Coordination of European cultural heritage research and innovation among Member States

The European Union has provided funding through co-funding schemes to coordinate national R&I activities on cultural heritage and the arts and to increase their impact. Through ERA-Net Co-funding Joint Research Programmes, H2020 has been topping-up Member States’ national funding to promote the coordination of national activities and strengthen their European added value. With the end of H2020, the impact of these co-funding schemes needs to be assessed in order to agree to further coordination and partnerships with Member States and Associated Countries in the new Horizon Europe research and innovation framework programme.

Proposals under this topic are expected to realise a mapping of national activities pertaining to cultural heritage, provenance research, architecture, as well as programmes and European ERA-Net Co-funding schemes on cultural heritage R&I. Furthermore, they should evaluate the European added value, any possible overlap with central EU activities, as well as the impact of and gaps left by ERA-Net Co-funding schemes in the field of cultural heritage. Taking stock of the lessons learnt, they should explore and identify objectives for a future, ground-breaking and wide network that would increase the impact of national funding at European level. Proposals should also provide analysis as well as policy scenarios for future EU-level interventions in this area, including on the role and participation of cultural and creative sectors. Need for new technologies with a specific reference to Earth Observation (Copernicus) data and products relevant for cultural heritage might be also considered. Proposals should provide a novel approach, involve the EU Member States and be open towards Associated and Neighbourhood Countries, a wide variety of stakeholders, civil society and young people.

Expected Outcomes (all of them):

• Prepare a ground-breaking and novel coordination network on cultural heritage research and innovation policies and activities, including the arts and the cultural and creative sectors.
• Identify research and innovation domains with European added value that would justify future activities.
• Propose new ways to engage stakeholders, users of cultural heritage and the arts, social innovators, civil society and, in particular, the younger generation with cultural heritage and its role in shaping the perception of European societies as well as a European sense of belonging.
• Develop an open approach to cultural heritage and the arts, fostering curiosity for new developments and diversity, as well as emphasising their role in transmitting of knowledge and building a bridge from the past over the present to the future.

If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used).

For an introduction “How to prepare a successful proposal in Horizon Europe”, please see the EC’s Webinar of March, 24, 2021.

For an introduction to the use of the Funding & tenders Portal, please see the EC’s Webinar of May, 27, 2021