The consortium of the Horizon-funded ARCHE project (Alliance for Research on Cultural Heritage in Europe) recently held a pivotal meeting from 16-18 October 2023, at the premises of the French Ministry of Culture in Paris. The gathering served as a platform to assess the project’s inaugural year of implementation and lay the groundwork for the next stages of this groundbreaking initiative.
Key Meetings: General Assembly, Executive Board, JPI CH Convergence
The event witnessed the convergence of the project’s General Assembly, the principal decision-making body responsible for all scientific, research, technical, administrative, and financial aspects of ARCHE, and the Executive Board, tasked with supervising the project’s execution. This assembly coincided with meetings of the Steering Committee and Governing Board of the Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage and Global Change (JPI CH).
Deliberations during these meetings encompassed completed and forthcoming deliverables, as well as ongoing tasks. In its maiden year, ARCHE dedicated its efforts to an exhaustive mapping and assessment of the research and innovation landscape in cultural heritage throughout Europe. The project also organized a series of virtual workshops aimed at engaging with stakeholders.
Looking forward, ARCHE’s agenda for 2024 includes hosting four in-person workshops across Europe. These workshops will play a pivotal role in refining an initial version of the new Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for cultural heritage, a document of paramount importance within the project. The SRIA acts as a roadmap, with the mission of harmonizing heritage research policies across the continent in the years to come.
The meetings also provided an opportunity for ARCHE partners to interact with members of the JPI CH, sparking discussions on potential avenues for enhanced cooperation between these two substantial initiatives.
Insights on Future European Partnership
In addition to reflecting on the project’s achievements in the past year, participants in Paris delved into discussions regarding the future European Partnership on Resilient Cultural Heritage, an area where ARCHE aims to pave the way. The consortium had the privilege of gaining valuable insights from Irena Kowalczyk-Kedziora, Policy Officer in the European Commission, DG Research and Innovation, Unit D3 – Fair Societies and Cultural Heritage, and Fabienne Gautier, Head of Unit in the European Commission, DG Research and Innovation, Unit G4 – Common Missions and Partnerships.
Beyond the plenary sessions addressing ARCHE’s progress, thematic working sessions allowed for in-depth exploration of specific topics and further strengthened the collaborative spirit within the consortium. A highlight of the gathering was a visit to the Cluny Museum, offering a fascinating glimpse into medieval art and the profound relevance of museum research to the broader field of cultural heritage.
The Time Machine Organisation: A Dedicated Supporter of ARCHE’s Vision for Cultural Heritage Advancement
The Time Machine Organisation is proud to announce its steadfast support for ARCHE, actively mobilizing its extensive and diverse member network to establish and nurture stakeholder networks, culminating in the creation of Stakeholder Forums. These Forums will play a pivotal role in an ongoing consultation process, engaging in online discussions on carefully chosen topics, providing feedback on specific aspects of roadmap development, and actively participating in the consultation procedures designed to endorse the ARCHE SRIA development. As part of this collaborative effort, five thematic workshops are scheduled to contribute to the ARCHE SRIA proposal, with the Time Machine Organisation set to host one of them.
Furthermore, the Time Machine Organisation is an integral member of the Communication Committee within the ARCHE Alliance. In this capacity, we are dedicated to steering communication and outreach activities aimed at enhancing the project’s visibility. Our commitment extends to ensuring the continued operation of the ARCHIE Stakeholders’ Forums beyond the CSA phase, evolving into pan-European networks that unite researchers, professionals, and decision-makers in the field of Cultural Heritage. Together, we aim to lay the foundation for a pan-European framework that embraces a holistic approach to Cultural Heritage Research & Innovation, forming a robust basis for a European Partnership in Cultural Heritage.
Anticipating a Productive Second Year
The three days of intensive meetings for ARCHE and JPI CH proved to be both engaging and inspirational, and the partners are eagerly anticipating an intense yet rewarding second year.
About ARCHE
The ARCHE project commenced in September 2022 and is scheduled to run until August 2025. Its primary objective is the establishment of a comprehensive European framework for a holistic approach to research and innovation in the realm of cultural heritage. This will be accomplished through the formation of the Alliance for Research on Cultural Heritage in Europe, a pioneering coordination network that brings together researchers, innovators, heritage professionals, institutional bodies, and citizens.
The overarching goal of the ARCHE project is to actively involve a wide spectrum of cultural heritage stakeholders across Member States and Associated Countries in shaping research and innovation strategies and roadmaps. These efforts are geared towards fostering research and innovation initiatives that demand interdisciplinary expertise and collaborative skills.
For further inquiries, please contact:
Alexandre Caussé, ARCHE Scientific Coordinator (alexandre.causse@sciences-patrimoine.org)
Élodie Cazenave, European Projects Officer (elodie.cazenave@sciences-patrimoine.org)
Miruna Găman, European Projects Officer (miruna.gaman@sciences-patrimoine.org)