Local Heritage in Contemporary Times: Artistic Creation and the Intangibilities of Place

ABSTRACTThis article shares collaborative scientific work done by researchers from the Centre for Social Studies (University of Coimbra, Portugal) and from the Technology, Restoration and Arts Enhancement Center (Polytechnical Institute of Tomar, Portugal) within the REDE ARTÉRIA in cooperation with MOVTOUR. REDE ARTÉRIA is an action research project that aims to create cultural presentations and performances to tour the Centro Region of Portugal. It aspires to encourage a greater professionalization of agents, while aiming to enrich and enhance the cultural offering. Simultaneously, it intends to stimulate a community practice of participatory cultural mapping influencing creation processes and cultural policies in this region. The analysis is made in the specific context of the artistic creation VAGAR, conceived by the Portuguese choreographer Marina Nabais and co-produced by the Municipality of Ourém (Portugal). The analysis results from participatory workshops with local agents, field notes from rehearsal observation, interviews with artists, local participants, local government, and from the final report produced by the dance association responsible for the performance. This work critically reflects on how processes of community participation and of tangible and intangible resource mapping – by providing dialogue opportunities between artists, local agents, municipalities and the local cultural fabric – can develop innovative projects of artistic intervention that link heritage to local, social and cultural civic dynamics. It thus epitomizes the importance of the social dimension of cultural activity.