ACTIVITY 1

TRANSNATIONAL MEETING (According to project BG CULTURE-2.001-0093-C01)

1. 1. Conduct of "Transnational meeting for exchange of good practices in the cultural entrepreneurship field and raising access to folkloric arts and crafts”

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Implementation of Activity 1 began at the beginning of November 2021.

Invitations were sent to the participants –representatives of the organizations in the partnerconsortium NPO „Bio-B-?co“; Craft Center - Norway(FjelluglaKompetanseAS); „Bartina“ Association and the “Rhodopi” Municipality.

In the context of prohibitions and restrictions related to the epidemiological situation and in order to avoid traveling and“live” meetings of the partners, the transnational meeting was planned to be conducted at a distance and in an electronic environment. Therefore, various electronic tools were created like web applications, messengers and "classroom"-typeelectronic forumswhich were used for holding the preparatory virtual meetings of the partner teams.

All the products and results related to the technical requirements and characteristics of the upcoming activities and theirproducts were prepared in a video format and published online. Thereby, the access to the technological designs of the products and totheir implementation planswas provided to all the partners.

For the meeting to be held, it was necessary to prepare three detailed video presentations regarding the digital tools and cultural events aimed at promoting cultural heritage; attracting new audiences and improving access to local artefacts. According to the Contractor's requirements, the organizational plan as well as the communication plan, had to be presented in two separate PPT-presentations. Working on preparing of the main materials for the meetingstarted:

  • A trailer, a short video-presentation in four parts covering the four "folklore ethno-workshops" (short movies about crafts and folk arts in the Upper Western Rhodopes; the Rose Valley; the Thracian-Rhodope collar and the Southern Black Sea). The scenarios for visualization and the corresponding broadcast formats of each of the four eventsare defined in the trailer within the virtual traveling attraction "Folklore Ethno Workshop."
  • A video presentation of the technical specifications and technological project for the creation of digital technique for cultural animation "Media Art Library".
  • A video presentation of the technical specifications and technological project to create a digital tool for organizing events and attracting audiences "Digital Ethno-Impresario".
  • APPT-presentationof the Organizational plan for implementing the project activities, prepared to be approved by the partners of the project.
  • A PPT-presentation of the Communication Plan for implementing the "Publicity and Visualization" activity, prepared to be approved by the partners of the project.

The project management team determined the date and time of the meeting - 30.11.2021, 14:00, which was agreed with all members of the partner consortium. In addition to representatives from the organizations from the partner consortium, journalists from electronic media and representatives of the Program Operator - Ministry of Culture, were invited to participatein the meeting. The session was held /recorded in video file format/ in "videochatroom". A total of 12 people participated in. The partners were presented as follows: Municipality "Rhodope" - Diana Dimitrova and Zlatomir Devlenski; from "Bartina" Association - Krasimir Mantov; from NPO "Bio-B-Eco" - Bilgin Asanov and Todor Todorov; Per Halvorsen - on behalf of the Norwegian partner FjelluglaKompetanse SA. An interpreter was provided for simultaneoustranslation.

One of our representatives introduced the multimedia presentations and their content to the participants. The video presentations were published during the meeting by providing an "incoming video". The participants discussed the displayed multimedia presentations for the implementation of the project activities and the organizational and communication plans. After summarizing all the statements, opinions and recommendations, they were approved for implementation.

  1. Products and results of activity implementation
2.1. Increased capacity of the organizations from the partner consortium for implementationof the project activities as well as increase of their effectiveness regarding the impact in the target areas.

Developed, discussed and approved plan-script for conducting and broadcasting the multimedia online video presentations by the traveling attraction "Folklore Workshop" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icd9L6fM6Ak

The plan-scenario is visualized in a video trailer formatshowing the cultural values and their carriers in the four target areas:

  • "Folklore workshop", Village of Ustina - demonstration of local crafts and folk arts in the area of the Thrace-Rhodope collar.
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  • • "Folklore workshop", Village of Starosel - demonstration of local crafts and folk arts in the Rose Valley area
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  • • "Folklore workshop", Kiten - demonstration of local crafts and folk arts in the Southern Black Sea region
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  • • "Folkloreworkshop", Village of Buynovo - demonstration of local crafts and folk arts in the region of the Western Rhodope Mountains.
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Concept

  • Small villages from different geographical areas, which are fairly far from the highly urbanized cityareas and are typicallypoor in their economic developmentwere chosen as centers of each folklore workshop.
  • In accordance with the priorities of Outcome 2 "ENHANCED ACCESS TO ARTS AND CULTURE", the population in the selected geographical regions consists of different ethnic groups and minorities.
  • The unifying feature of the selected geographical regions is the rich moral cultural heritage - folk art, local life and crafts, habits and traditions.

The small villages of the four target areas - the village of Buinovo from the High Western Rhodopes; the village of Starosel from the Rose Valley; the town of Kiten from the Southern Black Sea Coast and the village of Ustina from the Thracian Rhodope collar were selected in accordance with the priorities of OUTCOME 2 "ENHANCED ACCESS TO ARTS AND CULTURE" - meant to include representatives of various ethnic groups and minorities.

The selected regions include local Bulgarian population; Bulgarian-Karakachans /Greek-speaking ethnic community/; Bulgarian-Mohammedans; Bulgarians of Turkish origin and representatives of the Roma. This choice creates conditions for presentation of the local folk art, manner, crafts and habits of an extremely various character. Combined with the cultural traditions of the descendants of the ancient Vikings all this help us to orientate the activities towards an inter-ethnic cultural dialogue - on the basis of cultural heritage.

The selected target regions are fairly far from highly urbanized city centers and are also reasonably poor in their economic development. Their unifying feature is the rich moral cultural heritage - folk art, local life and crafts, habits and traditions.

The region of the Western Rhodopes is specificwith its multi-ethnic character. There can be seen cultural monuments, testifying to the existence of civilizations of the deepest antiquity - Thracian artifacts, objects and ornaments from the time of Orpheus and the development of Orpheism in these lands; way of life and folklore of the local Bulgarian population; of Rhodopians of Turkish origin, and also of the Bulgarian Mohammedans. The unique handiworks of the local craftsmen are of great interest. These are crafts related primarily to the racy way of life and folklore of the Rhodope population, and also to the processing of the natural and ecological bio-diverse wealth of the Rhodope Mountains.

The main challenge to the development of cultural entrepreneurship and increasing access to culture, on this territory, isimplementing and applying the modern techniques sothe unique local craft productionsto be upgraded with innovative technologies in accordance with the modern way and style of cultural consumption. Overcoming the currently existing limitations in this aspect will increase the economic benefits for the local population and expand the audience of the unique riches of the Rhodope Mountains.

Local folk art is also in a process of searching new formats for interaction with the national and European cultural audience.

The area of the Rose Valley is also full of historical artifacts from the time of the ancient Thracians. In this region, the emphasis is placed on its progressive role during the Renaissance, a period characterized by extremely intensive development of crafts and production.

In the architectural-historical reserve of the city of Karlovo, many crafts typical for the region are presented - pipe-making, abaji-making, tinsmithing, lace-making, coppersmithing, weaving, Karakachan crafts, etc. In many of the villages of the Sub-Balkans,there is a strong Roma presence. The representatives of this ethnic minority will be included in the project with their typical crafts - tinsmithing, mattress-making and basket-making. The Karakachan Bulgarians, who in the past practiced a very specific livelihood - highmountain sheep breeding, are also distinguished by their original costumes, traditions and culinary skills.

The main problems and barriers for the effective socialization of the local movable cultural heritage and the increasing of its economic, cognitive and aesthetic benefits for the local population is the lack of communication channels providing conditions for cultural consumption of the local racy folklore.

The variety of the artifacts in the area of the Black Sea coast in the south of Burgas speak about the presence of many ancient villages - Thracian villages, some of which were discovered during underwater research; Black Sea Byzantine colonies. This wealth of movable cultural heritage could be a very good environment for demonstration and presentation of the samples of local handicrafts, objects of local life and folk art /incl. walking on embers with bare feet/, the crafts of the Romapopulation from Strandja /basket making, tinsmithing, mattress making/.

The variety of museums and museum collections in this area can be transformed into a kind of stage for cultural events and performances, showcasing local crafts and folk art - recreating demonstration craft workshops, while providing opportunities for tasting products of local culinary arts and local production of food and drinks.

The possibility of enriching fish cuisine in the region of the Black Sea coast with samples and recipes of the culinary art in preparing seafood from the region of the Norwegian fjords is of particular interest. The culinary art of the descendants of the ancient Vikings has an extremely innovative and modern entrepreneurial practice, offering a combination of the local cultural monuments and attracting connoisseurs of the specificway of life of the local population and its manners.

The region of the Thrace-Rhodope collar is famous for unique high-quality wines. In this relatively small territory, more than 20 wineries can be visited. They are a naturalattraction for visitors and guests from all over the country and also from many foreign countries.

The region of the Thrace-Rhodope collar is famous for unique high-quality wines. In this relatively small territory, more than 20 wine cellars can be visited. They are a natural center of attraction for visitors and guests from all over the country and also from many foreign countries.

The combination of high-quality wine production with the local culinary art, way of life and folklore and the many real cultural and historical monuments can create an extremely high synergy for cultural consumption. The synthesis between wine and cultural tourism is a well-established European practice and has great potential for improving access to high-quality examples of cultural heritage. According to the statistics for 2018, these four regions are comparatively less populated. The population lives in small towns and villages, grouped in small municipal territories and administrative units. Despite their fairdistance or suburban role to the large administrative and industrial centers, they are unique centers of national cultural heritage.

According to the regional administrations of Plovdiv, Burgas and Smolyan, over 60 museums, around 12 tourist and visitor information centers, numerous galleries and museum collections operate in these four territories. These are centers for supply and consumption of the specific cultural products and services based on local heritage. The target areas are extremely rich in numerous moral monuments of culture, activities, folklore and culinary art - with ancient historical roots. A large part of the rich cultural heritage, upgraded with innovative and modern technologies, is offered in the form of cultural tourism products and services.

The great potential for the development of cultural tourism is also a major unifying similarity between the four geographical areas. The target group of the project activities includes all interested parties involved in the processes of preservation, exposure and socialization of movable cultural heritage and development of various forms for cultural consumption of historical values. These are experts and specialists involved in the management of historical artifacts, educational and cultural institutions providing knowledge and organizing cultural events, as well as entrepreneurs - suppliers of cultural tourism products and services; museum and community center workers; teachers and lecturers, tour guides and tour operators, craftsmen, folk artists and performers; hoteliers and restauranteurs.

The main objectives of the local communities are effectively used for the rich cultural and historical significance to increase the economic, educational and cultural benefits, both for the locals and for the visitors and guests of the specifiedregions. In an interesting way, the historical legendscan be aesthetically experienceddue to the combination of the samples of the ancient Vikings’sailing vessels and culinary masterpieces of the local gastronomic art of preparing seafood and impressive natural formations.

Strategy

  • In accordance with the priorities of Outcome 2 "ENHANCED ACCESS TO ARTS AND CULTURE", for new and innovative formats for presenting the cultural heritage, folklore workshops will be broadcast online - in multimedia audio and video formats through web and mobile applications, in integration with the electronic tools of social networks.
  • According to the strategy to attract new audiences, the virtual folklore workshops will be viewable on smart phones and other mobile devices of the potential users. The use of mobile applications as a dominant media channel in the new age will attract the attention of many viewers who have been indifferent to cultural heritage and folk art until now.
  • The focus on phones and mobile devices as electronic techniques for cultural animation is in unison with the Program's goals to audience involvement and participation in cultural events, cultural experiences and reflections. This approach is also in tune with the modern style and way of life of the modern participants in the process of cultural consumption.

The visitors coming from large urban centers have a modern style and lifestyle. 80% of them have up-to-date consumer habits and stereotypes of cultural consumption and would like to receive local cultural products and services in ccorrespondence with the high multimedia quality and by the proven communication formats and channels. The need for targeted efforts to implement and offer new, innovative forms and formats for presenting local cultural heritage in a modern and contemporary way is obvious. Apart from the relative economic underdevelopment of these European territories, in the new era they are equal participants in the common European market and, based on the local cultural heritage, have the potential to offer high-quality and competitive products on the European market.

For this purpose, the target regions need modern cultural animation techniques based on innovative European practices and experience to be implemented and applied.At the moment, innovative principles and innovative models for the development of cultural industries are extremely typical for the European market.In this aspect, innovative practices, entrepreneurial models and models for exhibiting and presenting cultural heritage in Norway can be extremely valuable.The transfer, adaptation and implementation in the Bulgarian territories of such practices, typical for the moredistant areas /such as the Norwegian fjords/, which manage to attract the attention of a great number of tourists and guests from the inner part and highly urbanized areas of the country and Europe, is a good opportunity to overcome the barriers in the target territories in Bulgaria.

Virtual and mobile workshop for streaming digitization of folk arts, craft, culinary and oenological traditions - motivation and justification of the project idea

- Virtual because:

It will contain three main processes which will be implemented altogether - digitization, presentation and consumption of cultural values. In each of the three parallel processes, it will be possible to involve local master-craftsmen, artists and cultural operators, as well as patrons, tourist operators, entrepreneurs in the field of culture and tourism, local residents and consumers, representatives of civil society, tourists and guests visiting the specificregion.All of them will be provided with opportunities to add /crowdsourcing/ digital content in each of the processes taking place in the virtual laboratory. The added content may aim to digitize and publish, present and popularize or document the experiences and perception of cultural values in the process of their consumption.The virtual workshop gives the opportunity to include participants of different types and categories - cultural operators, masters, artists, experts and other bearers of cultural values from different coastal territories. Inviting of new participants other than those to be included through the project activities is unlimited.

- Mobile because:

The virtual workshop will be built on the basis of web and mobile applications, which creates convenience and opportunities for everyone involved in it to work via desktop, a laptop or a mobile phone. The role of a basic technical tool for digitization will be performed by the smartphones of the participants in the virtual laboratory. In the past few years, the smartphones have acquired numerous features and capabilities for creating high-quality multimedia content. Marketing studies show that the population in Bulgaria has more than 2 million quality cameras built-in the phones they own. The cultural consumption of digitized cultural valuesitself, will also mainly flow on the screens and high-quality displays of modern telephones. These findings create strong motivation for implementing the digital cultural animation techniques in parallel with activities increasing access and creating opportunities for consumption of digital cultural products. This corresponds with the innovative principles of the connective psychology and receptive aesthetics – determining the new type of social engagement, cultural participation and cultural consumption.

The virtual workshop is in the format of a mobile app and provides opportunities for equal participation of all target groups - sailors, fishermen and local residents; suppliers of tourist products and services - entrepreneurs, tour operators, etc.; civil society structures, non-profit organizations and other interested parties - researchers, students, people looking for opportunities to deepen their knowledge in the field of cultural heritage, history, etc.

The virtual workshop possesses the qualities of mobility and portability, creates opportunities for the formation of digital cultural content and stimulates cultural consumption in various regions and coastal areas.

- Streaming digitization and socialization because:

The term "digitalization" is constantly changing and acquiring new dimensions in parallel with the accelerated development and improvement of technological solutions and devices. The new qualities of digital products and services need to be tailored and correspond to the modern style and lifestyle of modern consumers. Even a surface glance at social networks and electronic media shows a definite migration from the so-called "documentary" films and the glamorous low-verbal videos to the "reportage" style in the various video formats.

In the term "streaming", the emphasis falls not so much on the fact that something is currently being broadcast "live", but on the fact that the creator of the live video has begun to broadcast "live". I.e. the focus is on the author or interpreter of the legends, hypotheses, historical accounts, or demonstrator of the relevant local traditions. This type of digitization creates a number of advantages in the visualization of cultural values and increases the possibilities of attracting the attention of cultural audiences.

Streaming is actively demanded by modern consumers and is starting to become a major format for expression and consumption. Modern Internet platforms and electronic social networks have many easy-to-use functions for comfy and fast creation of live videos, and in parallel there are many comfortable and effective channels for their distribution.

Streaming as a format for digitization of cultural values can be very easily integrated into the virtual laboratory. Such an approach will provide opportunities for quick and high-quality training in the technologies and principles of work in the newly created virtual laboratory - for all target groups, real and potential participants in it.

Local cultural heritage - folk arts, craft, culinary and oenological traditions

  • In the folklore workshops, the local cultural heritage will be demonstrated with a video recording of its specific manifestations, by the bearers of the specific cultural-historical value.
  • Knowledge and memory of the local cultural heritage - these will be educational resources intended for those who wish to increase their knowledge of the cultural-historical past and cultural values. Thereby, they will be able to enrich their cultural horizons and participate in the process of passing on the cultural heritage - from generation to generation.

 For the creation of educational resources, we will work together with museums, community centers, tour guides and information centers.

  • Folk arts –they will be demonstrated mainly by showing several training videos in Bulgarian folk dances, specificfor each of the target regions.

Demonstrations by local dance school and community groups will be held.

  • Local crafts - master craftsmen will demonstrate their skills onlineand so it will be possible to deliver distant training in various crafts related to local life and culture to users from Bulgaria and Europe.

Together with museums and folklore gathering of crafts, local folklore and way of life and traditions:

  • Local food and drink, culinary and oenology - online demonstrations of the culinary arts and the production of wines and other beverages. Tastings and oenology. We will work with local master chefs and residents - bright representatives and bearers of the culinary art; chambers and associations of wine producers and individual wineries.
  • Customs, festivals, celebrations and local rituals.

The unique traditional crafts related to fishery, the production of boats and tackles, the local hand-made production of household items, the cooking according to age-old recipes, the production of ecological food and drinks, as cultural values, are included in the group of the most endangered intangible monuments of culture. They do not have a permanent physical existence, which makes it difficult to preserve, store and socialize them - like artifacts. On the other hand, however, the ever-increasing opportunities to upgrade them with new technologies, both in the process of their production and also in the process oftheir distribution and consumption, creates an increased interest in their cultural consumption. This interest has recently grown even more against the background of the outflow of highly industrialized productions, distancing people from nature, ecology, tradition and their historical roots.

The creation of a new digital being, in the new information age, can be a serious contribution to the preservation, saving and socialization of these cultural values.

All initiatives related to their digitization and the involvement of all carriers of cultural values, sources of information and scientific potential in a common digital workshop, will increase the capacity of the interested parties for the implementation of a new and modern way of preserving and upgrading the craft handyworks. Modern cultural processes inevitably bear the marks of intensive development in communication technologies and communication networks. In the new era, representatives of each category of participants in the virtual workshop will have the opportunity, through their personal smart devices, to receive information, view, comment, and at the same time publish photos, audio recordings, texts related to the creation and consumption of folklore , craft, culinary and oenological traditions or personal experienceswith specific persons in the process of their cultural consumption.


2.2. Preparation, development, discussion and approval of a technological project in video format - "Media art library" for the local cultural heritage.

In the technological project of the "Media Art Library" its purpose is explained in details.

It is aimed at improving accessibility to a wide range of users - cultural organizations and institutions, artistic and creative, professional and self-made ensembles and teams, entrepreneurs in the field of cultural heritage, museum and community center workers and artists from various genres of artistic arts; audience and other users.

The content of the "Media Art Library" will have an user-friendly and fast interface to access its content. The content will be organized into profiles of objects of movable and digital cultural heritage of Bulgaria and Norway.

Each of the profiles will have a structure and architecture containing the following formats: text information, audio and video files; bibliographic reference; designation of the object's geolocation on "Google map" and contact information.

The published information and the user interface will be developed in Bulgarian and English. The technical task will be developed in video format - a video narrative about the purpose, structure and interface of the "Media Art Library".

As a result of the activities performed, a presentation of the technological project "Media Art Library" was prepared in video format.

The video presentation is published on YouTube:

It was broadcast during the transnational meeting /online/ as an "introductory video" and is published on the website of the project.


2.3. Creation, discussion and approval of a technological project in video format - the platform for attracting new audiences, improving access and the organization of cultural events "Digital Ethno-Impresario"  (in integration with social networks).

In the technological project of the "Media Art Library" its purpose is explained in details. It is aimed at improving accessibility to a wide range of users - cultural organizations and institutions, artistic and creative, professional and self-made ensembles and teams, entrepreneurs in the field of cultural heritage, museum and community center workers and artists from various genres of artistic arts; audience and other users.

The content of the "Media Art Library" will have an user-friendly and fast interface to access its content. The content will be organized into profiles of objects of movable and digital cultural heritage of Bulgaria and Norway.

Each of the profiles will have a structure and architecture containing the following formats: text information, audio and video files; bibliographic reference; designation of the object's geolocation on "Google map" and contact information. The published information and the user interface will be developed in Bulgarian and English. The technical task will be developed in video format - a video narrative about the purpose, structure and interface of the "Media Art Library".

As a result of the activities performed, a presentation of the technological project "Media Art Library" was prepared in video format. The video presentation is published on YouTube: 

It was broadcast during the transnational meeting /online/ as an "introductory video" and is published on the website of the project.


2.4. Conducting discussion and approval of four trailers and video presentations of the visualization scenarios and defining the appropriate online format for broadcasting each of the four events.
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For this purpose, preparatory activities were carried out in order the online multimedia content of the traveling attraction "Folklorna tvorilnica" in the four target regions to be organized and video recorded:

  • Meetings were held with the participants in the local cultural processes /crafts and folk art/ in the four target regions - local master craftsmen; representatives of local folklore art and cultural organizations and institutions in the target areas. Preliminary discussions related to the possibilities of video recording the online multimedia content of the four "Folklore Ethno-workshops" were held.
  • Preparation of a representative sample for the master craftsmen, the representatives of the local folklore creativity and the cultural organizations and institutions in the target regions - "Thracian-Rhodope collar; Rose Valley; The Southern Black Sea.

The events are presented as part of the virtual demonstration tour /traveling attraction - "Folklore Ethno-workshop"/, demonstrating a synthesis of the immovable and digital cultural heritage of Norway and Bulgaria.

The script for visualizing and defining the relevant online format for broadcasting each of the four events presents a brief description of the cultural event, its duration, the basic elements and highlights, a description of the roles of the various participants in it, the arrangement of the mise-en-scene, the program for broadcasting the musical and video content and description of the demonstration centers presenting the local cultural heritage.

The project management team and representatives from each of the partner organizations are included in the Skype discussions, considerationsand approval of the prepared documents for planning and designing the project activities.

2.5. PPT presentations of the Organization and Communication Plans.

PPT presentations will visualize the main elements of the organizational and communication plans.

In the Organizational Plan, the start and end dates for the implementation of the project activities are stated. The responsibilities of each member of the partner consortium are described in details. The plan covers all 24 months of the project duration.

Link to the publication on the project site, where it can be downloaded as a PPT file:

Document:

The planned Publicity and Visibility activities are included in this presentation.


The objectives of the Communication Plan, the target groups and the main resources for achieving the planned results have also been published.

Link to the publication on the project site, where it can be downloaded as a PPT file:

Document:


Results:

  • An „Organization Plan“ created in PPT format. It is published on the web project site and can be downloaded as a PPT file.
  • A „Presentation“ created in PPT format. It is published on the web project site and can be downloaded as a PPT file.

The preparatory materials for the transnational meeting were created in Bulgarian and English, and simultaneous translation was provided during the meeting.


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