SET OF CRITERIA TO DEFINE THE MOST PROMISING DIMENSION OF ICH’S VALORIZATION PROJECTS

In cooperation with the ARTISTIC project partners and associates, the University of Hamburg, under the coordination of Prof. Dr. Gertraud Koch from Institute of European Ethnology/Cultural Anthropology, did elaborate a set of criteria to define the most promising dimension of ICH’s valorization projects. The set was presented to the ARTISTIC partners and associates during the Transnational Web Meeting on 30 January 2020, allowing the partners and associates to comment and remark on it.

After the web conference, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project partners did organize and implement online events, instead of physical ones, to present the set of criteria and discuss it with the local public actors. The online activities enabled the partners and associates to present the set of criteria and discuss them with the local ICH stakeholders so that they could suggest improvements. This exchange with the public actors on the set of criteria was essential to make visible the different needs and the situation of each region within the goals of the ARTISTIC project.
The elaborated version of the set also provided the foundation for the ARTISTIC Manifesto that will be soon presented to the public.

The Institute of European Ethnology/Cultural Anthropology of the University of Hamburg created the set of criteria laying on the ARTISTIC strategy and the results of the implemented pilot actions. The set serves as a guideline for all partners who want to support and work with the valorization of Intangible Cultural Heritage assets to contribute to local sustainable development in Central European countries. The elaborated set of criteria points out, for instance, the necessity to bring ICH to light and make it known and visible to the public. It also recommends the partners to pay attention to the particularities and specificities of ICH, the necessity to include ICH bearers groups and creators in all project phases, to respect the essence of ICH and its bearers so that it does not lose its importance, meaning and essential cultural value. Moreover, it comprises all crucial topics when working on ICH valorization and local sustainable development, such as the necessity to offer constant professional training, support at networking to ICH actors or the need of recognizing ICH’s potential and linking ICH to the marketplace and public policies. Finally, the set is a general guideline in best practice when working with ICH valorization to achieve local or regional sustainable development in Central Europe and beyond.