Cultural heritage manifests itself in many shapes and forms in all manner of cultural contexts. In different countries around Europe, preservation of cultural practices has become a subject of (sometimes heated) political discussions about national identity, cultural diversity, migration and integration.
For this morning session, the Faro Convention Network and ICAF invite you to a public deliberation to deepen our understanding of the dynamics of community art as a driver to safeguard cultural heritage. The Faro Convention emphasizes aspects of cultural heritage as they relate to human rights, democracy, communities and society.
Before the deliberations begin, the Faro Convention will be introduced briefly. Then you will be asked to join one of four tables at which different questions will be explored: (1) how participatory artistic action can contribute to safeguarding ‘unheard’ or ‘invisible’ cultural heritage; (2) how artistic freedom of expression can combine with a community’s desire to preserve the intrinsic value of cultural heritage; (3) how community arts can navigate through reductive, conservative notions of ‘authentic’ national culture; and (4) how decision makers can be convinced of the need to support innovative participatory arts approaches to promote cultural rights more broadly and inclusively?
The proceedings will begin with a presentation about the Faro Convention by Francesc PLA of the Council of Europe. Then, using a round table format, a number of key questions will be proposed and illustrated by a series of five-minute art and culture practice exchanges from the following Faro network members: the river project of Hotel du Nord, Marseilles; the Laboratory for Cultural Rights, Bordeaux; the Almansani community culture actions in Novi Sad; and community rehabilitation following the 2009 earthquake (Fontecchio, Italy). The session is directly linked to the Cabbage Field community opera of the Šančiai community, Kaunas performed on Friday and Saturday afternoon.
After these presentations, which may serve as practical frames of reference, the above questions will be discussed while remaining aware of this session’s overall concern: how community art approaches can be effective to empower citizens in preserving, valuing and managing their cultural heritage.
Arie Koelemij will be moderating this session. He has been working in the cultural field as of 2001, longtime for (support of) the amateur arts and cultural partcipation. Starting with folklore, he has been professionally involved in (intangible) heritage since 2015 and he worked for the National Centre for ICH in the Netherlands from 2016 till 2018. In September that year he started as (intangible) heritage specialist for the national Cultural Participation Fund. Nowadays, as Developper he is one of the responsibles for new grant schemes.
Besides his work he is frequently asked as master of ceremony, is a proper amateur of historical and regional costumes and he has been a performer of dances from the 15th till 19th Centuries for over three decades.
