Active Citizens Exploring Culture Erasmus Project

Project Title

Active Citizens Exploring Culture

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Partnerships for Creativity

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship; Creativity and culture

Project Summary

“Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and culture and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits”. Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1948. The fundamental right of all people to participate in the arts and culture and of access to heritage, have become central in the latest acts adopted by the European Union and the Council of Europe.

The idea has emerged that citizens should not only participate in cultural activities, but also in the management and curation of culture and cultural heritage. Conclusions drawn by the Council of the European Union on participatory governance of cultural heritage and the EU Commission Communication “ Towards an integrated approach to cultural heritage in Europe” – issued in 2014 – identify cultural heritage as a strategic resource for a sustainable Europe, acknowledge its social dimension and underline the importance of activating synergies across different stakeholders to safeguard and valorise it. They also recognize the importance of transparent and participatory governance and participatory systems to be shared with the people to whom arts and culture ultimately belongs.

The Project Active Citizens Exploring Culture – ACE Culture has the objective of extending and developing the competences of educators and other personnel (archivists, artists, museum and heritage) who support adult education in Community Learning Environments working with local stakeholders with an interest in gaining new skills on influencing inclusion in their neighbourhood and community (EQF level 3 -6). The project has a starting point in examples of social and educational value of European arts and cultural heritage in order to encourage members of the public to engage as Arts and Cultural Mediators for their local community. The project is supported by a portal based upon the value of local cultural heritage. It will contain a selection of apps, programs and tool kits that have two goals :Inclusion and skills development: Adults will be trained as Cultural Mediators for their community in order to recognise, explore, document and display their local arts and cultural assets.

The project methodology is based upon a cascade learning effect created by following the Intellectual Outputs:

1. A Methodology Handbook and Implementation plan aim at Decision Makers in Communities.
2. A curriculum and training material for a continuous professional development (CPD) course (training the trainer) for Adult educators will be at the heart of the project. The project will be aimed at supporting educators, mentors, coaches, decision makers and stakeholders, during the implementation of the material towards the above the target groups.
3. Two sets of online tool kits aimed at front -line workers and Cultural Mediators respectively
4. A Community Curation OER platform where Cultural Mediators can share rich media artefacts and stories created and curated by members of the local community.

The target groups of the informal adult education programs will be:
1. Member so of the general public and other beneficiaries who would like to get involved as Arts and Cultural Mediators

The target groups of the formal adult education programs will be:
2. Front-line workers such as; museum and heritage personnel, librarians, archivists and others who have direct contact with the general public.

The target groups of the CPD course will be:
3. Adult educators working directly with front – line workers

Other beneficiaries
4. Professionals working in city planning about cultural engagement; architects, policy makers, decision makers , local government staff

The Project team will explore approaches and methods of cultural inclusion with a particular focus on inner city and outer city neighbourhoods and develop practical tools to be used in Adult Education settings that can provide a link between the public and neighbourhood planners to shape holistic and sustainable change in neighbourhoods.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 238332,5 Eur

Project Coordinator

Compass Support Services Ltd & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Surdurulebilir Kalkinma Dernegi
• Cooperativa Operária Portalegrense
• SYMPLEXIS
• GRYD LTD
• ELDERBERRY AB