International Conference: Museums, Diversity and Intangible Cultural Heritage

Event information

Today’s diverse society forces us to redefine our perception of ‘a museum’. If they fail to reinvent themselves they risk becoming redundant. Collaborating with the bearers and practitioners of living heritage practices while working on the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, might offer museums a unique opportunity to reassure their relevance.

According to the Unesco 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, intangible heritage includes practices, representations, expressions, knowledge or skills which people pass on from one generation to another. Intangible heritage is found in oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe, or the knowledge and skills to produce (traditional) crafts. These living practices are everywhere in today’s society and people see them as a part of their cultural heritage. They are a source of cultural diversity and give people a sense of identity and continuity.

But many museums who are experts in acquiring, conserving, researching and exhibiting material artefacts are not yet familiar with intangible heritage nor working with its practitioners. They are the main protectors of their heritage and they safeguard it by passing it on to future generations.

Can museums contribute to this process of safeguarding by collecting or presenting intangible heritage for example? And how should they go about it? Can museums act as platforms for heritage communities or as laboratories for experimenting with intangible heritage and participatory methods such as co-creation?

This conference will provide you with new insights into what it means for museums and practitioners of intangible cultural heritage to work together in today’s superdiverse society and will provide museums with new ideas on how to approach this diversity by working on intangible cultural heritage alongside its practitioners.

Practical

When

07 November 2017 from 08:30 to 16:15
Check out the program

Where

Schielandshuis (The Netherlands)

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Program

8h45	Registration
9h30	Welcome by Leo Adriaanse \| Head at the Dutch Centre for Intangible Heritage (NL)
9h40	The Intangible Cultural Heritage and Museums Project (IMP): what is it about? by Jorijn Neyrinck \| Coordinator at tapis plein vzw (BE)
9h50	Keynote \| Some thoughts on how the 'museums and intangible heritage discourse' has evolved over the last decade by Marilena Alivizatou \| University College London (UK)
10h20	Keynote \| Superdiversity as a new reality and as a challenge by Prof. dr. Dirk Geldof \| University of Antwerp (BE)
11h	Coffee break
11h15	How can museums approach diversity in society through intangible cultural heritage? Five museums from throughout Europe present their inspiring ideas and examples Rotterdam Museum (NL) \| The Active Collection of the city - Nicole van Dijk Stadtmuseum Aarau (CH) \| 10 arrivals – refugees introduce themselves - Flavia Muscionico MAS \| Museum aan de Stroom (BE) \| The Corner Shop - Sofie De Ruysser Casa Lussu-Sistema museale Armungia (IT) \| Un caffè ad Armungia - Tommaso Lussu Chercheurs d’art / Amazonian Museum Network (French Guyana) - David Redon Session chaired by dr. Hendrik Henrichs \| University of Utrecht (NL)
13h	Lunch break
14h	The practitioner’s voice. Interview with four practitioners of intangible cultural heritage on collaborating with museums. Panel of ICH-practitioners from the Netherlands: Fatima Oulad Thami (art of Henna), Wijnand Stomp (Anansi storytelling), Rien Sprenger (Sint Maartensberaad) and Dyonna Benett (Rotterdam’s Zomercarnaval). Conversation chaired by Sophie Elpers \| Dutch Centre for Intangible Heritage (NL)
15h	Coffee break
15h15	Working groups \| Museums approaching diversity in society through intangible cultural heritage: mapping assets, challenges and opportunities
16h45	Concluding observations \| Museums, Diversity and Intangible Cultural Heritage by Marc Jacobs \| Director at FARO. Flemish interface centre for cultural heritage (BE)

Estimated end: 17h15

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I require a headset for simultane translation from English to French *

I require a headset for simultane translation from French to English *

Please inform us whether you have any dietary restrictions

I wish to attend the *

introduction and visit to the permanent collection of Museum Hof van Busleyden, starting at 17h30

introduction and visit to the temporary exhibition ‘It almost seemed a lily - Berlinde de Bruyckere’, starting at 17h30

none of the above

Mobile phone number *

Photo of yourself (for use on the website, program booklets, reports, …)

Your personal resume (ca. 100 words) *

Intangible cultural heritage in your museum?
Please provide us with some information on the way in which intangible cultural heritage is part of your museum policy and practice (max. 400 words). *

Following questions could be useful:

Which domains of intangible cultural heritage are represented in your museum?
How are ICH-practitioners involved in your museum?
How is ‘intangible cultural heritage’ mentioned in your policy documents?
What kind of activities do you organize on intangible cultural heritage?
How does your museum contribute to safeguarding intangible cultural heritage?
What type of safeguarding measures does your museum undertake?
...

An inspiring example on ICH from your museum practice!
Please describe us your inspiring example on ICH:

To which ‘key challenge’ is your inspiring example linked? *

Diversity November 7 and 8, 2017 (Rotterdam, NL)

Participation February 27 and 28, 2018 (Palermo, Italy)

Urban societies September 25 and 26, 2018 (Bern, Switzerland)

Innovation February 5 and 6, 2019 (Aubusson, France)

Cultural policies May 7 and 8, 2019 (Mechelen, Belgium)

None specifically

Name of the project / practice / program / … *

Type of project / practice / program (exhibition, event, course, other…) *

Year(s) ) in which it was implemented / presented *

How were ICH-practitioners – communities, groups and individuals, that strive to keep their heritage alive and want to pass it on to new generations, involved in this project / practice / program / … ? (ca. 400 words) *

Description of the project / practice / program … (ca. 400 words) *

Why do you consider this to be an “inspiring example” on ICH, in relation to the topic of the Conference and Expert Meeting you are applying for? (ca. 200 words) *

What is your motivation for willing to participate in this Conference and Expert Meeting? How will your expertise be relevant to other participants? (ca. 200 words) *

Please formulate 2 to 3 hands on tips or recommendations for other museums that wish to engage in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage, based on the case you described above. *

Please send 2 photos (and copyrights if necessary) illustrating the case you have submitted to info@ICHandmuseums.eu. Your application is not complete otherwise.