EU funding call for Reinterpreting Europe's cultural heritage

Funding scheme: FP7 Collaborative project (small or medium-scale focused research project) - Activity 8.5: The Citizen in the European Union - Area 8.5.2 Diversities and commonalities in Europe - SSH.2010.5.2-2 Reinterpreting Europe's cultural heritage: towards the 21st century library and museum?

National museums and galleries emerged in the context of the consolidation of the nationstate in Europe from the 18th century onwards. At the beginning of the 21st century, the intellectual underpinnings of many of these institutions are being questioned, while at the same time, new forms of interaction with the publics are formed. The purpose is to develop a new role for national museums and libraries that allows them, in an innovative way, to adequately reflect past trends and processes that are not constrained by national borders, engage the interest of new social groups and audiences, while simultaneously acting as agents of social cohesion and stability in Europe.

Research could look at the impact of museums, galleries and libraries (including virtual libraries) on identities and values through time and in Europe today, including research on memorialisation and the institutionalisation of cultural memory, as well as on how to best coordinate the activities and collections of museums galleries and libraries across Europe for the benefit of a European and global audience.

Research should also look at how contemporary research in the social sciences and the humanities can be applied in the re-evaluation and re-interpretation of collections and archives in museums, galleries and libraries; this will imply linkages between researchers and archivists in the museum, gallery and library sectors and the academic sector. The increased role of Information and Communication Technologies in museum and gallery displays or in virtual libraries, as well as scenarios for the organisation and content of post-national museums could be looked at.

For these collaborative projects there needs to be at least 3 partners located in 3 different member states. The maximum requested EU contribution under this scheme is EUR 2.7m.

Deadline: 2 February 2010 at 17.00.00 Brussels local time

For more information see: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm?fuseaction=UserSite.CooperationDetailsCallPage&call_id=254 or contact Arts-REST