Digital meets Culture

October 5th, online

MetaHeritage Pitching Showcase – Call for Investment Ideas in Digital Heritage, Immersive Technologies and Cultural Tourism

MetaHeritage is inviting innovators from across Europe and beyond to apply for its Pitching Showcase: Call for Investment Ideas in Digital Heritage, Immersive Technologies and Cultural Tourism.

The initiative aims to identify and highlight promising solutions at the intersection of culture, technology, and creativity. It supports selected ideas by increasing their visibility, strengthening their investment readiness, and connecting them with relevant stakeholders across Europe.

The call welcomes ideas that use digital technologies to transform how cultural heritage is preserved, interpreted, experienced, and promoted, including solutions based on immersive technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality, as well as digital twins, metaverse applications, artificial intelligence, smart tourism platforms, and interactive storytelling tools.

The initiative also encourages sustainable cultural tourism models, digital heritage services, and innovative visitor engagement approaches that strengthen connections between cultural institutions, local communities, and audiences.

Applications are open to startups and SMEs, research institutions and universities, cultural organisations, museums, tourism bodies, technology providers, public authorities, and cross-sector partnerships.

Applicants selected through the call will be invited to present their projects during the online MetaHeritage Pitching Showcase.

Key dates

Application deadline: 7 August 2026
Online Pitching Showcase: 5 October 2026

Learn more at this link<<<<

To craft a perfect suitable pitch, MetaHeritage organized a training session called “Craft Your Killer Pitch: Investor-Ready Pitching Training” on July 2nd to gain practical insights into building compelling pitches, understanding investor expectations, and strengthening their investor-readiness skills. More information and registration are available here.

June 13-14, Paris

EUreka3D-XR project at the Archaeology Village in Paris

On 13 and 14 June 2026, as part of the European Archaeology Days, the Bibracte team presented several activities and tools developed or promoted through the EUreka3D-XR project at the Archaeology Village in Paris. Over the two-day event, around 300 visitors (families, archaeology enthusiasts, students and professionals) visited the stand and took part in the activities.

The educational game “On the Shoulders of the Gauls” proved particularly popular with visitors of all ages. Participants also had the opportunity to test the AR Tour Experience geolocated augmented reality application through two tours: “The Medieval Walls of Paris”, which will remain permanently available, and “Beneath the Pavestones of the Bastille”, a temporary experience created specifically for the event. The demonstrations generated great enthusiasm, resulting in 21 app downloads on site. For several visitors, it was their first experience of augmented reality, and many were genuinely impressed by the technology.

The presentation of the AR Tour Builder, notably through a dedicated poster, also attracted the interest of heritage and education professionals. Discussions highlighted potential applications beyond the cultural heritage sector. An urban planning professional, for example, pointed out the value of these tools for helping residents visualise future developments in their neighbourhoods during public consultation meetings.

Following this successful event, the Bibracte team will continue showcasing the game and the application at public outreach and heritage events throughout the summer.

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EUreka3D-XR project is co-financed by the Digital Europe Programme of the European Union.

Featuring EUreka3D Initiative summary video

NOW LIVE on Europeana: EUreka3D-XR wrap-up post

As EUreka3D-XR approaches its final stage, we can start to draw conclusions from a fruitful 18 months and are delighted to share the project’s work, achievements and resources: “EUreka3D-XR: exploring cultural heritage through 3D digitisation and XR experiences” is now live on the Common European Data Space for Cultural Heritage website.

The blogpost explores:

The three case scenarios
EUreka3D-XR project’s aim and scope, including the priority given to Data quality and authenticity
The open-source Toolbox
The infrastructures provided by the projects
The support from the EUreka3D initiative towards the TwinIt! Campaign
The booklet produced in the context of Eureka3D-XR

Read it and learn more at this link<<<<

The blog also features the video summary of the EUreka3D initiative that was showcased at the Final Event in Cyprus. Watch it below:

EUreka3D-XR project is co-financed by the Digital Europe Programme of the European Union.

Online, June 25, 12-1pm CET

MetaHeritage Webinar #6: Heritage Innovation Meets Investment – Connecting Culture and Capital

Cultural heritage is increasingly recognized not only as a societal value but also as a driver of innovation, sustainable development, and economic opportunity. The upcoming MetaHeritage Webinar 6, titled “Heritage Innovation and Investment: Connecting Culture and Capital”, will explore exactly this intersection.

The webinar brings together experts from the fields of cultural heritage, innovation, finance, and digital transformation to discuss how heritage can be sustainably funded, scaled, and integrated into broader innovation ecosystems.

Why this webinar matters

As cultural institutions and heritage initiatives face growing demands for digital transformation, sustainability, and audience engagement, new financing models and investment strategies are becoming essential. This webinar will explore how culture and capital can work together to unlock long-term value.

Key themes include:

Innovative financing models for cultural heritage projects
The role of public and private investment in heritage innovation
Digital technologies enabling new cultural business models
Sustainable strategies for scaling heritage initiatives
Collaboration between cultural institutions, startups, and investors

Who should attend? This webinar is designed for:

Cultural heritage professionals and institutions
Policy makers and public sector stakeholders
Investors and innovation funders
Researchers and digital heritage practitioners
Startups working in cultural and creative industries

MetaHeritage continues to foster dialogue between culture, technology, and innovation. This webinar is an opportunity to explore how investment and heritage can come together to shape a more sustainable and innovative cultural future.

Second Demonstration of EUreka3D-XR St. Neophytos Case Study Results Requested by Archimandrite (4 June 2026, Cyprus)

Demonstration of St. Neophytos Case Study Results

Image courtesy of CUT – Cyprus University of Technology

Following the public demonstration of the EUreka3D-XR project’s Virtual and Mixed Reality tools and digital cultural heritage asset reuse held at the Monastery of St. Neophytos, Talla, Cyprus, we were delighted to be invited back by the Archimandrite just 12 days later to demonstrate the interactive exhibit once again.

As part of the 21st Meeting of the Pilgrimage Tours Office of the Church of Cyprus involving the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus, representatives from the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, the Pilgrimage Tours Office of the Church of Cyprus and the Paphos Development Organisation, members of the Digital Cultural Heritage Research Centre MNEMOSYNE were invited to participate presenting the results of the Cyprus case study developed in collaboration with MIRALab, Switzerland as part of the EUreka3D-XR project, outlaying the potential benefits of capitalising on digital assets and tools for visitor engagement and valorisation of heritage. Attendees were also able to experience both installations in the Enkleistra itself and discuss technical possibilities for using innovative visitor experiences in their own contexts. Additionally, a small number of tourists visiting the monastery were able to use the two implementations and provide their thoughts directly to the delegates.

The monastery is currently investigating how the two applications can be integrated into the monastery’s museum on a permanent basis to enhance visitor experience and increase their touristic offering as part of a wider initiative to adopt new technologies within religious cultural tourism on the Paphos region.

Original post by CUT: https://digitalheritagelab.eu/second-demonstration-of-eureka3d-xr-st-neophytos-case-study-results-requested-by-archimandrite

June 4, 2026, The Netherlands

EUreka3D-XR at IIIF Conference 2026

From June 1st to the 4th, IIIF Conference held its 2026 edition: the event is intended for a wide range of participants and interested parties, including digital image repository managers, content curators, software developers, scholars, and administrators at libraries, museums, cultural heritage institutions, software firms, and other organizations working with digital images and audio/visual materials.

During the forth day of this year’s edition of the event, Professor Ronald S. Haynes (University of Cambridge, UK) showcased EUreka3D-XR initiative and the Cyprus pilot of the Saint Neophytos enkleistra during his presentation Prezi 4.0 – Working with 3D & new options.

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To learn more about the IIIF initiative follow this link<<<<

EUreka3D-XR project is co-financed by the Digital Europe Programme of the European Union.

EUreka3D-XR: more dissemination taking place at the Enkleistra of Saint Neophytos

On June 4th 2026, under the auspices of the Cyprus Presidency of the EU Council and within the Digital Cultural Heritage Summit 2026, EUreka3D-XR held an additional event that addressed the full pipelines for the use and re-use of 3D content, with the aim of further pursuing the topics discussed within the roundtables held on May 26th, Twin it! Policy Roundtable: 3D and AI for Europe’s culture and heritage and Why we Digitise Cultural Heritage, its Use & ReUse; Persistent Virtual Worlds and AI, held during the EUreka3D-XR Final Event in Limassol.

During this follow-up event, members of the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus with their teams accompanied by representatives from the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, the Pilgrimage Tours Office of the Church of Cyprus, the Paphos Development Organisation and the Cyprus University of Technology visited the Monastery of Saint Neophytos in Tala (Paphos) and had the opportunity to explore advanced tech tools involving AI, XR and Metaverse with the support of specialists in the field from the UNESCO Chair on Digital Cultural Heritage at the Cyprus University of Technology and the Digital Heritage Research Lab: this experience was followed by fruitful discussions around the topic of digitisation of endangered digital cultural heritage and the EUreka3D-XR pursuit of the Commission Recommendation (EU) 2021 on the common European data space for cultural heritage.

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Additionally, following the coverage of the first outreach event in the context of EUreka3D-XR organised in Paphos in May 24th, the pan-European television news network Euronews aired an excellent TV report: the coverage brought valuable visibility in Europe and beyond, to the collaborative efforts of researchers, cultural institutions, technology experts and heritage professionals working together to shape the future of digital heritage.

A news article was also published, and at the moment is available in four languages (FR, RU, PL, PT).

EUreka3D-XR project is co-financed by the Digital Europe Programme of the European Union.

June 1 2026, Campus Biotech, Geneva, Switzerland.

EUreka3D-XR’s Virtual Humans presented at CASAXR 26

During CASAXR 26 – International Conference on Computer Animation, Social Agents, and Extended Reality, Nadia Magnenat Thalmann, Nedjma Cadi-Yazli and Thiago Freitas, from MIRALab with Drew Baker, Maria Paphiti and Marinos Ioannidesfrom from Cyprus University of Technology presented their work within EUreka3D-XR with a presentation titled From Frescoes to XR: A Digital Human Pipeline for Saint Neophytos.

The presentation took place in the morning session about Virtual Humans, chaired by Despina Michael-Grigoriou from Cyprus University of Technology.

Read more about the conference and take a look at the programme.

An interview to Nadia Thalmann (MIRALab) with philenews

“They believed I was imitating God”

World-renowned professor at the University of Geneva, pioneer in socially interactive robots and founder of MIRALab, Nadia Magnenat Thalmann, spoke to Cypriot Journal “Φ” philenews on the occasion of the 3D visualization of the Enclave of Saint Neophytos in the context of EUreka3D-XR project, about a future where humans will live together with humanoid systems.

Through 15 question covering Nadia Thalmann’s entire brillian career with a focus on her work precedent to, within and future from EUreka3D-XR project, the article provides valuable insights from an expert in the fields of 3D modeling, virtual humans, their place in cultural heritage and more.

Read the article (EL) at this link<<<<

21 May 2026, Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam)

EUreka3D-XR at 2and3D Photography

On May 21st, on the second day of the 2and3D Photography conference held at Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, David Iglésias Franch (CRDI/Photoconsortium) and Axelle Vanmaele (meemoo) had the opportunity to deliver a presentation in the context of EUreka3D-XR project titled Challenges in 3D digitization: experience and resources among prestigious colleagues.

Their presentation, highlighted practical lessons and methodologies developed within the EUreka3D ecosystem. The talk presented concrete experiences in 3D digitisation, drawing from the digitisation of daguerreotypes from the Girona City Council audiovisual archive (CRDI), where the reflective and delicate nature of the objects required experimentation, technical adaptations and iterative testing to achieve high-quality 3D outputs.

Beyond the case study, the presentation showcased how EUreka3D contributes to supporting cultural heritage institutions in addressing technical and operational challenges related to 3D digitisation, access and reuse. By sharing resources, workflows and accumulated expertise, the project promotes more accessible and sustainable approaches to creating and managing 3D cultural heritage content.

The conference proved to be a successful opportunity for exchange and networking, generating significant interest among participants in the resources and expertise offered by EUreka3D. Attendees showed particular enthusiasm not only for the project’s approaches to 3D digitisation, but especially for its solutions supporting the management, preservation and accessibility of 3D content through a dedicated repository.

Download the PowerPoint of the presentation at this link<<<<

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