SYMBOLS aims to strengthen knowledge and public awareness around cemeteries and funerary arts as an important part of European cultural heritage and memory.

Among its key objectives are:

1) The exchange of cultural and creative works, reinforcing the cultural and creative sector’s capacity to operate transationally, through the mobility of artists (printmakers, dancers and musicians) and their work, as well as of cultural and creative players (cultural managers/decision-makers)

2) Audience development, by using the cemeteries as interactive “open-air museums” that can be visited, focusing on young people and on people with disabilities (blind and deaf people), to stimulate interest and improve access to such tangible heritage, as well as improve the skills and competences of key players in working with such audiences.

3) Promote the use of digital technologies (Augmented Reality Browsers) to create new routes of “symbols” to discover this hidden heritage, as well as to work and test them with the new audiences (young people and people with disabilities). 

As far as its results are concerned, we can mention:- 

• Participation and test with at least 120 young people from 6 countries
• Creation of 6 “routes of symbols” by the young people on ARTOUR mobile application.
• Adaptation of ARTOUR to the needs of blind people (3 pilot tests in Maribor, Avilés & CC Nebbiu)
• Joint artistic residences for 15 printmakers (etching, lithography, silkscreen, relief, monoprint, etc.) from 7 countries
• Joint artistic residences for 5 dancers and 10 musicians from 6 countries
• Coproduction of 1 multidisciplinary exhibition open in 2016 in 7 countries, 9 places: objective 27.000 visitors (3000/place)
• 3 Manuals of Good Practices to be transferred to +-1000 stakeholders through Workshops and networking activities 
• Strong ICT & Media communication

Visit the SYMBOLS website