A one-day online symposium

Date: 24 February 2021

Venue: Online

Organisers: Danilo Giglitto, Eleanor Lockley (Sheffield Hallam University); Eirini Kaldeli (ICCS, National Technical University of Athens); Luigina Ciolfi (University College Cork and Sheffield Hallam University)

Themes and Background

Cultural heritage is no longer seen solely as a safeguarding effort or an educational outlet but also as a form of civic and cultural representation and engagement that can contribute to social cohesion. The EU-funded collaborative project “CultureLabs” investigates and proposes the use of novel methodologies and digital tools for facilitating the access to Cultural Heritage through tailor-made novel experiences, creative reuse, enrichment and co-creation. As part of CultureLabs, this one-day symposium will discuss how digital ecosystems shape the dynamics between institutions (including museums and academic institutions) and communities, leading to new models of collaboration and interaction around heritage and culture.

We invite proposals from academics, researchers and practitioners who are interested in joining the organisers and an invited keynote speaker in discussing and exploring how digital technologies can support institutions to become more connected and open to different communities, and consider the challenges and opportunities brought forward by digital interactions in different settings. 

We welcome proposals on topics including – but not limited to:

• Different approaches and digital tools that can contribute to both making cultural institutions more inclusive and encouraging citizens and communities to actively mould the way cultural heritage is presented and understood.  
• Examples of projects or initiatives engaging communities at risk of exclusion, such as migrants and refugees, as well as other groups with distinct needs and characteristics that are often disconnected from institutional cultural heritage, such as youth communities, 
• Insights on the practical dimension of how digital tools and interactions can be designed and used by cultural heritage practitioners, researchers, citizens, and communities 
• Ethical considerations and reflections on the complex transformative processes these practices bring about, and the ways in which they influence the discourse around heritage, culture, and society.

Participation in the symposium will be free of charge but registration will be required. Full details will be disseminated in due course.

Submission Instructions

People interested in presenting at the symposium should submit a single PDF document including the following info:

1. Their Name(s) and Affiliation(s)
2. Contact email address
3. Abstract of proposed presentation (300 words max)
4. Short Bio (250 words max)
5. A list of up to 5 relevant links (these can be links to a project, cultural institution, community organisation, etc.)

Submissions should be emailed to d.giglitto@shu.ac.uk no later than the 8th of January 2021.

All submissions will be lightly peer-reviewed by the organising committee, who will select a subset for inclusion in the programme of presentations and roundtable discussion. Please note that the presentations will be short to allow greater time for discussion.

Timeline

• Deadline for submissions: 8th January 2021
• Notification of acceptance: 26th January 2021
• Event: 24th February 2021

Outline Symposium Programme

10:00-10:10: Welcome from the Organisers

10:10-10:30: CultureLabs – Recipes for Social Innovation

10:30-10:50: Keynote Speaker: Dr. Jenny Kidd

10:50-11:00: Q&A

11:10-12:00: Short presentations

12:00-13:30: Lunch break

13:30-14:15: Short presentations

14:20-15:00 Roundtable discussion moderated by organisers

15:30: Closing and future plans

Follow-up Plans:

All submissions featured in the programme will be shared with registered attendees ahead of the event.

After the event, we will develop the symposium talks into a follow-up publication, for which presenters will be invited to submit article versions of their contributions. Details will be communicated in due course.

For queries, please contact D.Giglitto@shu.ac.uk or LCiolfi@ucc.ie*

*After the event, we will develop the symposium talks into a follow-up publication, for which presenters will be invited to submit article versions of their contributions. Details will be communicated in due course.