RECHARGE Academy summary
We spent the past week at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, where, as the RECHARGE project, we organised a RECHARGE Academy.
Autor: Arie Kers
RECHARGE Academy is a training programme for European senior professionals from cultural and creative sectors willing to explore more participatory practices in their daily operations. It was an immersive, four-day programme designed to explore innovative, participatory business models that enhance the sustainability and societal impact of cultural and heritage institutions (CHIs). It aimed to bridge participatory practices and sustainable business models researched in RECHARGE to revitalise the cultural sector. By fostering cross-sectoral collaboration and community engagement, the Academy paves the way for innovative, resilient cultural organisations that deliver lasting societal value.
During these four days, the participants from all around Europe explored a Living Lab methodology, developed under the RECHARGE project. Thanks to the mix of theory and practice, they were able to instantly test the knowledge they gained throughout the programme.
Our key takeaways are:
- Participatory practices seem easy at a first glance, but in fact are hard to implement if we want to go beyond “just” making a series of engaging activities – and focus on a long-term relationship built on trust and collaboration instead. This needs stable investment.
- CHIs need to tweak their operational mindset and processes to create space for active involvement, co-creation and engagement of the relevant stakeholders.
- Data, impact assessment and evaluation help organisations make smart choices and allocate the (often limited) resources in an efficient way – ensuring that the organisation’s mission and strategy are fulfilled.
- Collaboration and teamwork are key factors while exploring more inclusive and engaging practices. Only opening up to diverse perspectives and unheard voices from outside of the institution grants a true application of participatory practices in the cultural sector.
A massive THANK YOU to all the amazing participants – for your energy, involvement and all the questions asked during these four days! And to the tutors, and Recharge team members and partners, for your passion and willingness to share your experience with the group.
Want to learn more? Follow us at recharge-culture.eu, where we will be publishing an updated version of the RECHARGE Playbook shortly – and also we encourage you to explore our Knowledge Base.
Visual notes
Take a look at the visual notes prepared by Magda of magdarysuje.pl! Feel free to use them and get inspired by key takeaways of the Rotterdam RECHARGE Academy panels.
How to have fun innovating while not losing track of your core values
Theoretical Foundations of the RECHARGE Project
Living Labs Methodology at the Crossroad between Theory and Practice
Panel discussion – RECHARGE Living Labs
Introduction to impact assessment
The value of participation. Or, in other words: I like participatory museums but, how much?
RECHARGE
The RECHARGE project supports cultural heritage institutions in diversifying their funding through a replicable and sustainable participatory business model, to reinvigorate the sector and acquire the necessary tools for its future developments, both in the digital realm and onsite.
RECHARGE builds on new and existing communities, networks and relationships related to cultural heritage institutions, to engage them in participatory management through cultural heritage Living Labs. These labs will test and devise innovative ways to harness resources, to ensure the development of sustainable future business models, focused on the creation and integration of value within each institution and in the sector at large. The project introduces a holistic approach, where participation is seen as the key element in every aspect: from financing to planning and management, from conservation to communication and public engagement.
The consortium, led by Erasmus University, consists of 10 partners from 6 European countries: Centrum Cyfrowe (Poland); Universidad de Valladolid and Goteo (Spain), Netherlands Institute for Sound & Vision and Erasmus University (the Netherlands); European Fashion Heritage Association and Museo Del Tessuto di Prato (Italy), Creativity Lab OÜ and Sihtasutus Eesti Meremuuseum (Estonia) and The Hunt Museum (Ireland)
Read more about RECHARGE here.