to move towards active public engagement models in scholarly research, all with an application in the cultural heritage field?

Τhe concept of “citizen enhanced open science” will serve to broaden the scope of open science by including public participation in the shaping of scientific research. For the analysis, we identified – with the support of the project partners – 110 international cases, refined to 25 European based practices. The study maps the infrastructures, digital tools and typologies which enable the active involvement of citizens in scientific knowledge co-creation. The applied typology is informed by several European policy guidelines and initiatives that discuss the connection between open science, higher education and civic engagement. We opted for a data-driven approach which elaborated on the concept of “citizen enhanced open science” analysing, among others, such dimensions as open data, FAIR data, type of participation and form of civic engagement; presenting the results through data visualisations.

Learn more about the CitizenHeritage project: https://www.citizenheritage.eu/

the formal kick-off is organized in October by the coordinator Centre for Social Studies (CES), Portugal

IN SITU new project to research cultural and creative industries specific needs, and potential

The project “IN SITU – Place-based innovation of cultural and creative industries in non-urban areas” was launched on July 1, 2022, with a 48-month duration. Coordinated by the Centre for Social Studies at the University of Coimbra, Portugal, the €4 million project is funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe programme.

Under-construction. photo – courtesy of N. Duxbury

Despite the increased visibility and importance of cultural and creative industries (CCIs) based in non-urban areas of the European Union in the last decade, there is a noticeable lack of research and policy attention to their specific needs, characteristics, and potential. IN SITU brings together leading research approaches to economic evolution and diversification, processes of innovation, non-urban place-based planning, and entrepreneurship in CCIs. The project aims to contribute to increasing the capacity of CCIs to act as drivers of innovation, competitiveness, and sustainability in their local context.

IN SITU seeks to provide in-depth knowledge on the effects of cross-sectoral connections, innovative strategies and systems, and the needs of CCIs’ practitioners in non-urban areas, complementing this with proposals for cultural and innovation policies and frameworks. IN SITU includes also capacity-building programme to enable CCIs to address some of the key issues in their communities/regions.

The core defining aspect of IN SITU is the interlinking of research and practice through place-based IN SITU Labs – hubs for networking, capacity building, and monitoring case studies in six non-urban regions across Europe, located in Portugal, Ireland, Iceland, Finland, Latvia, and Croatia.

The project Consortium brings together 13 institutional partners in 12 countries: the Centre for Social Studies of the University of Coimbra (coordinator); National University of Ireland Galway (Ireland); European Network of Cultural Centres (Belgium); Utrecht University (Netherlands); National Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (France); MONDRAGON Innovation & Knowledge (Spain); Kultura Nova Foundation (Croatia); University of the Azores (Portugal); University of Turku (Finland); Latvian Academy of Culture (Latvia); Bifröst University (Iceland); National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts “Kr. Sarafov” (Bulgaria); and University of Hildesheim (Germany).

The IN SITU project is also accompanied by an array of Outreach Partners within Europe and internationally: Culture Action Europe, DigitalMeetsCulture.eu, EMES – Research Network for Social Enterprise, Creative Scotland, United Cities and Local Governments – Committee on Culture, Cultural Development Network (Australia), Creative City Network of Canada, SPARC: Supporting Performing Arts in Rural and Remote Communities (Canada), and Sustaining Theatre and Dance (STAND) Foundation (South Africa). In addition, the project has an International Advisory Board of seven leading international experts working on CCIs and culture-based work in non-urban areas.

For further information, please contact Nancy Duxbury (IN SITU Principal Investigator, Centre of Social Studies, University of Coimbra, Portugal) at duxbury@ces.uc.pt

16 September, 2022

WEAVE final Conference “Weaving digital culture: tangible and intangible heritage, cultural communities and the digital transformation”

News from the UNCHARTED community!

The WEAVE – Widen European Access to cultural communities Via Europeana project, has announced its final conference which will explore the connections between tangible and intangible heritage, cultural communities and the digital transformation process of cultural heritage organizations.
The event will be held in hybrid format, online and in-person in Girona, on September 16, 2022.

The programme includes several keynote speakers who will present the main achievements of the project and cover topics such as: building the capacity of cultural heritage institutions for digital transformation and better engagement with communities.

All participants will be involved in a lively discussion thanks to a networking lunch and a digital exhibition.

A workshop on Photogrammetry in cultural heritage 3D digitisation, with a particular focus on heritage photography, will conclude the event.

All updates and useful information on the WEAVE final conference are available at https://weave-culture.eu/conference/

proposed by an expert environmental guide, one-day field trip on 21 August 2022 which will conclude with the theatrical performance 'Un prete, due santi, un confine e 4000 pezzi unici'

Guided field trip to discover the area of the INCULTUM Pilot set in Tuscany

all photos courtesy of Promoter.

Scope of the INCULTUM Pilots, which are all set in peripheral and remote areas, is to unveil the cultural and natural richness of under-rated territories while, at the same time, avoiding the negative impacts of touristification. This effort is at the heart of INCULTUM’s innovation and research, that leverage communities’ participation in sustainable tourism development and aims at attracting the interest of other stakeholders in these areas.

As an outcome of the effort deployed by the INCULTUM Pilot in Garfagnana (Italian Apennines) to promote the territory and its richness, an autonomous initiative, created by an expert environmental guide, is proposed on 21 August 2022: a one-day field trip, open to anyone interested, which will explore the beautiful landscapes and historical itineraries of the area.

The guided excursion will be concluded in the town San Pellegrino in Alpe, where on the same day the excursionists can enjoy the theatrical performance by actress Elisabetta Salvatori “Un prete, due santi, un confine e 4000 pezzi unici”, which is part of the activities organized in the framework of the INCULTUM Pilot.

Thanks to the nice proposed excursion, the INCULTUM project demonstrates once more its potential in terms of impact delivery, activating independent stakeholders to exploit the momentum created by the Pilot, on the territory.

The performance will be repeated multiple times across the summer, having already proved to be an interesting element of cultural attraction and tourist engagement in San Pellegrino in Alpe.

Discover the INCULTUM Pilot set in Garfagnana: https://incultum.eu/pilots/5-garfagnana/

Information about the excursion provided by the organiser:

Easy excursion suitable for everyone, which starts from the village of San Pellegrino in Alpe and will reach the Passo delle Radici on the border between Emilia Romagna and Tuscany, crossing historical paths such as the Via Matildica del Volto Santo and the Via Vandelli on route 00. We will need to walk on asphalt for a short stretch but fortunately these roads are not too busy, for the rest we will mainly walk in beech woods, along paths full of blueberries, raspberries and wild strawberries. We will pass by a former ski resort just on the border between Tuscany and Emilia Romagna, where there is a spring from which very good water flows. We will have lunch on the edge, then we’ll resume the way to San Pellegrino in Alpe. This is a town rich in history and legends, with an ethnographic museum and a church that was a ancient hospice for pilgrims; in the town there is a bar where there are two memorial signs to mark the border between Tuscany and Emilia Romagna.

Our day trip will be enriched at 4.30 pm by the opportunity to enjoy the show by Elisabetta Salvatori “Un prete, due santi, un confine e 4000 pezzi unici”, performed free of charge in the lawn in front of the church.

For those who want there is also the possibility of extending the stay, spending the night in the local refuge.

Technical data: Easy-medium difficulty trekking, suitable for trained walkers. There are stretches on the paved road but the roadway is quite wide and few cars pass.

Length: 7.5 km

Difference in height: 250+

Difficulty: E

What to bring: 1.5 liter bottle of water, snacks / dried fruit / bars, packed lunch

Recommended clothing: trekking shoes, daily backpack, windbreaker, layered technical clothing or cotton t-shirt by replacement.

Optional: trekking poles

Cost: 15 euros per person. Children under 18: 8 euros; under 10 free of charge. Cash payment on the day of the excursion. The fee includes the GAE guide service with RC insurance.

For info and reservations contact your guide Laura at +39 335 1768182 (also Whatsapp) or by email: lauraroth72@gmail.com

in the coming months, the different stakeholders will work on the implementation of the technical conditions for the promotion of the route

Summer meeting of the Bibracte – Mont Beuvray Grand Site de France rural paths working group

All images and text Flore Coppin, courtesy of Bibracte.

The rural paths working group of the Bibracte – Mont Beuvray Grand Site de France met on 12 July 2022 for a thematic morning session on the development of a new hiking offer in the area. More than 30 participants attended the event – members of the working group (elected representatives of the 12 village communities of the area, volunteer residents), representatives of local authorities, local tourist offices and of the French hiking federation – who were able to discuss the project.

The prototype of the main itinerary – 140 kms route passing through the 12 villages of the project area – was conceived earlier this year by the members of the working group.

In June, Annabelle Dauvergne, a member of the tourism working group of the Grand Site de France tested the itinerary on a volunteer basis. Annabelle is a professional hiking guide, owner of a gîte and a farmer’s wife. Annabelle helped us to validate the interest and feasibility of the hiking route and to point out areas for improvement in terms of tourism services. Her trip has been organised thanks to the support of the rural paths working group volunteers who provided accommodation and food. During the meeting, Annabelle shared her experience and provided advices.

In parallel, an expert of the Regional Natural Park of Morvan (Bibracte’s partner) carried out a technical feasibility study for the route. His report pointed out issues and opportunities regarding topics such as signposting or maintenance of the itinerary.

During the meeting, the discussions with the various actors around the table have enabled the expression of shared action plan for the development of the project.

View the presentation discussed at the meeting (French language): PDF

Thus, in the coming months, the different stakeholders will work on the implementation of the technical conditions for the promotion of the route, establish a consultation with the users of the paths, and elaborate a strategy for the development of the service offer.

After the meeting, participants were invited to visit the heritage summer camp organized by Bibracte and his partner Rempart association, with the support of INCULTUM project.

The working group will meet again this autumn and plans to extend participation in its work to new stakeholders.

Press release about the activities (French Language): PDF

The programme is coordinated by Flore Coppin, Heritage and tourism officer and coordinator of the INCULTUM Pilot at Bibracte.

Two weeks heritage summer camp organized at Bibracte in July 2022

All images copyright Corentin Menthonnex, text Flore Coppin, courtesy of Bibracte.

From 11 to 23 July 2022, international volunteers from the Rempart Federation, which works to safeguard and restore exceptional or vernacular built heritage, take part for the first time in a heritage summer camp at the Bibracte-Mont Beuvray Grand Site of France.

The objective of this programme is to restore a low dry-stone wall bordering an old trail on the southern flank of Mont Beuvray in the sector known as “Place aux Laides”. In the long term, the aim is to develop a new discovery route for the Bibracte-Mont Beuvray Grand Site de France on this part of the massif that is less known to the public.

Probably dating from medieval times, this magnificent path, located under the forest cover, is lined with trees and low dry-stone walls. Around it, piles of stones marking the boundaries of former plots of land bear witness to former agricultural activities on the Beuvray, now fossilised under the forest.

The ten or so international volunteers, some of whom are asylum seekers hosted by local associations, are supervised by two group leaders from Rempart and a technical leader from the “TREMPLIN Homme et Patrimoine association” – an NGO working for integration through economic activity – who organises workshops on the restoration of dry-stone walls. Pascal Paris, archaeologist and assistant to the director of research at Bibracte, supervises the fieldwork. The programme is coordinated by Flore Coppin, Heritage and tourism officer and coordinator of the INCULTUM Pilot at Bibracte.

During the stay, the participants are taking part in the fieldwork – restoration of dry-stone walls, clearing of undergrowth, enhancement of the site – and the weekends are devoted to discovering the Bibracte Mont – Beuvray Grand Site de France and the Morvan. They are accommodated by Bibracte in Glux-en-Glenne.

This heritage work camp is part of the pilot-project led by Bibracte to enhance the more than 1,000 km of rural paths that criss-cross the Bibracte-Mont Beuvray Great Site of France. Carried out in collaboration with the partners of the Grand Site de France label, it aims to develop and promote an innovative tourist offer in the area, combining outdoor activities, discovery of the heritage and cultural activities.

As Vincent Guichard, general manager of Bibracte, explains, “Our idea is to make this type of heritage summer camp a permanent feature every year and to enhance other paths on the Bibracte-Mont Beuvray Grand Site de France. In the long term, in the frame of our pilot project and in partnership with the 12 village communities of the area, we want to involve the inhabitants, and in particular young people, so that they can re-appropriate the common heritage that the rural paths constitute, to which the local population is very attached.”

This programme, organized by Bibracte in partnership with Rempart Federation, is funded by the European Horizon 2020 programme as part of the INCULTUM research-action project, the French State, the Regional Board of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and the Nièvre Department.

Press release (French Language): PDF

May-October 2022

The Best in Heritage 2022 on-line edition

Best in Heritage, the global conference featuring award-winning museum, heritage and conservation projects, is celebrating its 21st edition which started in late May and will end in early October 2022.

This online edition, organized in partnership with the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and Europa Nostra, the European Voice of Civil Society committed to Cultural Heritage, aims to deliver an exhaustive overview of best practices from all over the globe, focusing on the criteria of professional excellence, public value, and innovation.

The conference features video-interviews with representatives of more than 40 museum, heritage and conservation projects that have been awarded in the past year; in the video-interviews these experts provide insights into their accomplishments, discuss important professional topics and offer valuable specialist advice.

Projects range from immersive AR, VR and XR experiences and tours, digital storytelling projects, online educational resources and online documentaries, Covid response projects, various community programmes, hands-on visitor experiences, archaeology, conservation and preservation projects. There are also achievements that address difficult topics such as immigration, mass repression, the role of curators and historians in shaping how we perceive a multitude of truths.

Stay updated on the conference at https://www.thebestinheritage.com/conference

ARCH- Saving Cultural Heritage

ARCH project joined the UNCHARTED community

ARCH is a European funded project led by Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS (Germany) with participation of four European municipalities (Bratislava, Camerino, Hamburg, Valencia), research scientists, city network ICLEI and standardisation organisation DIN.

A new collaboration has recently been signed between UNCHARTED and this interesting project which aims to provide unified and collaborative approaches for disaster risk reduction of historic areas with regards to climate change-related and other natural hazards.

Its work focused on the cities of Bratislava, Camerino, Hamburg and Valencia with the aim of co-creating tools to help these cities save their cultural heritage from hazards and risks associated with the effects of climate change.

Further information is available on the ARCH showcase on the UNCHARTED website and on the ARCH website.
ARCH project, welcome to the UNCHARTED community!