Venturing into new territories: WEAVE, a case study for connecting minoritised cultural communities and digital collections

Responding to several of the RMC 2022 conference’s core themes –- methodologies engaging marginalised communities in research, innovative methodological approaches and the application of digital tools – this article offers the case study of the EU Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funded WEAVE project (Widen European Access to cultural communities Via Europeana [2020-2022]) to outline an innovative methodological framework for capacity building for Cultural Heritage Institutions (CHIs) working with underrepresented and marginalised cultural communities and digital intangible heritage.

This article first introduces the WEAVE methodological framework for community engagement which aims to link the tangible and intangible heritage of under-represented and minoritised cultural
communities, safeguarding the rich and invaluable cultural heritage that they represent. Second, the article will specify a hands-on methodology for such capacity-building work, building on the model of the LabDay methodology previously used by the authors in the CultureMoves Europeana Generic Service project. Underpinned by Communicative Methodology, the LabDay methodology aims for the fostering of an egalitarian dialogue between researchers and participants to offer a collaboratively
held ‘brave space’ where all voices are acknowledged and valued, and stakeholders can together reflect on their needs, desires, and various forms of participation. Such a bottom-up approach enables cultural communities to themselves become a driver for how their intangible cultural heritage (ICH) and tangible cultural heritage (TCH) are presented.