Inter Alia

The project promotes a framework in which local traditions are perceived as dynamic and evolving processes, which shape and are shaped by the lives of local communities. This means that they are recognized as elements of cultural identities, but not as "museum objects". At the same time, as an art and cultural heritage program, ECHO II is an opportunity both for the artists to highlight and renew the local traditions through contemporary artistic creation, and for the local communities to attempt a framing and revitalization of their own traditions. But beyond the creative review of local tradition and practices, the action also aims to create an open, digital repository.

Artists, local community members, general audience of arts and culture

From 01/09/2020 until 20/06/2022 (22 months)

ECHO II is a European cultural project inviting artists who work in the fields of painting, sculpture, graphic design, fashion design, craftwork and mural to create original artworks inspired by the following selected local traditions:

The local traditions related to the sea in Spetses island (Greece), 
The local traditions of the city of Sofia (Bulgaria),
The local traditions of the Lake Prespa (Prespa region, North Macedonia),
The life and community of Győr distillery’s workers as a local tradition of Győr (Hungary), and
The local traditions of the Smolyan town (Bulgaria).

In the context of ECHO II, local traditions are perceived as dynamic and evolving processes that shape and are shaped by the lives of local communities. This means that traditions are recognised as constitutive elements of cultural identities, but are not considered as ‘objects’ that need to be retained unaltered and protected via musealisation. In this light, ECHO II takes a critical stance towards established but unfruitful perspectives that restrict innovation and creativity, and consists of an opportunity (a) for artists to highlight and renew local traditions through contemporary artistic creation, and (b) for the local communities to self-reflect, and hence, reconceptualise and revitalise their own traditions within the framework of European cultural heritage. 

ECHO II, is implemented in cooperation with: Sfera International (North Macedonia), Open Space Foundation (Bulgaria), Pro Progressione (Hungary), Balkans Beyond Borders (Greece), Post Scriptum (Greece). In addition, in Greece we cooperated with the Biennale of Western Balkans and the Ecclesiastical Museum of Spetses.

Employees of the organisations took part in the implementation. There was also external cooperation with graphic designers for the visual identity and curators for the local exhibitions.

Spetses Island (Greece), Prespa Lake (North Macedonia), Sofia and Smolyan (Bulgaria), Gyor (Hungary), Pristina (Kosovo*).

Pending

Pending