Final Report Summary - CREATIVECH (Creative Cooperation in Cultural Heritage)
Executive Summary:
Europe has a particularly rich and diverse cultural heritage. This cultural diversity is perceived as the defining characteristic of Europe: preserving it and using it for cultural tourism, cultural and creative businesses, citizen’s cultural participation and knowledge, is of vital interest for the economic competitiveness of Europe’s cities and regions, and to increase the impact of European values in the world.
The economic importance of cultural heritage is most obvious in the tourism industry, which capitalizes on Europe’s unique assets such as cultural landscapes, built heritage, historic narratives, music and imagery. Cultural heritage helps sustain Europe’s cities and regions as attractive places to invest in, live and work, because of their specific character and quality of life.
While the notion and societal appreciation of heritage have changed fundamentally over the years, so have the “raw materials”, tools and markets for culture-based creative innovations. They have become digital, which means that cultural heritage must be made available in digital formats, so that new forms of cultural interaction, knowledge and experiences can be offered.
Both tangible and intangible heritage can be recorded with digital technologies and made accessible for developing novel products and services, such as tourism websites, mobile location-based services or interactive virtual museum exhibitions. Affordable tools such as digital cameras and content sharing platforms of the web, allow both locals and tourists to contribute their own materials, which enhance the vibrancy of cultural places and events. The participative web – social media and community platforms – clearly demonstrate the citizens’ interest not only in consuming, but also participating with their own contributions.
In order to further the objectives of the project, the partners of CreativeCH have employed not only the more traditional methods of presenting cultural heritage, but also the latest digital technologies and social platforms. The four showcases exemplify how regions and cities can take advantage of their CH assets, benefiting from the cooperation between cultural heritage institutions, creative and cultural industries and science and technology centers. Each showcase touches upon a particular problematic aspect. In Tuscany, innovative creative activities and the involvement collaboration between local administrations, museums and small business in the tourism industry, lead to the promotion of two “minor” areas in the region. The World Heritage city of Salzburg focused on finding ways to help locals living in major touristic destinations to reconnect with their heritage through a better understanding of their history. In the Catalan region surrounding Terrassa, once heavily industrialized, the partner concentrated their efforts on revitalizing the industrial heritage of the region through adaptation as touristic attractions and as facilities for cultural and artistic and creative industry businesses. The cross-border region of the Banat in Romania hosts a checkerboard of cultural minorities, each living side by side in harmony, a veritable example of cooperation.
The Applications for smartphones and tablets (available free of charge) developed to enhance the showcases can be enjoyed year-round. Social platforms and local-language websites allow easy access and participation of the interested population, the media and organizations. The solutions devised by the partners can be applied throughout Europe, indeed the world.
Project Context and Objectives:
The core objective of CreativeCH is to promote cooperation and mutual innovation among organizations of Science & Technology (S&T), Cultural Heritage (CH) and Creative Cultural Industries (CCI), and highlight the contribution of such cooperation and innovations to vital European economic, social and cultural objectives. The goals of the CreativeCH Action Plan are to:
• offer organizations, municipalities and regions the opportunity to develop new ways and initiatives to communicate and promote cultural heritage for purposes such as regional development, tourism and citizen cultural participation, thus enabling cities and regions across Europe to benefit from CH assets through the cooperation of S&T, CH, and CCI organizations;
• encourage and involve students in such cooperation, based on a deeper understanding of why CH and cultural diversity are key European assets, and how S&T and cultural creativity can turn them into vital sources of inspiration and innovation.
On the European level CreativeCH will promote sharing of knowledge and experiences in S&T-CH-CCI cooperation through an open peer-learning network, a series of workshops at major European events and a virtual forum for students and practitioners. These activities will include collecting examples of S&T-CH-CCI cooperation, identifying success factors and providing recommendations on best practices. On the Local level, CreativeCH will realize 4 showcases of S&T-CH-CCI cooperation, which demonstrate how such cooperation can help overcome barriers in the access to, and understanding of, cultural heritage. The focus is on issues of “glocal” character, i.e. that are common to cultural heritage worldwide but that are tackled in an exemplary way in a concrete local setting. The showcases will also have a particular focus on involving and training students. CreativeCH intends to offer organizations, municipalities and regions the opportunity to develop new ways and initiatives to communicate and promote cultural heritage for purposes such as regional development, tourism and citizen cultural participation.
Main goals
• Demonstrate the benefits of combining cultural content, knowledge, creativity and technology.
• Develop and promote local showcases of creative cooperation in four partner regions.
• Involve and train students in the understanding and communication of cultural diversity and heritage.
• Provide a virtual forum for young researchers, artists and practitioners from around Europe for discussing topics of interest and presenting own projects.
• Set up an open peer-learning network of organizations and experts to share knowledge and experiences from initiatives across Europe.
• Organize a series of 10 international workshops on vital themes of creative cooperation in cultural heritage.
WP1 Project Coordination: The project is coordinated by PIN (IT), which provided a Project Manager leading an administrative team whose objective was to support all aspects of the management of the project. The work package consisted of two tasks, carried out consistently throughout the 3 years of the project with participation of all partners:
Task 1.1 Scientific coordination and monitoring, activities included establishing and maintaining the Consortium Agreement, servicing the General Assembly by recording and implementing its decisions, liaising with the Project Officer.
Task 1.2 Administrative project management, activities included organizing the Kick-off and regular plenary meetings, liaising with WP leaders to monitor activities and for the production of management reports, assisting partners in the preparation of periodic financial reports and documents (including cost claims) as required, distributing pre-financing and interim payments to partners, ensuring timely delivery of project deliverables to the Commission, after using quality control.
No deliverables were foreseen for this work package; the 2 milestones (MS1 Project Kick-off and MS7 Review of the implementation of the action plan) were carried out according to schedule.
WP2 European networking and sharing of knowledge: the University of Coimbra, with the participation of PIN, managed the work package. The main objectives were to mobilize and support the mutual European peer-learning network and program, and to provide a virtual forum for young students and practitioners. Two tasks were carried out:
Task 2.1 European peer-learning network, managed by PIN, to mobilize stakeholder organizations from the domains of CH, Arts & Culture, CCI, S&T and educational programs willing to contribute, discuss and evaluate knowledge and experiences in CH-CCI-S&T cooperation in an open learning network.
Task 2.2 Cultural Heritage Innovation European Forum (CHIEF), a virtual forum, provided and supported by UoC through the project website, for European students, young researchers, artists and practitioners already working or wishing to participate in CH-CCI-S&T cooperation projects.
The milestones associated with this work package are three: MS9 - 50 organizations registered as stakeholders in the peer-learning network; MS12 - European peer-learning network - Evaluation of potential sustainability of the; MS13 - CHIEF - Evaluation of potential sustainability. All three were carried out as scheduled. As a result of the evaluation of potential sustainability of the two tasks, the European peer-learning network and the CHIEF forum merged into a special interest group on LinkedIn, an external social platform used by professionals to connect with other professionals and for job seeking/hiring activities. The Consortium was recognized that LinkedIn was the most suitable platform that would ensure autonomy with minimal management required.
The three deliverables were submitted according to schedule.
WP3 European workshop program and products: the work package, consisting of two tasks, had two objectives: to prepare, moderate and summarize a series of workshops; to produce an online Toolkit and Handbook for CH-CCI-S&T cooperation.
Task 3.1 European workshop program: the project partners organized a series of 10 workshops throughout Europe at major international events. The work involved finding a suitable event for the topic of the workshops, organizing the workshops (technical requirements, preparation of the agenda, invitation of experts, presentations and moderators, publicity, and so on), summarizing the workshop results and post-event communication with participants. All partners organized 2 workshops, with the exception of MFG, who instead took care of all technical aspects. During the workshops, partners gave presentations to illustrate the on-going work.
Task 3.2 Toolkit and handbook for CH-CCI-S&T cooperation: The Toolkit and Handbook highlight the important role of creative, cross-domain cooperation in the communication and valorization of Cultural Heritage. The products provide a knowledge base, inspiring examples and recommendations for cooperation projects, with an emphasis on creative communication of cultural heritage with ICT and new media. The Handbook was published in hard copy (MS11), and is also available as a pdf download through the project website www.creative-heritage.eu is the result of the CreativeCH workshops and includes 21 case-studies. The areas of focus include archaeological sites, World Heritage towns, industrial heritage, historical places and buildings, cultural routes and citizen cultural participation. The online Toolkit includes additional content and links to other CreativeCH content, and has been updated since its publication to include the final three expert workshops. It is available for download from SRFG’s website creativech-toolkit.salzburgresearch.at.
This work package foresaw the development and submission of five deliverables, all were submitted after quality control.
WP4 Local CreativeCH showcases: the work package focused on three objectives: to develop and implement local showcases of S&T-CCI-CH cooperation involving local/regional centers; involve students in the showcase, thus provide training in S&T-CCI-CH cooperation; present, summarize and disseminate the results achieved on the local to national level and within European-level activities.
Task 4.1 Local CreativeCH showcase coordination at the European level: the task leader provided common guidelines between the activities at both the European and local levels, as well as for the involvement and training of students. Dissemination materials were produced to ensure coherence at the European level of the showcases.
Task 4.2 Showcase 1: Cultural Heritage as a key to local development (PIN): The showcase focused on the impact of distributed cultural heritage - in particular the Etruscan-era archaeological sites of Carmignano in the province of Prato, and of Vetulonia and Roselle in southern Tuscany – on the local economy and development of minor towns and districts. Through the use of more traditional experimental archaeology activities, such as the reconstruction of an ancient Etruscan cart or hands-on activities for the younger population and street performances, and the development of modern ICT tools, such as mobile applications for smartphones and tablets, the task leaders were able to show local administrations and small tourism-based businesses how to take advantage of the heritage of the regions with minimal resources. The TourBook (itunes.apple.com/it/artist/pin-s.c.r.l./id726408972?l=en and play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Vast-Lab) series of apps developed specifically for the showcase and can be downloaded free of charge from the iTunes Store and Google Play.
Task 4.3 World Heritage cities, experiences of local people and visitors (SRFG): task leader analyzed how World Heritage sites can reconnect with the local population, to enable them to regain a sense of “ownership”. Initially, workshops were organized locally with stakeholders involving the training of students. Later, the results were presented both at the local and national level. SRFG, with collaboration from local and international students, established a portal, Kulturleben (kulturerleben.salzburgresearch.at) which is the hub of all their cooperations focusing on local heritage and tours. Their collaboration with the students of MultiMediaArt produced the mobile app Nannerl (www.nannerl-app.multimediaart.at).
Task 4.4 From deindustrialization to cultural and creative industry (mNACTEC): the revitalization and promotion of industrial facilities and sites as touristic attractions or for culture and creative industry business was the main focus of the showcase. mNACTEC concentrated much of their efforts towards involving students of the local middle and high schools and the younger generations in general, as well as families, with creative extra-curricular school activities and competitions within the museum complex. To enhance the experience, mNACTEC’s own museum app was improved to include the El Fotocroma extension, initially a physically exhibition within the museum. The Terrassa Augmentada (play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.i2cat.modernismemnactec and itunes.apple.com/es/app/terrassa-+/id871757656?l=en&mt=8) app, which provides a self-guided tour employing augmented reality technologyaround industrial and Art Nouveau Terrassa, was instead developed by the AudioVisual unit of Fundació i2CAT in collaboration with a group of local high school students, who tested it and provided feedback. The technology tools for scientific museums developed within the scope of the project has enabled them to win a prize granted by Ibermuseos, which recognized and rewarded the good practices in educational activities promoted by museums and related institutions. The "Technology tools for scientific museums: education inside and outside the classroom" was an educational project for families and young people, complementary to formal education, aiming to contribute to non-formal education in the context of a science museum, focused on combining real-life experiences with digital technology through innovative tools: Terrassa Augmentada, EgaREC video contest, El Fotocroma, App mNACTEC and self-guided tours.
Task 4.5 Cross-border minorities: a divided region, the Banat (UVT): the Banat is a multicultural region divided among three countries and formed by a large number of minorities, none of which is prevalent. The showcase initially concentrated on collecting the diverse materials and on developing a mechanism for citizen involvement in building, preserving and communicating their cultural heritage. Field researchers from the university travelled to specific locations to interview its inhabitants, to film and record the local traditions and folklore. In the successive phase, innovative solutions to communicate this cultural heritage were taken into consideration. A Facebook (www.facebook.com/CreativeCh) page was set up to allow people from the different countries and cultural minorities to share photos and recollections.
Three deliverables were prepared and submitted on time during the lifespan of the project, as were the three milestones associated with this work package: MS6 Local CreativeCH showcases – evaluation of concept; MS8 Local CreativeCH showcases – evaluation of implementation; MS14 Local CreativeCH showcases – Evaluation of sustainability.
WP5 European dissemination of results: two were the tasks to complete for the project in order to reach the objectives set in the DoW. The goals were to design and implement the European and local level dissemination plan, to implement and maintain a project website, to provide technical support for European and local level events, and to provide support for the publication of materials.
Task 5.1 European dissemination planning and materials (MFG): the definition and implementation of dissemination materials for the whole project was decided early on. The dissemination strategy, target audiences, products and services were conceived centrally and approved by all members of the Consortium to ensure coherence between the European and local level activities and materials. In particular, the task leader took care of the production of the Handbook for Creative Cultural Heritage Cooperation Projects (www.creative-heritage.eu/fileadmin/_creative-ch/Downloads/CreativeCH_Handbook_2014.pdf) which is also available for download through the project website, along with the Toolkit.
Task 5.2 Web-based information platform (MFG): the project website was also implemented from the very beginning of the project, and was regularly maintained and updated according to the needs of the CreativeCH project partners. It serves as the main access point for information about the project; a download area, where visitors can find the products in digital format; areas for event blogging, workshop documentation, such as presentations, news, reports. Specific sections are dedicated to the four local showcases, to the CHIEF forum, which is moderated by project partner UoC and now contains a link to the special interest group on LinkedIn, which combines the forum and the peer-learning network.
Only one milestone – MS2 Website launch - was scheduled and it was accomplished on time.
The three deliverables were also submitted according to schedule.
Project Results:
Early on in the project, the showcase partners decided to implement the latest technologies to further the promotion of the showcase activities. The development of software tools was an integral part of their activities.
Each showcase developed a media/ICT application focused on local/regional tours or routes, as a core focus of the local cooperation: PIN, SRFG, mNACTEC developed web and mobile apps, while UVT opted for different online platforms, including social media, to present the local community heritage. Additional contents and technical features were added on to the initial configurations.
PIN: The “TourBook series”. The TourBook series was initially created within the local Tuscan showcase to promote the two areas of intervention. While the local showcase events were aimed at raising awareness about the sites and promoting visits, the mobile guides for smartphones and tablets, presented and tested at the events, provided a more durable support. All the applications of the TourBook series are available for both iOS and Android platforms, and can be downloaded free of charge from the iTunes Store and Google Play. Currently they are available only in Italian and English.
Three apps were developed specifically for the showcase: Carmignano tb, Roselle tb and Vetulonia tb. The areas differ in size, but share a common structure. An intuitive interface allows the user to select the most appropriate itinerary, at the same time giving precious information on the points of interest located along the way. Each POI is provided with a detailed information page, many photos and also 3D reconstructions of objects/buildings found on the site but held in museums. A detailed interactive map guides the user step by step, detecting his/her position along the chosen route and indicating the nearest points of interest and services offered. Each point of interest is provided with detailed descriptions. The accuracy of the information is guaranteed by a team of experts from the various local bodies of the area.
Due to the great success they achieved, and to the excellent contacts established with the local administration and of Prato and Pistoia, CAI Sezione “Emilio Bertini” in Prato, the Biblioteca San Giorgio, the YouLab An American Corner in Pistoia, the Province of Prato, and with the Archaeological Superintendence of Tuscany, an additional four apps were commissioned: PratoTrek tb, Gonfienti tb, Gonfienti AR and BiblioPT.
For dissemination purposes, a limited-edition - Paestum tb - was developed for the XVI Borsa Mediterranea del Turismo Archeologico, held annualy in Paestum, Southern Italy in November 2013. It is a large annual fair attracting many visitors, an excellent vehicle for promoting the showcase features.
Contacts established with the Province of Prato and the Superintendence of Archaeology in Tuscany lead to three further applications: PratoTrek tb, Gonfienti tb and Gonfienti AR.
PratoTrek tb contains all the hiking itineraries in the Province of Prato and was developed in collaboration with the local section of CAI – Club Alpino Italiano, an association with over 1000 members. A special extension of this app was published in occasion of a traditional 2-day marathon “Da Piazza a Piazza”, which took place in May 2014.
Gonfienti tb and Gonfienti AR were commissioned by the Archaeological Superintendence of Tuscany and the Province of Prato to showcase the Etruscan settlement located in the modern-day town of Gonfienti, on the outskirts of Prato. Due to lack of funding, the area opens only occasionally, when guided tours for local school children are organized. The apps were requested in order to display the finds and to show a hypothetical 3D reconstruction, based on the ruins retrieved from the site, of one of the buildings. Gonfienti AR employs augmented reality technologies for this purpose.
Contacts established in Pistoia with the Biblioteca San Giorgio and its YouLab - An American Corner lead to the development of the (currently) final app of the TourBook series: BiblioPT. All students participating in the ABC3D workshop, organized by PIN in the summer of 2014, entered a photo contest, where they exercised digital manipulation learned at the workshop. The 10 best renderings of photos taken during the guided tour through the center of Pistoia were incorporated in an itinerary stretching from the older libraries to the state-of-the-art Biblioteca San Giorgio.
Each of the applications is independent of the other, but all have the same look and feel, interface and organization. The basic app configuration can be adapted to reflect the diverse nature of the sites, whether they cover small or larger areas, and of the points of interest to highlight. Once they are downloaded, internet connection is no longer required: this is an almost mandatory feature, as in many of the locations touched by the implementation of the showcase there is no mobile connection, or the cost of connection would be too high, thus making the application impractical. The apps utilize the mobile apparatus’s integrated GPS to localize the user’s position along the route. Alternatively, the user can scan the QR codes positioned by the POI to collect information on what they are viewing. Not all the sites have been provided with these codes, but the option is available and functions well.
All texts describing the points of interest have been supervised by competent experts and are scientifically correct. They have been reviewed to ensure ease of comprehension by the general public, so technical jargon is scarce. Currently, only English and Italian have been implemented, but in future additional languages can be added.
This asset is valuable beyond the project duration, as the apps created within CreativeCH will remain available free of charge after the project terminates. A spin-off company – PRISMA – will handle future updates and ensure long-term sustainability of the apps.
Download links: http://vast-lab.org/creativech_apps/
For video clips showing a demonstration of the apps, and of the Notti dell’Archeologia event (Maremma showcase): http://www.youtube.com/user/vastlabpin
Fig. 1 Basic structure of the applications: Carmignano tb
3D technologies. All applications are rich in visual content, such as images, 3D reconstructions and videos, which show details that usually cannot be seen or that have been taken from unusual points of view. The images are an excellent way to bring to life archaeological sites, and buildings which have long since collapsed and of which only the foundations remain intact. 3D technologies can also be employed to reconstruct whole artefacts from small pieces, or to present the objects discovered at the sites that are now located in museums off-site, thus contributing to the knowledge of the culture of a specific location. Latest generation 3D scanners and printers were used to replicate the objects not only for inclusion in the apps themselves, but also to use as actual objects to sell during the Notti dell’Archeologia event, making up the “cargo” transported by the reconstructed Etruscan cart on its way inland along the Via dell’Ombrone. Fast prototyping - modern laser scanning and 3D printing technologies - are in fact employed to replicate objects for educational purposes. For the showcase, selected items (two small bronze votive figurines, a razor and other small objects) from the Museum of Grosseto were scanned using a Next-Engine scanner and prepared for fast prototyping. Two different 3D printers were tested: an expensive one owned by another laboratory at PIN, and a cheap one kindly lent by the CNR-ISTI laboratory in Pisa. The replicas were produced in resin of a neutral color, then polished and painted by hand, using an alcohol-based bronze paint. For practical purposes, the cheaper ones (about €6 each), serve their purpose very well.
3D technologies can be used to replicate all sorts of objects, which can be used within future apps (3D scans), or as exhibition materials (3D prints). 3D replicas can be used in museums as substitutes for objects, which are either too fragile to be handled or that have been moved to larger museums.
Fig. 2 Hand-painted 3D replicas in resin of bronze artefacts from the Museo Archeologico di Grosseto
SRFG: Kulturleben portal, virtual tours on a web-based and mobile application. The Salzburg local showcase explored several ways of allowing people in Salzburg, as well as visitors, to access and learn about the local heritage in novel ways. One such application is the Web-based & mobile Virtual Tours application. The students of academic secondary schools and of the University of Applied Sciences were actively involved in the development of the novel tools, initially through workshops and surveys, where they were invited to develop concepts and prototypes for accessing and interacting with local heritage sites.
Kulturleben is a web-based portal, created to host an unlimited number of thematic tours, which can be downloaded onto one’s smartphone or tablet and enjoyed on site, following the chosen itinerary. More contents, provided by local showcase partners, will be uploaded in future. Some of the more popular tours are “Americans in Salzburg 1945-1955 Tour”, prepared in collaboration with the University of Portland in the US; the “Georg Trakl Tour”, devoted to the life and works of the famous local poet Georg Trakl, and developed in cooperation with the Trakl House. This tour includes historical images, texts and sound recordings of the poems, and some videos. A bookmark showing a QR code with the link to the tour was distributed at several infopoints in the city. An interesting feature of the portal allows users to see photographs of POI as they were in the past, superimposed on how they are today, through a sliding.
The portal will be valuable beyond the project duration, as it is the main hub for current and future cooperations. It is perceived by potential new partners as a good way t present specific cultural heritage in a wider context. The site is currently available only in German.
Fig. 3 Salzburg then and now
The students of the University of Applied Sciences developed and manage the mobile app Nannerl, a tour guide showing points of interest within Salzburg linked to Mozart’s sister, a very talented musician in her own right.
mNACTEC: mobile applications and guided tours. The existing official mNACTEC app for smartphones was improved, and currently contains a self-guided walking tour, together with direct access to El Fotocroma del mNACTEC, so pictures can be taken from an Ipad kiosk or from the visitor’s smartphone. Under the topic "Jo i la ciutat sustainable", the app also integrates an itinerary around Terrassa and the museum. Scanning QR codes, visitors can know more about museum objects and permanent mNACTEC exhibitions. The application, available for Android and iOS, includes useful tools, such as a QR code reader, a content management system and geopositioning through Google Maps.
Terrassa Augmentada is an augmented reality smartphone application that allows visitors to enjoy a self-guided tour around the industrial and Art Nouveau sites of Terrassa. It is available for Android and iOS. To evaluate the outcomes of the new app, several testing and evaluation sessions were carried out. Terrassa Augmentada will be valuable beyond the project duration, because it is meant to be a permanent asset, both in the educational field and the tourist sector.
iPad-guided museum tour: A self-guided tour around the museum has been made available and linked to La bona vida (Good living), a fun educational initiative for young people and families. It actively engages visitors to rethink consumption habits and to search for ideas towards sustainable lifestyles. The self-guided tour has two levels: the first level is family-oriented, including a QR code treasure hunt. Visitors scan QR codes to reveal clues, in order to answer questions about La bona vida and find the next code in the sequence. The second level addresses students and includes downloadable documentation to do research.
Testing and evaluation sessions with students were carried out. A test group made up of 30 students aged 15-16 years old and teachers from Torre del Palau High School was the first to experience the QR code Treasure hunt of La bona vida, including El Fotocroma del mNACTEC. The outcomes of the sessions have been taken into account in order to improve the tool.
El Fotocroma del mNACTEC is achroma-key installation that mixes the images of the participating visitors into scenes of Terrassa’s industrial heritage. Chroma keying is a special effects technique for composing two images together based on color shades. A color range, usually green, in the top layer is made transparent, revealing another image behind. An iPad kiosk is available for visitors to select the desired scenario - from ancient photos to museum best pieces - take photos, download and share them with friends on social networks. The Fotocroma has been made accessible for smartphones through the museum app. Several evaluation mechanisms were implemented in order to evaluate the outcomes of El Fotocroma: firstly, testing and evaluation sessions with students, where the outcomes of the sessions were taken into account to improve the tool; secondly, while downloading the pictures from El Fotocroma, visitors had to answer a quick evaluation questionnaire regarding the feature.
Egarec Video Contest: in spring 2013, mNACTEC launched EGAREC, a local video competition to produce videos on the most important touristic attractions of Terrassa. The videos highlighted - in an engaging manner any aspect of mNACTEC, the Fira Modernista 2013 and/or the industrial heritage of Terrassa. Participants had a chance to create a short video about these places of touristic interest, captured with any device (smartphone, tablet, camera...) to win attractive prizes. The competition was open to participants of all ages and was split in two categories: A (under 18) and B (adults). The videos were posted to YouTube/Vimeo and to EGAREC's contest on Facebook. The videos are and will be re-used for dissemination purposes.
The many educational activities carried out by mNACTEC and the technological tools developed within the scope of the CreativeCH project, enabled this project partner to win the Ibero-American Education and Museums award granted by Ibermuseos. Their project “Technology tools for scientific museums: education inside and outside the classroom” focused on several actions that combine real-life experience with digital technology through innovative tools: Terrassa Augmentada, EgaREC video contest, El Fotocroma, mNACTEC app and self-guided tour.
All partners of the project had a strong presence on social-media networks, both at the local level in the language/s of the country of origin and at the European-international level through the project website: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn were the preferred channels for communicating the showcase results and the CHIEF forum and peer-learning network. Twitter in particular is a valuable tool, enabling the partners to instantaneously reach the scientific community and the general public at once. Facebook was the social network of choice for the Romanian partners, as the nature of their work - field research and data collection – was facilitated. Open, informal social networks, such as Facebook, allow users from all over the globe to contribute information, to comment and provide valuable insight into the culture of the region that may not be as readily available to the field researchers when they visit the same locations. Professional sites, such as LinkedIn are instead an excellent way to share knowledge amongst the scientific and academic communities, it is a more targeted way to exchange ideas and know-how.
4.1.4. Potential impact, main dissemination activities and exploitation of results (not exceeding 10 pages) Franco
The project’s socio-economic impact consists in the promotion of cultural heritage for its potential as a development engine. For example, producing better guides for less-known archaeological sites in Tuscany promotes them as tourist destinations; creating advanced and entertaining installations at mNACTEC attracts a larger number of visitors, especially young ones; and so on.
In sum, the project impact is to demonstrate with exemplary applications how cultural heritage may be appropriately enhanced and support local development, and how young people may be involved in this process to raise their awareness on the cultural potential of their region.
Both aspects are very relevant: to increase cultural tourism, for example, and for the local inhabitants, who get a better understanding and interest for their cultural heritage and appreciate new ways of getting in touch with it.
Potential Impact:
The project results have a high potential for exploitation. Still during the project there have been requests for extending the implementation of the showcases to other pilot cases, which led to expanding the planned number of applications re-using some savings obtained during the project activity.
For example, in addition to the three original archaeological case-studies planned for Tuscany three more cases were required by local administrations and associations, one concerning archaeology, one hiking and trekking, and the last one educational applications. In all these cases the customers – museums, local administration and associations – have expressed an interest in continuing the development of additional case studies once funding to cover the costs is secured. Also the presence at the BMTA Exhibition in Paestum allowed developing a showcase on this important archaeological site, which was freely distributed to the Exhibition visitors.
All this interest led the researchers at PIN to consider the opportunity of creating a spin-off company to provide services similar or inspired by the CREATIVE project. In the first year of life, the company is expected to have a budget of some 100.000 Euro. Unfortunately, the current financial problems and the budgetary restrictions affecting public administrations, the main customers of the CREATIVE initiative, severely limit the availability of funds for culture, thus restricting the market demand.
There was an expectation of partially mitigating such unfavorable conditions with the support of the EU programmes on creativity (the so-called “Creative Europe”) but so far none of its actions seems to be fit with the CREATIVE CH project approach, as they address either literature, arts and media, or tourism, neither being the focus of CREATIVE.
However, the final part of the project has addressed dissemination in a very active way. The project consortium has added to its outcomes a final event – initially not included in the project planning – to further increase publicity of the project results. The event took place on 24 September 2014 in Pistoia with a large participation of public, including some young students who received an award for their participation in the project activities. Similar events have taken place in all the countries where the project has developed a showcase.
Most notably, the Catalan showcase has generated a project received an international prize, the “Ibero-american Education and Museums Prize 2014”. The project titled “"Technology tools for scientific museums: education inside and outside the classroom" is a direct implementation of the showcase activities, including Terrassa Augmentada, EgaREC video contest, El Fotocroma, App mNACTEC and self-guided tours.
List of Websites:
The project website is:
www.creative-heritage.eu
Europe has a particularly rich and diverse cultural heritage. This cultural diversity is perceived as the defining characteristic of Europe: preserving it and using it for cultural tourism, cultural and creative businesses, citizen’s cultural participation and knowledge, is of vital interest for the economic competitiveness of Europe’s cities and regions, and to increase the impact of European values in the world.
The economic importance of cultural heritage is most obvious in the tourism industry, which capitalizes on Europe’s unique assets such as cultural landscapes, built heritage, historic narratives, music and imagery. Cultural heritage helps sustain Europe’s cities and regions as attractive places to invest in, live and work, because of their specific character and quality of life.
While the notion and societal appreciation of heritage have changed fundamentally over the years, so have the “raw materials”, tools and markets for culture-based creative innovations. They have become digital, which means that cultural heritage must be made available in digital formats, so that new forms of cultural interaction, knowledge and experiences can be offered.
Both tangible and intangible heritage can be recorded with digital technologies and made accessible for developing novel products and services, such as tourism websites, mobile location-based services or interactive virtual museum exhibitions. Affordable tools such as digital cameras and content sharing platforms of the web, allow both locals and tourists to contribute their own materials, which enhance the vibrancy of cultural places and events. The participative web – social media and community platforms – clearly demonstrate the citizens’ interest not only in consuming, but also participating with their own contributions.
In order to further the objectives of the project, the partners of CreativeCH have employed not only the more traditional methods of presenting cultural heritage, but also the latest digital technologies and social platforms. The four showcases exemplify how regions and cities can take advantage of their CH assets, benefiting from the cooperation between cultural heritage institutions, creative and cultural industries and science and technology centers. Each showcase touches upon a particular problematic aspect. In Tuscany, innovative creative activities and the involvement collaboration between local administrations, museums and small business in the tourism industry, lead to the promotion of two “minor” areas in the region. The World Heritage city of Salzburg focused on finding ways to help locals living in major touristic destinations to reconnect with their heritage through a better understanding of their history. In the Catalan region surrounding Terrassa, once heavily industrialized, the partner concentrated their efforts on revitalizing the industrial heritage of the region through adaptation as touristic attractions and as facilities for cultural and artistic and creative industry businesses. The cross-border region of the Banat in Romania hosts a checkerboard of cultural minorities, each living side by side in harmony, a veritable example of cooperation.
The Applications for smartphones and tablets (available free of charge) developed to enhance the showcases can be enjoyed year-round. Social platforms and local-language websites allow easy access and participation of the interested population, the media and organizations. The solutions devised by the partners can be applied throughout Europe, indeed the world.
Project Context and Objectives:
The core objective of CreativeCH is to promote cooperation and mutual innovation among organizations of Science & Technology (S&T), Cultural Heritage (CH) and Creative Cultural Industries (CCI), and highlight the contribution of such cooperation and innovations to vital European economic, social and cultural objectives. The goals of the CreativeCH Action Plan are to:
• offer organizations, municipalities and regions the opportunity to develop new ways and initiatives to communicate and promote cultural heritage for purposes such as regional development, tourism and citizen cultural participation, thus enabling cities and regions across Europe to benefit from CH assets through the cooperation of S&T, CH, and CCI organizations;
• encourage and involve students in such cooperation, based on a deeper understanding of why CH and cultural diversity are key European assets, and how S&T and cultural creativity can turn them into vital sources of inspiration and innovation.
On the European level CreativeCH will promote sharing of knowledge and experiences in S&T-CH-CCI cooperation through an open peer-learning network, a series of workshops at major European events and a virtual forum for students and practitioners. These activities will include collecting examples of S&T-CH-CCI cooperation, identifying success factors and providing recommendations on best practices. On the Local level, CreativeCH will realize 4 showcases of S&T-CH-CCI cooperation, which demonstrate how such cooperation can help overcome barriers in the access to, and understanding of, cultural heritage. The focus is on issues of “glocal” character, i.e. that are common to cultural heritage worldwide but that are tackled in an exemplary way in a concrete local setting. The showcases will also have a particular focus on involving and training students. CreativeCH intends to offer organizations, municipalities and regions the opportunity to develop new ways and initiatives to communicate and promote cultural heritage for purposes such as regional development, tourism and citizen cultural participation.
Main goals
• Demonstrate the benefits of combining cultural content, knowledge, creativity and technology.
• Develop and promote local showcases of creative cooperation in four partner regions.
• Involve and train students in the understanding and communication of cultural diversity and heritage.
• Provide a virtual forum for young researchers, artists and practitioners from around Europe for discussing topics of interest and presenting own projects.
• Set up an open peer-learning network of organizations and experts to share knowledge and experiences from initiatives across Europe.
• Organize a series of 10 international workshops on vital themes of creative cooperation in cultural heritage.
WP1 Project Coordination: The project is coordinated by PIN (IT), which provided a Project Manager leading an administrative team whose objective was to support all aspects of the management of the project. The work package consisted of two tasks, carried out consistently throughout the 3 years of the project with participation of all partners:
Task 1.1 Scientific coordination and monitoring, activities included establishing and maintaining the Consortium Agreement, servicing the General Assembly by recording and implementing its decisions, liaising with the Project Officer.
Task 1.2 Administrative project management, activities included organizing the Kick-off and regular plenary meetings, liaising with WP leaders to monitor activities and for the production of management reports, assisting partners in the preparation of periodic financial reports and documents (including cost claims) as required, distributing pre-financing and interim payments to partners, ensuring timely delivery of project deliverables to the Commission, after using quality control.
No deliverables were foreseen for this work package; the 2 milestones (MS1 Project Kick-off and MS7 Review of the implementation of the action plan) were carried out according to schedule.
WP2 European networking and sharing of knowledge: the University of Coimbra, with the participation of PIN, managed the work package. The main objectives were to mobilize and support the mutual European peer-learning network and program, and to provide a virtual forum for young students and practitioners. Two tasks were carried out:
Task 2.1 European peer-learning network, managed by PIN, to mobilize stakeholder organizations from the domains of CH, Arts & Culture, CCI, S&T and educational programs willing to contribute, discuss and evaluate knowledge and experiences in CH-CCI-S&T cooperation in an open learning network.
Task 2.2 Cultural Heritage Innovation European Forum (CHIEF), a virtual forum, provided and supported by UoC through the project website, for European students, young researchers, artists and practitioners already working or wishing to participate in CH-CCI-S&T cooperation projects.
The milestones associated with this work package are three: MS9 - 50 organizations registered as stakeholders in the peer-learning network; MS12 - European peer-learning network - Evaluation of potential sustainability of the; MS13 - CHIEF - Evaluation of potential sustainability. All three were carried out as scheduled. As a result of the evaluation of potential sustainability of the two tasks, the European peer-learning network and the CHIEF forum merged into a special interest group on LinkedIn, an external social platform used by professionals to connect with other professionals and for job seeking/hiring activities. The Consortium was recognized that LinkedIn was the most suitable platform that would ensure autonomy with minimal management required.
The three deliverables were submitted according to schedule.
WP3 European workshop program and products: the work package, consisting of two tasks, had two objectives: to prepare, moderate and summarize a series of workshops; to produce an online Toolkit and Handbook for CH-CCI-S&T cooperation.
Task 3.1 European workshop program: the project partners organized a series of 10 workshops throughout Europe at major international events. The work involved finding a suitable event for the topic of the workshops, organizing the workshops (technical requirements, preparation of the agenda, invitation of experts, presentations and moderators, publicity, and so on), summarizing the workshop results and post-event communication with participants. All partners organized 2 workshops, with the exception of MFG, who instead took care of all technical aspects. During the workshops, partners gave presentations to illustrate the on-going work.
Task 3.2 Toolkit and handbook for CH-CCI-S&T cooperation: The Toolkit and Handbook highlight the important role of creative, cross-domain cooperation in the communication and valorization of Cultural Heritage. The products provide a knowledge base, inspiring examples and recommendations for cooperation projects, with an emphasis on creative communication of cultural heritage with ICT and new media. The Handbook was published in hard copy (MS11), and is also available as a pdf download through the project website www.creative-heritage.eu is the result of the CreativeCH workshops and includes 21 case-studies. The areas of focus include archaeological sites, World Heritage towns, industrial heritage, historical places and buildings, cultural routes and citizen cultural participation. The online Toolkit includes additional content and links to other CreativeCH content, and has been updated since its publication to include the final three expert workshops. It is available for download from SRFG’s website creativech-toolkit.salzburgresearch.at.
This work package foresaw the development and submission of five deliverables, all were submitted after quality control.
WP4 Local CreativeCH showcases: the work package focused on three objectives: to develop and implement local showcases of S&T-CCI-CH cooperation involving local/regional centers; involve students in the showcase, thus provide training in S&T-CCI-CH cooperation; present, summarize and disseminate the results achieved on the local to national level and within European-level activities.
Task 4.1 Local CreativeCH showcase coordination at the European level: the task leader provided common guidelines between the activities at both the European and local levels, as well as for the involvement and training of students. Dissemination materials were produced to ensure coherence at the European level of the showcases.
Task 4.2 Showcase 1: Cultural Heritage as a key to local development (PIN): The showcase focused on the impact of distributed cultural heritage - in particular the Etruscan-era archaeological sites of Carmignano in the province of Prato, and of Vetulonia and Roselle in southern Tuscany – on the local economy and development of minor towns and districts. Through the use of more traditional experimental archaeology activities, such as the reconstruction of an ancient Etruscan cart or hands-on activities for the younger population and street performances, and the development of modern ICT tools, such as mobile applications for smartphones and tablets, the task leaders were able to show local administrations and small tourism-based businesses how to take advantage of the heritage of the regions with minimal resources. The TourBook (itunes.apple.com/it/artist/pin-s.c.r.l./id726408972?l=en and play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Vast-Lab) series of apps developed specifically for the showcase and can be downloaded free of charge from the iTunes Store and Google Play.
Task 4.3 World Heritage cities, experiences of local people and visitors (SRFG): task leader analyzed how World Heritage sites can reconnect with the local population, to enable them to regain a sense of “ownership”. Initially, workshops were organized locally with stakeholders involving the training of students. Later, the results were presented both at the local and national level. SRFG, with collaboration from local and international students, established a portal, Kulturleben (kulturerleben.salzburgresearch.at) which is the hub of all their cooperations focusing on local heritage and tours. Their collaboration with the students of MultiMediaArt produced the mobile app Nannerl (www.nannerl-app.multimediaart.at).
Task 4.4 From deindustrialization to cultural and creative industry (mNACTEC): the revitalization and promotion of industrial facilities and sites as touristic attractions or for culture and creative industry business was the main focus of the showcase. mNACTEC concentrated much of their efforts towards involving students of the local middle and high schools and the younger generations in general, as well as families, with creative extra-curricular school activities and competitions within the museum complex. To enhance the experience, mNACTEC’s own museum app was improved to include the El Fotocroma extension, initially a physically exhibition within the museum. The Terrassa Augmentada (play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.i2cat.modernismemnactec and itunes.apple.com/es/app/terrassa-+/id871757656?l=en&mt=8) app, which provides a self-guided tour employing augmented reality technologyaround industrial and Art Nouveau Terrassa, was instead developed by the AudioVisual unit of Fundació i2CAT in collaboration with a group of local high school students, who tested it and provided feedback. The technology tools for scientific museums developed within the scope of the project has enabled them to win a prize granted by Ibermuseos, which recognized and rewarded the good practices in educational activities promoted by museums and related institutions. The "Technology tools for scientific museums: education inside and outside the classroom" was an educational project for families and young people, complementary to formal education, aiming to contribute to non-formal education in the context of a science museum, focused on combining real-life experiences with digital technology through innovative tools: Terrassa Augmentada, EgaREC video contest, El Fotocroma, App mNACTEC and self-guided tours.
Task 4.5 Cross-border minorities: a divided region, the Banat (UVT): the Banat is a multicultural region divided among three countries and formed by a large number of minorities, none of which is prevalent. The showcase initially concentrated on collecting the diverse materials and on developing a mechanism for citizen involvement in building, preserving and communicating their cultural heritage. Field researchers from the university travelled to specific locations to interview its inhabitants, to film and record the local traditions and folklore. In the successive phase, innovative solutions to communicate this cultural heritage were taken into consideration. A Facebook (www.facebook.com/CreativeCh) page was set up to allow people from the different countries and cultural minorities to share photos and recollections.
Three deliverables were prepared and submitted on time during the lifespan of the project, as were the three milestones associated with this work package: MS6 Local CreativeCH showcases – evaluation of concept; MS8 Local CreativeCH showcases – evaluation of implementation; MS14 Local CreativeCH showcases – Evaluation of sustainability.
WP5 European dissemination of results: two were the tasks to complete for the project in order to reach the objectives set in the DoW. The goals were to design and implement the European and local level dissemination plan, to implement and maintain a project website, to provide technical support for European and local level events, and to provide support for the publication of materials.
Task 5.1 European dissemination planning and materials (MFG): the definition and implementation of dissemination materials for the whole project was decided early on. The dissemination strategy, target audiences, products and services were conceived centrally and approved by all members of the Consortium to ensure coherence between the European and local level activities and materials. In particular, the task leader took care of the production of the Handbook for Creative Cultural Heritage Cooperation Projects (www.creative-heritage.eu/fileadmin/_creative-ch/Downloads/CreativeCH_Handbook_2014.pdf) which is also available for download through the project website, along with the Toolkit.
Task 5.2 Web-based information platform (MFG): the project website was also implemented from the very beginning of the project, and was regularly maintained and updated according to the needs of the CreativeCH project partners. It serves as the main access point for information about the project; a download area, where visitors can find the products in digital format; areas for event blogging, workshop documentation, such as presentations, news, reports. Specific sections are dedicated to the four local showcases, to the CHIEF forum, which is moderated by project partner UoC and now contains a link to the special interest group on LinkedIn, which combines the forum and the peer-learning network.
Only one milestone – MS2 Website launch - was scheduled and it was accomplished on time.
The three deliverables were also submitted according to schedule.
Project Results:
Early on in the project, the showcase partners decided to implement the latest technologies to further the promotion of the showcase activities. The development of software tools was an integral part of their activities.
Each showcase developed a media/ICT application focused on local/regional tours or routes, as a core focus of the local cooperation: PIN, SRFG, mNACTEC developed web and mobile apps, while UVT opted for different online platforms, including social media, to present the local community heritage. Additional contents and technical features were added on to the initial configurations.
PIN: The “TourBook series”. The TourBook series was initially created within the local Tuscan showcase to promote the two areas of intervention. While the local showcase events were aimed at raising awareness about the sites and promoting visits, the mobile guides for smartphones and tablets, presented and tested at the events, provided a more durable support. All the applications of the TourBook series are available for both iOS and Android platforms, and can be downloaded free of charge from the iTunes Store and Google Play. Currently they are available only in Italian and English.
Three apps were developed specifically for the showcase: Carmignano tb, Roselle tb and Vetulonia tb. The areas differ in size, but share a common structure. An intuitive interface allows the user to select the most appropriate itinerary, at the same time giving precious information on the points of interest located along the way. Each POI is provided with a detailed information page, many photos and also 3D reconstructions of objects/buildings found on the site but held in museums. A detailed interactive map guides the user step by step, detecting his/her position along the chosen route and indicating the nearest points of interest and services offered. Each point of interest is provided with detailed descriptions. The accuracy of the information is guaranteed by a team of experts from the various local bodies of the area.
Due to the great success they achieved, and to the excellent contacts established with the local administration and of Prato and Pistoia, CAI Sezione “Emilio Bertini” in Prato, the Biblioteca San Giorgio, the YouLab An American Corner in Pistoia, the Province of Prato, and with the Archaeological Superintendence of Tuscany, an additional four apps were commissioned: PratoTrek tb, Gonfienti tb, Gonfienti AR and BiblioPT.
For dissemination purposes, a limited-edition - Paestum tb - was developed for the XVI Borsa Mediterranea del Turismo Archeologico, held annualy in Paestum, Southern Italy in November 2013. It is a large annual fair attracting many visitors, an excellent vehicle for promoting the showcase features.
Contacts established with the Province of Prato and the Superintendence of Archaeology in Tuscany lead to three further applications: PratoTrek tb, Gonfienti tb and Gonfienti AR.
PratoTrek tb contains all the hiking itineraries in the Province of Prato and was developed in collaboration with the local section of CAI – Club Alpino Italiano, an association with over 1000 members. A special extension of this app was published in occasion of a traditional 2-day marathon “Da Piazza a Piazza”, which took place in May 2014.
Gonfienti tb and Gonfienti AR were commissioned by the Archaeological Superintendence of Tuscany and the Province of Prato to showcase the Etruscan settlement located in the modern-day town of Gonfienti, on the outskirts of Prato. Due to lack of funding, the area opens only occasionally, when guided tours for local school children are organized. The apps were requested in order to display the finds and to show a hypothetical 3D reconstruction, based on the ruins retrieved from the site, of one of the buildings. Gonfienti AR employs augmented reality technologies for this purpose.
Contacts established in Pistoia with the Biblioteca San Giorgio and its YouLab - An American Corner lead to the development of the (currently) final app of the TourBook series: BiblioPT. All students participating in the ABC3D workshop, organized by PIN in the summer of 2014, entered a photo contest, where they exercised digital manipulation learned at the workshop. The 10 best renderings of photos taken during the guided tour through the center of Pistoia were incorporated in an itinerary stretching from the older libraries to the state-of-the-art Biblioteca San Giorgio.
Each of the applications is independent of the other, but all have the same look and feel, interface and organization. The basic app configuration can be adapted to reflect the diverse nature of the sites, whether they cover small or larger areas, and of the points of interest to highlight. Once they are downloaded, internet connection is no longer required: this is an almost mandatory feature, as in many of the locations touched by the implementation of the showcase there is no mobile connection, or the cost of connection would be too high, thus making the application impractical. The apps utilize the mobile apparatus’s integrated GPS to localize the user’s position along the route. Alternatively, the user can scan the QR codes positioned by the POI to collect information on what they are viewing. Not all the sites have been provided with these codes, but the option is available and functions well.
All texts describing the points of interest have been supervised by competent experts and are scientifically correct. They have been reviewed to ensure ease of comprehension by the general public, so technical jargon is scarce. Currently, only English and Italian have been implemented, but in future additional languages can be added.
This asset is valuable beyond the project duration, as the apps created within CreativeCH will remain available free of charge after the project terminates. A spin-off company – PRISMA – will handle future updates and ensure long-term sustainability of the apps.
Download links: http://vast-lab.org/creativech_apps/
For video clips showing a demonstration of the apps, and of the Notti dell’Archeologia event (Maremma showcase): http://www.youtube.com/user/vastlabpin
Fig. 1 Basic structure of the applications: Carmignano tb
3D technologies. All applications are rich in visual content, such as images, 3D reconstructions and videos, which show details that usually cannot be seen or that have been taken from unusual points of view. The images are an excellent way to bring to life archaeological sites, and buildings which have long since collapsed and of which only the foundations remain intact. 3D technologies can also be employed to reconstruct whole artefacts from small pieces, or to present the objects discovered at the sites that are now located in museums off-site, thus contributing to the knowledge of the culture of a specific location. Latest generation 3D scanners and printers were used to replicate the objects not only for inclusion in the apps themselves, but also to use as actual objects to sell during the Notti dell’Archeologia event, making up the “cargo” transported by the reconstructed Etruscan cart on its way inland along the Via dell’Ombrone. Fast prototyping - modern laser scanning and 3D printing technologies - are in fact employed to replicate objects for educational purposes. For the showcase, selected items (two small bronze votive figurines, a razor and other small objects) from the Museum of Grosseto were scanned using a Next-Engine scanner and prepared for fast prototyping. Two different 3D printers were tested: an expensive one owned by another laboratory at PIN, and a cheap one kindly lent by the CNR-ISTI laboratory in Pisa. The replicas were produced in resin of a neutral color, then polished and painted by hand, using an alcohol-based bronze paint. For practical purposes, the cheaper ones (about €6 each), serve their purpose very well.
3D technologies can be used to replicate all sorts of objects, which can be used within future apps (3D scans), or as exhibition materials (3D prints). 3D replicas can be used in museums as substitutes for objects, which are either too fragile to be handled or that have been moved to larger museums.
Fig. 2 Hand-painted 3D replicas in resin of bronze artefacts from the Museo Archeologico di Grosseto
SRFG: Kulturleben portal, virtual tours on a web-based and mobile application. The Salzburg local showcase explored several ways of allowing people in Salzburg, as well as visitors, to access and learn about the local heritage in novel ways. One such application is the Web-based & mobile Virtual Tours application. The students of academic secondary schools and of the University of Applied Sciences were actively involved in the development of the novel tools, initially through workshops and surveys, where they were invited to develop concepts and prototypes for accessing and interacting with local heritage sites.
Kulturleben is a web-based portal, created to host an unlimited number of thematic tours, which can be downloaded onto one’s smartphone or tablet and enjoyed on site, following the chosen itinerary. More contents, provided by local showcase partners, will be uploaded in future. Some of the more popular tours are “Americans in Salzburg 1945-1955 Tour”, prepared in collaboration with the University of Portland in the US; the “Georg Trakl Tour”, devoted to the life and works of the famous local poet Georg Trakl, and developed in cooperation with the Trakl House. This tour includes historical images, texts and sound recordings of the poems, and some videos. A bookmark showing a QR code with the link to the tour was distributed at several infopoints in the city. An interesting feature of the portal allows users to see photographs of POI as they were in the past, superimposed on how they are today, through a sliding.
The portal will be valuable beyond the project duration, as it is the main hub for current and future cooperations. It is perceived by potential new partners as a good way t present specific cultural heritage in a wider context. The site is currently available only in German.
Fig. 3 Salzburg then and now
The students of the University of Applied Sciences developed and manage the mobile app Nannerl, a tour guide showing points of interest within Salzburg linked to Mozart’s sister, a very talented musician in her own right.
mNACTEC: mobile applications and guided tours. The existing official mNACTEC app for smartphones was improved, and currently contains a self-guided walking tour, together with direct access to El Fotocroma del mNACTEC, so pictures can be taken from an Ipad kiosk or from the visitor’s smartphone. Under the topic "Jo i la ciutat sustainable", the app also integrates an itinerary around Terrassa and the museum. Scanning QR codes, visitors can know more about museum objects and permanent mNACTEC exhibitions. The application, available for Android and iOS, includes useful tools, such as a QR code reader, a content management system and geopositioning through Google Maps.
Terrassa Augmentada is an augmented reality smartphone application that allows visitors to enjoy a self-guided tour around the industrial and Art Nouveau sites of Terrassa. It is available for Android and iOS. To evaluate the outcomes of the new app, several testing and evaluation sessions were carried out. Terrassa Augmentada will be valuable beyond the project duration, because it is meant to be a permanent asset, both in the educational field and the tourist sector.
iPad-guided museum tour: A self-guided tour around the museum has been made available and linked to La bona vida (Good living), a fun educational initiative for young people and families. It actively engages visitors to rethink consumption habits and to search for ideas towards sustainable lifestyles. The self-guided tour has two levels: the first level is family-oriented, including a QR code treasure hunt. Visitors scan QR codes to reveal clues, in order to answer questions about La bona vida and find the next code in the sequence. The second level addresses students and includes downloadable documentation to do research.
Testing and evaluation sessions with students were carried out. A test group made up of 30 students aged 15-16 years old and teachers from Torre del Palau High School was the first to experience the QR code Treasure hunt of La bona vida, including El Fotocroma del mNACTEC. The outcomes of the sessions have been taken into account in order to improve the tool.
El Fotocroma del mNACTEC is achroma-key installation that mixes the images of the participating visitors into scenes of Terrassa’s industrial heritage. Chroma keying is a special effects technique for composing two images together based on color shades. A color range, usually green, in the top layer is made transparent, revealing another image behind. An iPad kiosk is available for visitors to select the desired scenario - from ancient photos to museum best pieces - take photos, download and share them with friends on social networks. The Fotocroma has been made accessible for smartphones through the museum app. Several evaluation mechanisms were implemented in order to evaluate the outcomes of El Fotocroma: firstly, testing and evaluation sessions with students, where the outcomes of the sessions were taken into account to improve the tool; secondly, while downloading the pictures from El Fotocroma, visitors had to answer a quick evaluation questionnaire regarding the feature.
Egarec Video Contest: in spring 2013, mNACTEC launched EGAREC, a local video competition to produce videos on the most important touristic attractions of Terrassa. The videos highlighted - in an engaging manner any aspect of mNACTEC, the Fira Modernista 2013 and/or the industrial heritage of Terrassa. Participants had a chance to create a short video about these places of touristic interest, captured with any device (smartphone, tablet, camera...) to win attractive prizes. The competition was open to participants of all ages and was split in two categories: A (under 18) and B (adults). The videos were posted to YouTube/Vimeo and to EGAREC's contest on Facebook. The videos are and will be re-used for dissemination purposes.
The many educational activities carried out by mNACTEC and the technological tools developed within the scope of the CreativeCH project, enabled this project partner to win the Ibero-American Education and Museums award granted by Ibermuseos. Their project “Technology tools for scientific museums: education inside and outside the classroom” focused on several actions that combine real-life experience with digital technology through innovative tools: Terrassa Augmentada, EgaREC video contest, El Fotocroma, mNACTEC app and self-guided tour.
All partners of the project had a strong presence on social-media networks, both at the local level in the language/s of the country of origin and at the European-international level through the project website: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn were the preferred channels for communicating the showcase results and the CHIEF forum and peer-learning network. Twitter in particular is a valuable tool, enabling the partners to instantaneously reach the scientific community and the general public at once. Facebook was the social network of choice for the Romanian partners, as the nature of their work - field research and data collection – was facilitated. Open, informal social networks, such as Facebook, allow users from all over the globe to contribute information, to comment and provide valuable insight into the culture of the region that may not be as readily available to the field researchers when they visit the same locations. Professional sites, such as LinkedIn are instead an excellent way to share knowledge amongst the scientific and academic communities, it is a more targeted way to exchange ideas and know-how.
4.1.4. Potential impact, main dissemination activities and exploitation of results (not exceeding 10 pages) Franco
The project’s socio-economic impact consists in the promotion of cultural heritage for its potential as a development engine. For example, producing better guides for less-known archaeological sites in Tuscany promotes them as tourist destinations; creating advanced and entertaining installations at mNACTEC attracts a larger number of visitors, especially young ones; and so on.
In sum, the project impact is to demonstrate with exemplary applications how cultural heritage may be appropriately enhanced and support local development, and how young people may be involved in this process to raise their awareness on the cultural potential of their region.
Both aspects are very relevant: to increase cultural tourism, for example, and for the local inhabitants, who get a better understanding and interest for their cultural heritage and appreciate new ways of getting in touch with it.
Potential Impact:
The project results have a high potential for exploitation. Still during the project there have been requests for extending the implementation of the showcases to other pilot cases, which led to expanding the planned number of applications re-using some savings obtained during the project activity.
For example, in addition to the three original archaeological case-studies planned for Tuscany three more cases were required by local administrations and associations, one concerning archaeology, one hiking and trekking, and the last one educational applications. In all these cases the customers – museums, local administration and associations – have expressed an interest in continuing the development of additional case studies once funding to cover the costs is secured. Also the presence at the BMTA Exhibition in Paestum allowed developing a showcase on this important archaeological site, which was freely distributed to the Exhibition visitors.
All this interest led the researchers at PIN to consider the opportunity of creating a spin-off company to provide services similar or inspired by the CREATIVE project. In the first year of life, the company is expected to have a budget of some 100.000 Euro. Unfortunately, the current financial problems and the budgetary restrictions affecting public administrations, the main customers of the CREATIVE initiative, severely limit the availability of funds for culture, thus restricting the market demand.
There was an expectation of partially mitigating such unfavorable conditions with the support of the EU programmes on creativity (the so-called “Creative Europe”) but so far none of its actions seems to be fit with the CREATIVE CH project approach, as they address either literature, arts and media, or tourism, neither being the focus of CREATIVE.
However, the final part of the project has addressed dissemination in a very active way. The project consortium has added to its outcomes a final event – initially not included in the project planning – to further increase publicity of the project results. The event took place on 24 September 2014 in Pistoia with a large participation of public, including some young students who received an award for their participation in the project activities. Similar events have taken place in all the countries where the project has developed a showcase.
Most notably, the Catalan showcase has generated a project received an international prize, the “Ibero-american Education and Museums Prize 2014”. The project titled “"Technology tools for scientific museums: education inside and outside the classroom" is a direct implementation of the showcase activities, including Terrassa Augmentada, EgaREC video contest, El Fotocroma, App mNACTEC and self-guided tours.
List of Websites:
The project website is:
www.creative-heritage.eu