Digital meets Culture

Art / Culture / Economy to democratize society

How to foster placemaking as an inspiring European co-creation process?

Trans-making is a H2020 research and innovation project leaded by Relais Culture Europe Association (France). It aims to establish a multilateral network of research and innovation staff active in the fields of placemaking/place-based art activities as a space to create alternative narratives for social, economic and democratic renewal.
The objective of the project trans-making is to strengthen research capacities, through exchange of knowledge, expertise, skills and experiences between academic and non-academic partners from Europe and Third Countries in a shared research programme focusing on: Collecting, Documenting / Exploring, Experimenting / Performing / Designing.
Trough the work programme of Research and Innovation, the project’s Consortium, composed by academic and non-academics partners, aims to foster links between art and culture, economy, democracy and innovation at EU level and beyond. It promotes a better understanding and knowledge sharing between scientific community, stakeholders and policy-makers.
The final aim of trans-making is to establish a long term collaboration among the partners in order to have a scientific and innovative worldwide community devoted to the research, (including art-based research), innovation, education activity in the matters concerned by the project. Moreover, the proposed measures of the project will be conceived in order to have the widest possible impact of the society.
The project was supposed to end in December 2020, but due to COVID, its activity was extended for another year. It will end in December 2021, with a final event presenting the project’s results.
To stay up to date on the project’s progress visit: trans-making.eu

The latest outputs are available on the website!

UNCHARTED first policy brief and Report on WP2 case studies

The UNCHARTED project registered two relevant developments at the end of the first year: the phase of study and elaboration carried out by of work package 1, devoted to the analysis of the configuration of the values of culture, was concluded and the one of work package 2, which aims to identify the emergence of values of culture, has produced its first outputs.
The results of work package 1 investigation is documented in six deliverables (D1.1-D1.6) disseminated between the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021.
At the end of last January, work package 6 published the first policy brief, based on the results collected by wp1. The document, in addition to enhance the value of the contribution generated by the wp1 research, it represents the first policy brief of a series of three that the project aims to offer as guide to policy makers who have a stake in formulating or influencing policies about valuing culture in all its forms. The document highlights the tensions and conflicts that involve the plurality of values that co- exist in different cultural contexts and recommends policy makers to take into account the sources of these disagreements when develop European cultural policies at local, national and trans-national levels.
The policy brief also introduces the work carried out by work package 2. This latter is focused on the analysis of specific case studies expected to offer a better identification of the processes that bring to the emergence of values of culture. The analysis regards four fundamental arenas of cultural practice identified in the UNCHARTED project: cultural participation in live arts and culture, cultural participation through media, cultural production and heritage management, and cultural administration. These areas are the background of each specific case study conducted by the UNCHARTED Consortium. D2.1, the first deliverable of wp2, released at the end of January reports, to each of the four thematic areas, the criteria mobilized to select the case studies within each Research Plan.
The full text of D6.3 and D2.1 is available in the dissemination area of the UNCHARTED website.
Previous blog on WP1 deliverables here
More information available on the Research plan webpage

a general assembly was held in January to review the status of the project and plan its expected outcomes

PAGODE project moving towards accomplishments

Dress – KIK-IRPA collection

On 26 January the General Assembly of PAGODE project was called in an online meeting, to review the progress of the project and to plan the next activities for the remaining months. PAGODE is in facts going to end on 30 September 2021.

By that time, PAGODE will have achieved various ambitious objectives: completing digitization of a selection of Chinese heritage objects and photographs, to be published in Europeana; engaging users with a crowdsourcing campaign for metadata enrichment; and finally the preparation and launch of the PAGODE exhibition to be presented online as a virtual exhibition in Europeana, and to be complemented with additional features.

[Show as slideshow]

The meeting was open to partners and associate partners and included a presentation of the upcoming Europeana China thematic space, that will highlight in Europeana portal all the contents and editorials delivered by the PAGODE project.

Visit the website for more details and for downloading the presentations: https://photoconsortium.net/pagode/2021/01/22/general-assembly/

a side event of the exhibition at MART Museum in Rovereto: Caravaggio. The Contemporary

online conference “The Revolution of Caravaggio” by film director Paolo Benvenuti

The successful exhibition at MART museum in Rovereto, Caravaggio. The Contemporary, offers visitors the opportunity to admire the Burial of Saint Lucy in the flesh. This painting is the oldest Sicilian work by Michelangelo Merisi (AKA Caravaggio) and is currently on loan from its usual home in the church of Santa Lucia alla Badia in Syracuse. The seventeenth-century masterpiece is exhibited among a selection of contemporary works and photographs, encouraging new conversations and emphasising Caravaggio’s spiritual relevance. Caravaggio. The Contemporary exhibition is enriched by a programme of both physical and online events.

Next appointment is with an online conference by film director Paolo Benvenuti, about Caravaggio’s painting practice and the theory of the artist using a sort of a primitive dark room to create his artworks.

11th February h. 18.30

La rivoluzione di Caravaggio. Paolo Benvenuti

Event in Italian Language
Registration link: https://form.jotform.com/210274387670054 (max 100 participants).
Info: eventi@mart.tn.it

The exhibition is on display at MART until April 2021: http://www.mart.trento.it/

Save the date: 3-4 March 2021

International Workshop ‘Societal Impacts of Culture: A transitional Perspective’

MESOC is research and innovation action whose challenge is to develop new perspectives and improved methodologies for capturing the wider societal value of culture, including but also beyond its economic impact, to enhance the potential role of culture as element of public policy for social, cultural and political cohesion and inclusion. Leaded by a Consortium composed by 10 Partners from 7 European countries (Belgium, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Romania and Spain) the three years H2020 project adapts and further develops a method for “transition based” impact assessment derived from a previous UNESCO Chair publication, building a structural model of the Societal Dimension of Culture, as defined by one of the strategic objectives of the European Agenda.
As a first layer of experimentation during the project, the model is tested within 10 European city pilots: three partner cities (Athens, Cluj and Rijeka) and seven associated cities (Barcelona, Gent, Issy-Les-Moulineaux, Milan, Turku, Valencia and Warsaw). The final expected output of the project is a Free and Open Access, online service (named the MESOC Toolkit) that could be used by both researchers and practitioners (the latter including both policy makers and cultural operators from all over the EU) to measure the societal value and impacts of cultural policies and practices.
MESOC was selected under the same call of UNCHARTED (H2020-SC6-TRANSFORMATIONS-08-2019) and on the basis of the similarity of interests and goals, the two projects established a cooperation in the framework of their dissemination efforts, exchanging knowledge and experiences related to the respective field of research for mutual benefit.
In the framework of its investigation action, MESOC is promoting its first International Workshop ‘Societal Impacts of Culture: A transitional Perspective’. The meeting will take place on-line and will be the occasion to present the first outcomes of the project investigation, to discuss with experts and stakeholders the role of culture in urban change, as well as methodological and operational approaches relevant for social impact assessment and evaluation. The first day of the workshop, the 3rd of March, is open to the public and will be dedicated to an in-depth exploration of the different dimensions of transition enabled by cultural policies and activities within the three MESOC impact domains, such as Health and Wellbeing; Urban and Territorial Renovation; People’s Engagement and Participation. International guests will introduce key concepts and approaches and provide further inputs to the validation of MESOC conceptual and analytical approach. In addition, three thematic round-tables will provide the chance to debate with key experts both theoretical and methodological challenges related to MESOC framework and tools.

More information about the upcoming workshop here
Project’s website: http://mesoc-project.eu
Contact: info@mesoc-project.eu
#MESOC

When culture meets buildings heritage

The HeLLo project shares its results with the UNCHARTED network

UNCHARTED is pleased to announce the collaboration with HeLLo :Heritage energy Living Lab onsite. The project was concluded on September 2020 and was about energetic efficiency of historical buildings.
During its two-year activity it carried out studies and scientific researches on the way to preserve historical buildings though the use of new systems of hygrothermal measurements.
The overall mission was to spread awareness about the most common energy retrofit solutions and to increase knowledge of their application in historic buildings. HeLLo defined the following specific objectives:

To check the compatibility of energy retrofit technologies already certified and applied to new buildings on historic constructions;
To create a structured dissemination programme that opens the doors of the laboratory life beyond academic boundaries.

Results were being achieved through a twofold strategy. First, a true experimental laboratory in which energy retrofit technologies were tested and their real performances were quantified. Second, a project of dissemination laboratories that offers an experimental experience in order to make known the world of investigation by the practice of the living lab.
As the dissemination project was itself an integrated part of the research, the experience was addressed to different target groups, including the scientific community and professionals, public authorities, enterprises, educational institutes, schools and end users.
A rich and valuable asset of documental material among scientific papers, researches and practical demonstrations was produced by the HeLLo project and this cooperation aims to put the basis for its use and exploitation in benefit of the entire community of cultural heritage researchers.

List of open access papers on the results of the HeLLo research:

MCAA Newsletter – THE HELLO PROJECT: ONGOING ACTIVITIES AND DISSEMINATION ACTIONS
energies – Applied Research of the Hygrothermal Behaviour of an Internally Insulated Historic Wall without Vapour Barrier: In Situ Measurements and Dynamic Simulations
energies – Design and Construction of a New Metering Hot Box for the In Situ Hygrothermal Measurement in Dynamic Conditions of Historic Masonries
ijesd – From the Dynamic Simulations Assessment of the Hygrothermal Behavior of Internal Insulation Systems for Historic Buildings towards the HeLLo Project
EfS 2019 – 4th Energy for Sustainability International Conference – Designing a sustainable future –The HELLO PROJECT: risk analysis and mitigation strategies
electronics – Development of a Compatible, Low Cost and High Accurate Conservation Remote Sensing Technology for the Hygrothermal Assessment of Historic Walls
L’Ufficio Tecnico – Laboratori “aperti” per l’efficientamento energetico del patrimonio storico(in Italian)

recently launched in Rome, the VR application was born from a series of innovative projects about architecture and education

#MuVArch – a virtual museum of architecture

A virtual museum was recently presented by the Italian Council of Architects CNAPPC – Consiglio Nazionale Architetti Pianificatori Paesaggisti e Conservatori. The museum is named #MuVArch, and will allow to virtually walk into exhibition rooms supported with an interactive audioguide. It was created in the framework of the project “Architetti per il Futuro”.

It will be possible to visit two exhibitions: “The best schools” and “The best ideas and proposals for schools” deriving from contests dedicated to young architects. Additionally, works from children and teenagers are showcased in the framework of the projects “Abitare il Paese” and “51 Scuole innovative”.

The museum was developed within the project #architettiperilfuturo, and will soon be available as an app for PC, App mobile e OCULUS Quest.

Follow the facebook page of CNAPPC for more news about #MuVArch: https://www.facebook.com/CNAPPC/

Stay Informed, get inspired!

The European heritage tribune newsletter: the first pan-European news platform for all people involved in cultural heritage in Europe.

EHT is a free digital newsletter for European heritage professionals. It aims to build a lasting European network by sharing knowledge, connecting people and the cultural and creative sectors.
With its monthly publication, it offers an overview of the most important heritage news, calls, events, opinions and best practices from all European Countries, covering a very wide range of themes such as digitization, sustainable tourism, archeology, policy, intangible heritage, building.
The European Heritage Tribune is the lasting legacy of the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018: it is independent, non-profit and is sustained with the support of a host of partners and sponsors both private and public. The website offers the possibility to reach calls, events, select news by theme and it recently hosts the blog of ESACH, the European Students’ Association for Cultural Heritage, a captivating communication channel for sharing young people’s perspectives on cultural heritage. The Heritage Tribune also offers to be a communication or dissemination partner in European projects on culture and cultural heritage: among others, the newsletter currently supports the UNCHARTED project to enlarge its audience and to communicate its progress to the International community of researchers.
Website: heritagetribune.eu
Link to the latest newsletter here

A way to link the past with the future

Coventry University launches digital library to celebrate city’s cultural history

An online archive of photos, videos, maps and documents designed to celebrate the city’s heritage: this is the new initiative promoted by Coventry University in cooperation with Coventry City of Culture Trust, Culture Coventry and other partners.
Coventry Digital was set up to allow people with connections to Coventry to revisit and celebrate its past and update it with new assets, images and content. It also has the potential to allow augmented and virtual reality uses as its content and contributions develop.
So far, more than 12,000 items including photos, videos, maps and documents have been uploaded to the archive – featuring a wide range of Coventry’s most unique and defining features from years gone by as well as more recent times.
The online archive represents a very performed tool to document Coventry history and it is good that its launch proceded the UK City of Culture celebrations which will start in May and will run for 12 months.
Coventry Atlas, which can be accessed through Coventry Digital, has also been developed to allow users to zoom into specific locations and see their unique, individual archives. As a funding partner of the project, Coventry Atlas has facilitated the digitisation of a vast range of images, assets and resources that have been made available through Coventry Digital, including an interactive map displaying wartime bomb damage to the city.
More information on the Coventry University website

Cultural Heritage as a Source of Societal Well-being in European Regions

Final Deliberative Workshop of HERIWELL EU project

Yesterday, January 26^th, it was held the final event of a 3-days online participatory initiative promoted by the HERIWELL project. In the first part of the meeting the HERIWELL team introduced the goals of the project and a brief description of the past two workshops. The presentations that followed highlighted different aspects of the impact of cultural heritage on the well being of society. A representative of the DG Education and Culture shared with the participants the EU programmes for culture and R&I. The debate was characterized by the exchange of experiences and case studies on participation and digitization applied to cultural heritage. Among others, the example of the Archeological Museum of Naples was reported as successful experience in which the use of digital tools facilitated the access to culture, increasing societal engagement and cultural participation.
Nevertheless the importance to balance digital and sensorial /experience in art was raised by the participants as main aspect to take into account by practitioners of the cultural field.
At the end of the meeting the HERIWELL team shared with the participants the events agenda for 2021. Next meeting is planned for February and will focus on Dissemination.
The participation to such interactive and dynamic debate offered to UNCHARTED project the possibility of a productive confront on topics that are the basis of its research activity but it also had the chance to present the main goal of its investigation to the HERIWELL stakeholders and to anticipate the future results of its work.
Download the HERIWELL deliberative final workshop agenda here.
HERIWELL Website
Previous blog on HERIWELL deliberative workshop