ABOUT ARTEC | artec

The ARTEC project is implemented by Transylvania Trust (Romania) and the ACCR (France), Museum of Câmpulung (Romania), Art Union of Hungarian Engravers and Lithographers (Hungary), Diputación Provincial de Teruel (Spain) between 1 November 2015 and 30 October 2017. It is co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.

The transnational circulation of cultural and creative works, combined with the cultural mobility of operators, performers and artists has an immeasurable capability in promoting cultural understanding and diversity within the European Union bringing together people of different cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds.

This project will embrace this concept at various different levels combining artistic innovation, theatre production, decorative arts, artistic performance, minority programmes and transnational mobilization of artists, craftsmen and performers. Through the various activities proposed within the project it will strongly reinforce the ability and capability of cultural/creative players to operate internationally through understanding new skills/artistic techniques, and being given the opportunity to transpose those to culturally varied situations.

The project focuses on the creation of a new Arts and Crafts Centre within a historic setting in Romania (Bánffy Castle, Bonţida), which will be the principal location for launching a series of activities combining arts and crafts as interdisciplinary actions. Traditional crafts skills incorporating the decorative arts will interact with the artistic programmes and will involve the revitalization of a historical monument by joint work and interdisciplinary learning of traditional and contemporary ways.

Objective

Using creativity and art as a useful tool in preserving and strengthening European identity represented by heritage;
Rediscovering traditional and artistic ways as the engine of inspiration to young artists and creators in a multicultural context;
The use of new technologies in the areas of heritage, placing traditional in a modern cultural context (launching Arts and Crafts Centre in a historic monument).

Target Groups and Beneficiaries

The aim of the project is to target a very wide section of society in promoting art, artistic performance, and crafts through the implementation of a series of diverse activities which will involve professional and amateur craftsmen/artists/performers, who will promote their skills through transnational exchanges, and who will engage with audiences initially at a local level and secondly at an International level. Specifically this will involve:

Artists at the beginning of their career, both in fine and performing arts from countries participating in the project;
Young artists from Arts and Design Universities/Colleges;
Young craftsmen and students engaged in environmental, architectural and artistic studies;
Actors colleges and universities;
International audiences and members of the public;
Disadvantaged groups, particularly Roma populations in Romania;
Schools in each of the partner countries;
Professionals involved in heritage activities and in design and fine arts.

Project Programme

Establishing of the Arts and Crafts Centre – international contest

Within this contest, we will select young artists/architects/designers/craftsmen to work together with professional craftsmen in redesigning the spaces which will host ACC. The contestants will receive a 3D model of the spaces intended to be reinterpreted, and they will prepare their applications in digital format. The jury for the selection of artists shall be composed of partners’ representatives, with a high degree of knowledge of fine arts and design.

Place: Europe-wide

Deadline: 15 May 2016

Setting up of the Arts and Crafts Centre – delivery and implementation

Following the European contest, 25 selected participants and 15 professionals shall design the spaces and will exchange experience of traditional crafts with fine arts and design, mutually learning new ways of artistic expression and motives for their works. The adaptive reuse of the space will include restoration works and the implementation of the awarded project which will comprise at least two exhibition spaces, one multifunctional space, and at least 3 workshop spaces, both indoor and outdoor. The location of ACC will be at the Bánffy Castle in Bonţida.

Place: Bonţida, Romania

Duration: 25 July - 7 August and 15-28 August 2016

Travelling exhibition

The results of this activity will consist in a documentary about how artists and craftsmen from different cultures and with various backgrounds create together in a non-conventional space, with the objective of mutually enriching their artistic and professional experience. The documentary (20 panels) shall be widely broadcast.

Inauguration of the Arts and Crafts Centre

The ACC will be inaugurated In September 2016. Based on the Metamorphoses of Ovid, transformed by a modern interpretation, a theatre performance will be produced and performed. In this respect, Banffy Castle is known internationally for the quality of its Baroque architecture and for its original statue gallery which once adorned the Cour d’Honneur. In its original form the statue gallery depicted Ovid’s Metamorphoses. As with the Arts and Crafts Centre, the inspiration for this work comes directly from the history and architecture of the castle. The performance will also include a light show.

Based on the performance, a film will be produced, which will be part of the travelling exhibition, being presented in all partner countries.

ACC in Action - Artists and Craftsmen in Residence

Young artists at the beginning of their career, and seasoned artists will work and create in cooperation with craftsmen in developing new means and themes for artistic works in all participating countries, as part of the international action of the Centre. At these sessions there will be artists and craftsmen from different countries. The works produced shall be exhibited during A4. International cultural cooperation (see below). 2 sessions shall be organised in 2017 at ACC, Bon ida, Romania, with 20 participants from each partner countries, for 2 weeks, also 1 session will be organised in Zaragoza, Spain for 1 week duration with 10 participants, 1 session will be organised at Campulung, Romania for 1 week with 10 participants

Place: Bonţida, Romania; Mirambel, Teruel Region, Spain; Museum of Câmpulung, Romania.

Duration: February - September 2017

Happenings

Workshops for Schoolchildren – one-day workshop in Spain and Romania (Bonțida and Câmpulung).

This event will target school children from different ethnic groups, helping to raise their awareness and understanding of local heritage, by involving them directly through interactive activities and through this, helping them to understand the concepts of cultural heritage.

European Heritage Days – one-day large scale event in September in Spain, Hungary, Romania (Bonțida and Câmpulung)

Sites managed by the co-organisers will be opened to the public for specific events which will incorporate debates, guided tours, concerts, to promote the enjoyment and use of heritage assets to a very wide public.

Celebrating Heritage – one-day event at ACC Bontida
Professional workshop at ACCR, Paris, France

These events have the purpose of widening the audience for the works of artists and craftsmen following their creative activity sessions, during the previous period, and enlarging the perspective about the synergy between arts and heritage for the less advantaged groups at regional level.

Dissemination and valorisation of the results

Setting up and uploading a blog for the project;
Publication of a database – best practices, articles related cultural heritage.