Factories of Stories
Personal stories cast a new light on the masterpieces of Uffizi Gallery “Factories of Stories” is a project promoted by the Uffizi Galleries’ Cultural Mediation and Accessibility Unit, curated by Simona Bodo and Maria Grazia Panigada. Director Eike Schmidt and the Cultural Mediation and Accessibility Unit deliberately chose to work with a diverse group of READ MORE >
On the Origins of Museum Storytelling
Jean Capart and the social role of museums in the early 1900s Storytelling as a tool to bring the public closer to cultural heritage has its roots as early as the beginning of the 20th century, when the Belgian Egyptologist Jean Capart transformed the Musée Royaux d’Art et d’Histoire in Brussels into one of the READ MORE >
Validating the SYNOPSIS Project training course
The Royal Museums are at the forefront of the important European project called SYNOPSIS, aimed at identifying a new professional figure, absent in the European landscape: the storyteller and cultural fundraiser. From May 10 to 12 2022, the partners of the project, from Italy, Belgium, Greece and Spain, met in Turin, in Musei Reali, to READ MORE >
Learning and Training event in Turin
In May a learning and training event took place for the Synopsis – Storytelling for Cultural Heritage Fundraising project in Turin, Italy. Besides getting to know the city and visiting the amazing exhibitions currently on display in Musei Reali Torino The participants worked through hands-on testing of the 4 modules of the training materials developed READ MORE >
Telling stories in the Big Apple: Tenement Museum
We tend to consider museums as places that curate materials, objects and resources and present interpretations of them. However they are also places where experiences can be shared through storytelling as they are spaces for empathy. Stories share personal experiences in an authentic and easily accessible form. They feel familiar, yet enable us to step READ MORE >
DIAZOMA Association: protecting ancient theatres
The DIAZOMA association was founded on the initiative of the former Greek Minister of Culture Stavros Benos and brings together three “families”: the archaeological community (archaeologists, curators, conservators, etc.), Greek artists and intellectuals and local authorities (mayors, regional administrations and citizens). Their fundamental goal is to shape vast social networks of synergies in order to READ MORE >
Intangible Cultural Heritage
Intangible heritage consists of nonphysical intellectual aspects, such as folklore, customs, beliefs, traditions, knowledge, and language. UNESCO maintains a list of intangible cultural heritage, which are considered by member states to be in need of protection. DESOPAEX is an example of a project promoted by Wazo Coop that is committed to the sustainable development of READ MORE >
EMOTIVE: a storytelling project for cultural heritage
A well-known statement by psychologist Daniel Taylor argues that “we are shaped by stories from the first moments of life, and even before“. Yet, when it comes to cultural heritage sites or institutions, narrative tends to be used narrowly and communication often lacks emotional resonance. The EU financed project EMOTIVE works from the premise that READ MORE >
Project sponsors at the Museo nazionale Scienza e tecnologia Leonardo Da Vinci
Museums perform many different roles, as they educate, inform, entertain and inspire. They provide spaces for social interaction and reflection. And they make valuable contributions to their local communities. Museums are likely to involve active participation and they may even play active roles in enabling social change. More than ever after the first analyses regarding READ MORE >
Fundraising is not just about money
The Smithsonian’s “Digital Volunteers” program When we talk about fundraising, we usually focus on the economic aspect of the issue, neglecting another important resource that people can donate to cultural organisations: their time. A virtuous example of fundraising based on donating time rather than financial donations is the Smithsonian Institution’s “Digital Volunteers” program. In addition READ MORE >
An exhibition “Kallos, The Ultimate Beauty”
The Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens organised the exhibition “Kallos, The Ultimate Beauty” (29/9/21 – 16/1/22). “Kallos” is an ideal developed in Ancient Greek thinking and was expressed by the epic and the lyric poets, initially referring to outward beauty. From the 6th century BC, philosophers referred to Kallos as a combination of physical READ MORE >
Pandemic funding targeted for cultural activities
This article highlights the importance of targeted funds for culture and heritage activities. In the UK in winter 2021, emergency funding available for arts, culture and heritage was doubled to £60 million to tackle the impact of the Omicron variant. £60m would give crucial support to museums, cinemas, theatres and heritage across the country, with READ MORE >
Storytelling for cultural heritage tourism
Cultural heritage professionals work a lot with different tourist organisations to promote their activities. Cultural heritage tourism is thus an important area for them to work with. The National Trust for Historic Preservation defines cultural heritage tourism as “travel to experience the places, artefacts and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the READ MORE >
Fundraising for Heritage Organisations
Fundraising is essential for many heritage organisations such as museums, collections and galleries if they are to deliver the diverse and exciting range of activities they do providing public access to unique treasures. This article tells the story of Jane Austen’s letters. In fact, Austen’s letters and books were donated to the Bodleian libraries in READ MORE >
Telling STORIES for rural businesses
The STORIE project is focussed on the development of capacities of rural businesses to design and promote sustainable tourism products based on intangible cultural heritage. As in SYNOPSIS, STORIE has considered Storytelling and Narrative Techniques as key for the development, sustainability and growth of their businesses. As such part of the training materials developed show READ MORE >
Explore the first SYNOPSIS Project training module
SYNOPSIS is an Erasmus Plus project looking at Storytelling and Fundraising for Cultural Heritage professionals. The project is producing an online training course to support the cultural heritage sector in developing storytelling and fundraising to engage interested people. The first module of the training course has now been produced for testing and piloting. It concerns READ MORE >
What is digital fundraising?
Digital fundraising is fundraising using digital technology, which usually means fundraising online. Digital fundraising can take place over a variety of different sources, such as mobile phones apps, text, and social media. Digital fundraising has become one of the most popular and effective ways for organisations to maintain their interaction with donors and prospects. A READ MORE >
Defining a cultural heritage CV
SYNOPSIS project partners have been working on the second project output, defining a cultural heritage CV: This includes a definition of competences, a set of hard and soft skills for an innovative professional role. For the purpose, interviews of managers and fundraisers in cultural organisations that employ best practices in Storytelling for Fundraising have taken READ MORE >
NONTURISM: when the community itself tells about its territory
There are places in Italy so-called “marginal” because they are far away from the areas where the life of the country happens. The reason is that maybe they are outside the flows of mass tourism or because they have been victims of natural disasters. The communities of these places often need to rediscover their identity and start READ MORE >
SYNOPSIS Project maps examples of good practice
The SYNOPSIS project started in October 2019 with the aim of defining a new professional role for cultural heritage site managers and staff as well as young Humanities graduates regarding the usage of Storytelling for fundraising purposes. So far, the project partners Musei Reali Torino, Fondazione ente Ville Vesuviane and Sineglossa from Italy, Cooperation Bancaire READ MORE >
World Creativity and Innovation Day – April 21st
The UN declared 21 April as the International Day of Creativity and Innovation, coinciding with the birth of one of the most influential figures in history, Leonardo Da Vinci, one of the greatest designers and inventors of all times. Creativity and innovation are essential skills in the 21st century, applicable to starting a business, solving READ MORE >
Palazzo Madama: a success story
Founded in 1860, the museum of Palazzo Madama is now housed in one of the oldest and most fascinating buildings in the city, with architectural and historical evidence from the Roman age to the Baroque by Filippo Juvarra. The collections contain over 60,000 works of painting, sculpture and decorative arts from the Byzantine period to READ MORE >
Les Visites de mon Voisin de Bruxelles
More than just visits, Les Visites de mon Voisin are storytelling, high-performance, alternative routes that give a transversal reading of the city, through its urban planning, its history, its sociology. They provide an alternative guided tour in the city or different buildings of Brussels. The content is very rigorous and the tone and approach is very READ MORE >
Benaki Museum, Athens comes to life at night
‘It is night-time. All the visitors and guards have left the museum. The restaurant and gift shop are closed. The museum sleeps…or maybe not?!!!’ NOT SO! Exhibits come to life and a trail of encounters and events lead to a hunter’s paradise garden and a film screening. This film was created by a group of READ MORE >
Cultural heritage in the Italian region of Veneto
Oderzo Cultura Foundation is a non-profit organization that protects and promotes thecultural heritage of the Opitergino territory, in the Italian region of Veneto. With the exhibition “L’ANIMA DELLE COSE, RITI E CORREDI DALLA NECROPOLI ROMANA DI OPITERGIO” they use a storytelling methodology to explain six centuries of history. Through the voice of Phoebe, one of READ MORE >
Arte en Ruinas – a successful campaign
“Arte en Ruinas”, created by José Luis Díaz, was originally conceived by its author as an online blog to record the history and current situation of historic buildings in the region of Extremadura. The blog aims to vindicate the care and importance of the region’s material cultural heritage. José Luis kindly agreed to take part READ MORE >
SYNOPSIS Project connects online
The SYNOPSIS project partners have been working on the development of storytelling and fundraising aspects among cultural heritage professionals. Case studies from different countries have been researched and now the project team are considering the curriculum necessary for training in these areas. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions in Europe, face-to-face meetings of READ MORE >
Cultural Heritage Survey
Understanding the role and relevance of storytelling and fundraising in the cultural heritage sector is the main aim of the SYNOPSIS project. In order to develop this the project team have been carrying out interviews with professionals working in the sector. Under COVID restrictions this has not been easy to complete as closures have been READ MORE >
News: Kick off project meeting
All partners from SYNOPSIS met for a kick off project meeting in Turin at the beginning of 2020. At the kickoff meeting the partners agreed the workplan, as well as legal, administrative and technical roles and responsibilities. Activities related to the first project output were organised – the good practice collection. Interviews with cultural heritage READ MORE >