The idea that heritage and innovation are essentially antithetical has long shaped our thinking about the past and its uses. However, over the last decade or so, heritage and innovation – namely the past and the future, the old and the new, the physical and the digital, tradition and change – have gradually ceased to be considered adversaries and, instead, have been recognised as powerful allies that are capable of jointly contributing to social and political change, as well as economic development in Europe and beyond. It has become evident that innovative and creative uses of the past can play a vital role in building a better future. The aim of the session is to discuss several examples of heritage-related projects and research – particularly those carried out within the framework of the ILUCIDARE project – and, consequently, investigate the mutual dependencies between heritage and innovation. By bringing together an international group of heritage experts and professionals, as well as juxtaposing new research findings with a variety of grassroot heritage activities undertaken in recent years, the session will invite one to acknowledge European cultural heritage as an important resource for innovation and international cooperation. In short, it will argue for a major innovation-oriented paradigm shift in heritage production, preservation, and management.
ILUCIDARE (International Network for Leveraging Successful Cultural Heritage Led Innovations and Diplomacy Through Capacity Building and Awareness Raising) is an international research project whose main goal is to analyze the relationship between cultural heritage and innovation as well as cultural heritage and diplomacy, and then promote heritage as a resource for both innovation and international cooperation. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 821394. More about the project: www.ilucidare.eu
Discussion was held during the 6th Heritage Forum of Central Europe.
