Tag: call for proposals

RULES OF THE CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: Fieldwork grants and projects 2021

3rd Call for applications Gonzalo M. Borrás Gualis fieldwork grants and projects

Territorio Mudéjar announces the third edition of the Gonzalo M. Borrás Gualis fieldwork grants and projects aimed at directly supporting the work of researchers and project promoters who want to work on the development of villages through the responsible and sustainable use of cultural and natural heritage resources.

Territorio Mudéjar is an association of town councils, currently thirty-six member councils and one collaborating partner, whose objective is to consolidate a unified and collaborative management network for the use of the historical-artistic resources linked to the important Mudejar heritage, understanding them as an engine for the development of the villages and as an element of identity for the maintenance of the communities that make up our territory.

Our programme of actions for the coming years has been designed in accordance with the strategic lines defined by the “Roadmap of the Council of the European Union 2019-2022” (Plan de trabajo del Consejo de la Unión Europea 2019-2022) which, aligned with the objectives of the 2030 Agenda, have as their guiding principle that “the cultural identity of the territories will contribute to sustainable social and economic development by differentiating markets and in turn allowing their integration into a diversified economy that can ensure their future success”.

The projects carried out in 2020 have consolidated one of our most important lines of work based on the development of actions that strengthen the retention and attraction of talent, actions aimed at the construction of highly qualified professional networks linked to the use of historical-artistic and cultural resources, contributing to medium and long-term territorial development.

Dedicated to Professor Gonzalo M. Borrás Gualis, a strong advocate of the management of the heritage of Aragon and the territory, as an action of the people and as an innovative field of work full of future. His work exemplified with perfect coherence the possibility of combining research work of high scientific impact with a commitment to the land and its people, not only favouring the knowledge, conservation and dissemination of its historical and artistic heritage, but also modernising work processes and proposing innovative projects in which natural, cultural and heritage resources are a key element in the future of the villages.

Rules

1/ Purpose and scope

The purpose of this call for proposals is to award FIVE GRANTS and ONE ACCESIT to researchers and professionals in the management of cultural and natural heritage for the development of a research or territorial project with a highly innovative character within one of the fields of activity or area of work specified below.

Proposals may address zero or preparatory phases, development phases or piloting and testing phases of ongoing projects.

Proposals must include as a fundamental part of their development a justified physical stay in one or more of the localities of Territorio Mudéjar. The projects presented must demonstrate direct impact on at least three partner localities of Territorio Mudéjar and provide evidence of influence of this impact on the rest of the territory.

Objectives:

To favour the knowledge of the rural territory based on its Mudejar identity through innovative approaches whose main aim is to have a positive impact on the villages.
To encourage projects with a high territorial impact developed from the experience of the habitability of the villages.
To help in the creation and implementation of a working network with a common vision of the possibilities of heritage, cultural and natural resources that helps to strengthen the rest of the sectors through interdisciplinary and collaborative work.
To create mechanisms for social participation in the field of heritage resource management from a territorial perspective.

Specific objectives:

To promote knowledge of heritage resources in order to favour the implementation of projects, contribute to better protection and favour the conservation of the Mudejar heritage of the villages.
To contribute to a better knowledge of UNESCO World Heritage and the benefits it brings to the territory as an international brand.
To give special support to projects that refer to the previous sections and that include two or more towns of Territorio Mudéjar.
Support projects that serve as a framework for action for a wide range of sites or assets, or that propose solutions and formulas that contribute to improving the sustainability and management capacities of Mudejar Heritage in general.
Support projects that help to promote the social function of cultural heritage.

The areas covered by the call are the following:

AREA 1. New perspectives on Mudejar art:
– Updating of data and knowledge on Mudejar heritage in all its diversity: Monumental, urban, ethnographic, linguistic, agrarian, hydraulic, geography, materials, processes, etc.
– Technical languages applied to the Mudejar: planimetry, photogrammetry and Mudejar 3D.
– Geolocation, cartography and maps.
– Any subject that allows to broaden the scientific base on Mudejar art.

AREA 2. Territorio Mudéjar-Cultural Landscape
– Heritage resources and people’s actions
– Natural and social contexts
– Interactions between landscape and monumentality

AREA 3. Cultural heritage management:
– New models of use beyond the classical concept of “tourist or recreational use”.
– Physical, economical and intellectual accessibility studies
– Future models for conservation or intervention.

AREA 4. Communication and dissemination of Mudejar heritage
– Mudejar heritage and the media
– New media discourses
– Interpretation and ways of accessibility to knowledge of Mudejar heritage.

AREA 5. Mudejar heritage and its social function as a key element of territorial development
– The emotional bond as a key element for the care, protection and management of heritage.
– Population contexts: The value of intergenerational experience.
– Social participation in the appreciation, exchange and collective construction of knowledge and new forms of learning.
The procedure for awarding grants will be processed on a competitive basis according to the assessment criteria established in the call for applications and, in accordance with Article 22.1 of Law 38/2003, of 17 November, the General Law on Subsidies.

2/ Applicants

Proposals may be submitted by natural persons and groups of natural persons without legal personality who meet all the requirements of this call for proposals.

The applicant (or group of applicants) may be at an initial or intermediate stage of their research career or professional activity and must provide proof of the following:

Higher education related to the areas covered by the call for proposals.
Master’s degree in Cultural Heritage Management, or related to one of the proposed areas of work, or documentary evidence of a minimum of two years of research or professional career -remunerated or not-.

Legal entities of any type: companies, associations, joint ownerships or groups under any other type of legal associative formula are not eligible to apply.

When the project is presented by two or more persons, the formula will be called “team” and each member of the team must be accredited individually.

If the project submitted is part of a research project linked to a university, public research centre or private (non-profit) centre, this must be indicated in the project report.

The acceptance of the project and the development of the stay is compatible with other professional activities as long as the mode of compatibility is specified and justified in the project report.

The project submitted may have other sources of funding as long as they are complementary and are specified in the project report. Total income may never exceed the project development costs.

3/ Requirements

Bachelor’s, Graduate’s or Architect’s degree or equivalent.

Master’s degree in specialised heritage and/or in the various related areas or accredit a minimum of two years of research experience and/or professional career in the field in which the proposal is developed (whether remunerated or not).
Be up to date with their tax and social security obligations, as well as accrediting compliance with obligations due to the reimbursement of subsidies.
Not be affected by any of the causes established in art. 13 of the LGS.

4/ Deadline for submission

The deadline for submission of applications is MONDAY, 12 July 2021. Proposals sent by e-mail will be accepted until 23.59 hours (Spanish peninsular time).

If the application contains errors that can be corrected, the organisation will inform the applicant so that, within three days from the date of communication, the correction can be made as an essential condition for the application to be taken into account in the evaluation process.

5/ Characteristics and conditions

Period: The schedule of projects and stays may be carried out until 24 December 2021. The project completion report must be submitted by 29 December 2021 at the latest.

Duration: Proposals must be developed within a minimum period of THREE months and a maximum of FIVE months.

Funding: Projects will have a maximum financial allocation of €6,000.00 (in the case of the accesit the maximum financial allocation will be €4,000.00) which must be justified in the project report according to the expenses indicated in the following section.

Expenses attributable to the grant: The budget must identify the concepts subject to and deriving directly from the needs of the project – for example: expenses derived from the development of the work, materials, travel, meals, accommodation, others – including, if applicable, the corresponding taxes.

In the event that the project has other sources of funding, the following must be specified: Entity, duration, actions financed (object and content) and to which part of the project it is addressed.

Compatibility: The development of the stay is compatible with other work, professional or research activities justified to the organising entity. The project must indicate the degree of compatibility and the method of work to be carried out in order to avoid overlapping and non-compliance with the conditions indicated in this call.

Number of calls: Beneficiaries may not obtain full grants in more than two consecutive calls for the same project. Therefore, resident researchers who have been beneficiaries in the last two calls will not be eligible to apply for the call and will be excluded if they do so.

** Exceptionally, researchers who have not exceeded the amount of €12,000.00 in two consecutive calls may be considered as beneficiaries if they have been awarded an accesit in previous years’ calls.

Other: Beneficiaries will be included in the entity’s civil liability insurance.

The beneficiaries will not establish any type of employment relationship with the organisation.

All grants will be subject to the withholdings and taxes stipulated by the legislation in force, which will be deducted from the corresponding economic funding.

6/ Applications

Applications must be sent to the association Territorio Mudéjar in digital format to the following e-mail address: info@territoriomudejar.es

Application – Basic identification data of the applicant and the project-.
Copy of ID card.
Summary of the applicant/s professional career (max. 2,000 characters).
Summary of the project/proposal (max. 2.000 characters)
Abbreviated academic and professional curriculum vitae (max. 5 pages)
Five developed projects that, in the applicant’s opinion, are relevant as a starting point for the proposal (Synthesis of each project of a max. 2.000 characters)
Report of the project to be carried out, including (max. 5 pages): Title; Background and current state of the subject; Hypothesis, methodology, work plan and timetable; Description of the specific objectives of the project; Towns directly and indirectly affected by the proposal; Town or towns proposed for stay and expected length of stay; Detailed budget for the research, which will refer to the amount requested.
Optionally, a letter of recommendation from a relevant person in the field of the proposed work may be provided.
In the case of teams, both the application and the award decision must expressly state the implementation commitments assumed by each member of the team, as well as the amount of the grant to be applied by each of them, who will also be considered as beneficiaries. A sole representative or proxy of the grouping must be appointed, with sufficient powers to fulfil the obligations which, as beneficiary, correspond to the grouping. The team will undertake not to dissolve the grouping until the period of limitation stipulated in Articles 39 and 65 of Law 38/2003 of 17 November has elapsed.

7/ Selection process and criteria

The project selection process will be carried out on the basis of the evaluations of the Scientific Committee and the entity’s management team, which will draw up a ranking according to the following criteria:

Curricular profile, training and previous accomplishments of the applicant: 15%. The orientation of the curricular profile in relation to the area of work chosen by the applicant will be assessed.
Quality of the project and innovative nature of the proposal: 35%. The project will be valued for being well thought out and presented in a rigorous and detailed manner. The framework of objectives/actions/resources/budget must be well planned. The calendar must be realistic. The project should provide for its evaluation and future viability.
Area of impact / no. of localities involved: 35%. The way in which the project acts on the territory will be assessed. It may be a present or future direct impact, but in any case it will be an indispensable requirement. It will be highly valued to foresee a realistic impact without falling into the tendentious and mediatic.
Complementary activities involving the local population: 15%. Planning an activity that involves the local population in the development of the project will be valued. Involvement does not necessarily have to be through a cultural activity. The introduction of activities that have an unconventional cultural impact will be valued.

8/ Evaluation and decision

The decision will be communicated as of Monday 19 July 2021.

The call may be declared totally or partially void and the decision of the commissions shall be final.

Once the call for applications has been resolved, the list of beneficiaries and the composition of the evaluation committee will be published on the website of the association Territorio Mudéjar www.territoriomudejar.es.

Under no circumstances will individualised information be provided on the applications received or on the deliberations of the evaluation committee.

9/ Formalisation, justification and payment of the grants

Formalization: Beneficiaries must sign before the start date of their project, according to the calendar, and at the latest before 1 August 2021, the acceptance commitment that will act as an indispensable document for the receipt of the aid. Once the acceptance document has been signed, they must join the project on the date indicated in the calendar.

Payment: Payment of the grant will be made in three instalments: 40% at the start, once the acceptance commitment has been signed; 40% halfway through the project; and the remaining 20% upon submission of the final project report. These conditions will be general to all beneficiaries unless, exceptionally, the project report justifies the need for a different financial distribution over time.

Justification and presentation of results: Beneficiaries will be obliged to justify compliance with the requirements and conditions established in this call for proposals by means of: A mid-term report halfway through the stay that allows the progress of the project to be evaluated. A final report of the project in digital format describing objectives, fulfilment of aims and results; and an economic report justifying the cost of the activities carried out.

Financial control: The mid-term report must include a review of the estimated budget, either confirming its continuity or proposing the necessary adjustments, provided they are justified.

The final report shall include a detailed financial report as follows:

A list of expenses incurred indicating creditor, amount, date of issue and payment. As the project includes a budget estimating the list of expenses, it shall be classified according to the items of the subsidised project or activity. Where applicable, any deviations that may have occurred in the development of the project must be justified.
Proof of payment: Invoices, tickets or accrediting documents and proof of payment. If the payment has been made in cash, this must be indicated in the expense document with the concept correctly specified.
The justification of fees will be made by sworn statement and will be detailed in the report according to the results developed, specifying the working hours assigned to the actions carried out.
The justification of mileage expenses shall be made by means of a sworn declaration and a detail shall be included in the report according to the results developed, specifying the journeys made and assigned to specific actions.

Non-compliance: The grants will be cancelled and the amounts received will be refunded when the conditions established in these rules are not met and in general in the cases established in accordance with article 37 of the General Law on Subsidies.

10/ Dissemination of the Project’s results

The association Territorio Mudéjar may request the collaboration of the beneficiaries of the grants in activities for the dissemination of the projects. To this end, the beneficiary shall provide the association Territorio Mudéjar with all the information and documentation required and shall provide the latter, free of charge, with the appropriate rights for the dissemination of the results.

Beneficiaries must mention on materials or results the source of the grant by means of the phrase “Project carried out with funding from Territorio Mudéjar through the call for applications Estancias Gonzalo M. Borrás Gualis 2021” and include the organisation’s logo whenever possible.

On the other hand, the association Territorio Mudéjar will always identify the authorship of the projects.

11/ Acceptance of the rules

Participation in this call for applications implies acceptance of its rules and its decision, which shall be final, as well as the waiver of any type of claim.

Exceptionally and for duly justified reasons, the association Territorio Mudéjar reserves the right to interpret and modify the wording of the rules in order to clarify or specify their content, without this implying a substantial or arbitrary alteration of the same.

For any queries, applicants may contact the association Territorio Mudéjar by e-mail at info@territoriomudejar.es

5 fieldwork grants and one second prize awarded for the study, management of resources and development of projects in the member towns

Territorio Mudéjar, the network of 34 municipalities created by the Provincial Government of Zaragoza that aims to conserve and promote Mudejar art in the province, has awarded 5 fieldwork grants and one second prize for the study, development of projects and management of natural and heritage resources in its member towns.

This is the second round of grants awarded under the project bearing the name of Gonzalo M. Borrás Gualis, as a tribute to the distinguished professor and Mudejar scholar. Each award consists of EUR 6,000, to be used for the development of research projects that are responsible, sustainable and innovative, have a direct impact on rural settings, foster their visibility and raise awareness about the area.

This year’s proposals were particularly outstanding, consisting of cross-disciplinary research teams from diverse Spanish and Italian institutions, with guidance from renowned experts. Under the selected proposals, projects will be developed in fields such as the restoration of construction materials like Mudejar plaster work, the conservation of traditional architecture, designing tours that combine agricultural cycles and Mudejar heritage, the creation of a Territorio Mudéjar podcast channel, a guide about historical carpentry in our towns and the study of new cultural management models for Mudejar civil architecture.

The aim of these grants is to promote awareness about the rural setting through its Mudejar identity by creating innovative perspectives that have a positive impact on the towns and foster networking about the possibilities arising from the region’s resources and from collaborative, cross-disciplinary work. In addition, they specifically aim to enhance knowledge about the Mudejar as World Heritage and about the benefits it affords as an international brand recognized by the UNESCO.

The selected projects are categorized into five lines of research: new perspectives on Mudejar art, Territorio Mudéjar and cultural landscape, management of cultural heritage, communication and dissemination of Mudejar heritage and Mudejar heritage and its role in society as a key element for regional development.

The projects one by one

1-“Mudejar plaster work, symbol of identity, knowledge and opportunities for the future”.

Traditional plaster work plays a key role in Mudejar architecture, used in both monumental and vernacular architecture, but it is also largely unknown, given that it is often incorrectly identified and confused with lime-based materials. In the 2019 fieldwork grant, architect Pedro Bel comprehensively documented the traditional plaster manufacturing process in 16 municipalities and drew attention to the obstacles involved in restoring plaster structures due to the lack of compatible materials. During the 2020 fieldwork grant, he is seeking solutions to the limitations for conservation of traditional plaster work with some ambitious goals: better understanding the material, raising awareness about its role in traditional Aragonese architecture and developing plaster that can be manufactured today in order to preserve the legacy handed down. Thus, he intends to reactivate quarries and find materials that are compatible with Mudejar plaster for restoration and renovation purposes, in order to re-introduce it in contemporary architecture.

There is a strong team of researchers behind this project, from the universities of Zaragoza, Granada, Malaga and the Polytechnic University of Madrid, as well as top rate consultants such as Ramón Rubio Domene, head of the plaster work and tile workshop of the Alhambra Trust, and Antonio Almagro Gorbea, scholar from the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts.

2-“Vernacular architecture in Mudejar villages: tools and networking for adaptive re-use and compatible intervention”.

In addition to their important monuments in terms of history and art, the Territorio Mudéjar towns also have simpler architecture that is, however, of great social and ethnological value, integrated into the environment and reflecting the cultural identity of the area. Proper preservation and spotlighting of this traditional architecture may be a launch pad for economic regeneration based on the use of these heritage spaces by private individuals in order to make historical villages more attractive and competitive. In this regard, a balance must be sought between preservation of architectural heritage and socio-economic development.

Javier Gómez Patrocinio, who holds a PhD in architecture from the University of Valencia, studied construction techniques and the prevailing dynamics of intervention in Territorio Mudéjar during his 2019 fieldwork grant. Now, he is progressing with the project and aims to design and implement tools to raise awareness among local communities about the value of vernacular architecture and the importance of preserving it, in order to help developers make renovations of traditional buildings more compatible.

More info:
www.estancias2020mudetrad.territoriomudejar.es/

3-“Mudejar heritage and agricultural cycles: The poetry of the landscape. Designing and scheduling pilot experiences for tours in different seasons”.

Agricultural heritage, as a cultural asset to be understood in a manner similar to intangible heritage, is an identifying feature and a unique, irreplaceable element of the surrounding landscape. With this fieldwork grant, art historians Juan Ignacio Santos Rodríguez and Elvira del Pilar Domínguez Castro will assess the level of representativeness and the types of this heritage in existence, as well as defining them and assessing their capacity to generate new heritage resources linked to the agricultural cycles and to Mudejar heritage. The aim is to come up with a schedule of activities that combine agricultural heritage and Mudejar architecture, rooted precisely in this landscape, linked to the agricultural cycles.

Pilot test routes are also included for the purpose of demonstrating the undeniable and unique symbiosis that the earth, farming production and materials found in the surroundings have with Mudejar architecture and decoration, in addition to strengthening the emotional bond of the inhabitants to their land, farming industry and products.

4-“Muros Loqui. The walls speak. A podcast for giving the region a voice”.

This communication project consists in creating a podcast channel for Territorio Mudéjar, to encourage and complement visits to the monuments in our towns. Travelers can listen to these podcasts via mobile technology at any time of the day or week, thus meeting the needs of small-scale sustainable tourism.

The podcast content does not replace the experience of visiting the relevant monument, which should always be explained on site by a specialist, but rather complements the visit with proposed routes in the surrounding area, to encourage visits to other towns, and provides additional information about the town as a supplement to existing tours and suggested activities available in the area. The project will also help consolidate the idea of Mudejar culture beyond the monuments themselves. This proposal will be developed by a team made up of Gianluca Vita (Polytechnic of Milan), Irene Ruiz (Polytechnic of Turin and University of Zaragoza) and Marco Marcellini, expert in new technology.

More info:
www.territoriomudejar.es/podcast/

5-“Mudejar wood. Guide to historical carpentry in the towns of Territorio Mudéjar”.

This fieldwork grant falls within the category of New perspectives on Mudejar art, aiming to bolster awareness about and appreciation for all forms of Mudejar art expressed in wood: ceilings (alfarje structures and ridge trusses), windows, doors, eaves, choirs, organ platforms, choir stalls, carillons, etc. It consists in creating a specialized online publication that contains an inventory of works providing descriptions, conditions and images. In addition, it will include texts written by specialists on Mudejar carpentry techniques and concepts, a full bibliography on the subject and special chapters devoted to the masterpieces of historical carpentry in Territorio Mudéjar.

Myriam Monterde, an expert in cultural management and museum studies, and José Manuel Herraiz, an audiovisual producer and scriptwriter specialized in the historical and cultural genre, are in charge of conducting this research.

More info: www.estancias2020maderamudejar.territoriomudejar.es/

6-Second prize: “New models of cultural management and funding for Mudejar monumental/historical civil architecture restoration projects in the province of Zaragoza”.

Territorio Mudéjar has awarded second prize to a research project about Mudejar civil architecture. Art historians Ricardo Monreal Lafuente and Marta López Veamonte are responsible for this initiative, which will further the research process and data input that began in 2019. In the initial project, they sought to obtain up-to-date, technologically advanced material on the civil architecture with Mudejar elements in Territorio Mudéjar and to document the management model for these buildings. In 2020, the current phase will consist in specific work on one of the most important civil buildings in our region, the Palacio de los Luna, in Daroca. This will entail defining a working model for this type of Mudejar architecture and analyzing new historical and artistic heritage management models to enable these buildings to be used, thus making them more sustainable and strengthening their role in society and inclusion in village life. Means of financing restoration projects for these buildings will also be addressed.

call for proposals development fieldwork heritage projects region research rural towns

The deadline for submitting proposals for research stays, extended until June 29

Territorio Mudéjar has extended to Monday, June 29 the deadline for submission of proposals for the award of five fieldwork grants for the study and management of heritage and natural resources in its towns, as a result of the large number of queries received in the past few days. This is the second edition of these grants bearing the name of Gonzalo M. Borrás Gualis, as a tribute to the distinguished professor and Mudejar scholar who passed away last year. Each grant consists of EUR 6,000, and they are all to be used for the development of responsible, sustainable and innovative projects that have a direct impact on rural settings, foster their visibility and raise awareness about the area. Territorio Mudéjar is an initiative promoted by the Government of Zaragoza that brings together 34 municipalities and is aimed at preserving and promoting Mudejar art in the province.

Candidates must submit their ideas by June 29, 2020 at 12:00 midnight (mainland Spanish time). New and intermediate researchers, as well as professionals in the heritage management field with experience in innovative regional projects or papers that address the responsible and sustainable use of local resources are eligible to participate. It is also essential for the candidates to propose and justify living for a certain amount of time in one or more of the towns in Territorio Mudéjar. The proposed projects may be in their initial stages, in progress or in execution, and must provide proof that they have a direct impact on at least three member municipalities, as well an influence on the region as a whole.

Candidates may apply as individuals or as part of a research team, may be starting or partway through their research period or professional career, and they must provide proof of higher education credentials related to the subject matters addressed in the call for proposals and at least two years of research or professional activity, whether paid or not. However, professional experience may be substituted by Master’s degree level work in fields linked to cultural heritage.

Through this second call for proposals to the Gonzalo Borrás Gualis grants for projects and fieldwork, Territorio Mudéjar aims to promote awareness about the rural setting through its Mudejar identity by creating innovative perspectives that have a positive impact on the towns and to foster networking about the possibilities arising from the region’s resources and from collaborative, cross-disciplinary work. It also seeks to create dynamics of social participation in relation to heritage. In addition, it specifically aims to enhance knowledge about the Mudejar as World Heritage and about the benefits it affords as an international brand recognized by the UNESCO.

Five different lines of research

The first of the five fields that may be addressed in the proposals submitted is New perspectives on Mudejar art, which includes everything from updating data about this heritage in terms of monuments, urban issues, ethnography or linguistics to technical language applied to this style. Geolocation and cartography, as well as other aspects that make it possible to expand the scientific understanding of this art genre, are also included.

The second line of research is Territorio Mudéjar and cultural landscape. Here, the actions of people on heritage resources, the social and natural contexts, or the interactions and relationships between landscape and monuments are addressed.

Management of cultural heritage is the third field of action, encompassing new usage models for managing heritage for purposes other than tourism or recreation. It may also include studies on physical, economic and intellectual accessibility, as well as ideas for the future of heritage preservation and intervention.

New media discourses and knowledge or information for the general public may be addressed in proposals under the category of Communication and dissemination of Mudejar heritage.

Finally, under Mudejar heritage and its role in society as a key element for regional development, projects related to society’s participation in the spotlighting and collective construction of new ways of learning, inter-generational experiences, or emotional ties and roots as the basis for protecting and managing heritage shall be considered.

Rules for submitting proposals: https://www.territoriomudejar.es/estancias-de-investigacion-y-proyectos-2020/

call for proposals deadline deadline development fieldwork heritage projects region research rural towns

2019 Fieldwork: Contemporary Mudejar imagery: expanding the views of what Mudejar is and creating a map of the region based on memories and emotions

The project entitled Contemporary Mudejar imagery aims to refresh the set of symbols and memories associated with this artistic and cultural phenomenon, moving beyond mere architectural elements. It proposes researching and reflecting, from an image-focused perspective, on the relationships that the inhabitants of these places have had not only with the monuments here, but also with the landscape, traditions, trades and even construction materials, which reflect a true attachment to the region. This initiative has afforded a new perspective on previously existing visual heritage, creating and integrating a contemporary new ‘level’ in the set of references that have up to now defined what Mudejar means.

The first phase of the project dealt with the state of the art, entailing a review of all the photographic archives held by diverse local entities and agents in order to construct new stories that help spread the importance of images in 21st century communication and serve to teach about new visual languages that can be used to transmit a new way of “being Mudejar”.

The second phase of the fieldwork was linked to the project entitled Mapping Local Identities, selected by the Ministry of Culture and Sport in the 2019 call for proposals on Cultural Industries for the company Ad Hoc Gestión Cultural, in which photographs of local groups of residents were collected. Collection activities took place in several towns: Cervera de la Cañada, Belmonte de Gracián and Tobed, but their effects were also felt throughout Territorio Mudéjar over the internet and the social media, thus not only generating virtual feedback but also prompting short trips and meetings, which aid in “community-building”. More info at: https://www.cartografiadeidentidadesrurales.es/

One of the conclusions reached in this research is that a specific methodology must be developed for collecting family images in rural settings in order to recover the history and “intra-history” of these communities in an effort to make the cataloguing process more “professional”. Furthermore, the study indicates that it is necessary to move beyond the concept of vernacular/popular photography as a mere instrument of documentation and memory, to view it as an instrument for the construction of identity and the projection of certain values for the future. In addition, it paves the way for building a network across municipalities through which to exchange knowledge about images, compare them, find similarities and strengthen the sense of identity within Territorio Mudéjar, while also establishing and reinforcing the link between people and their Mudejar heritage, appealing to their shared past.

LINE OF RESEARCH: This project can be categorized under two lines of research: (1) New Perspectives on Mudejar Art and (5) The role of heritage in society.

THE AUTHOR: Irene Ruiz has a PhD in Art History, a Bachelor’s degree in fine arts, specializing in photography, a degree in architectural engineering, a Master’s in restoration and a diploma in business. She is currently a post-doctoral researcher in the Department of Architecture and Design at the Polytechnic University of Turin, combining this work with her activities as a professional photographer. More info: https://polito.academia.edu/IreneRuiz

call for proposals development heritage imaginario projects research rural towns

2019 Fieldwork: Mudejar heritage and learning, educational material: understanding heritage to appreciate it and create models for rural development

A cross-disciplinary team of seven researchers has developed the fieldwork project entitled Landscape, cultural heritage and depopulation, which consists in preparing educational materials for secondary school students to work on the relationships between depopulation and cultural heritage in the Territorio Mudéjar towns as part of their classwork. The aim is for students to acquire skills that help them understand and appreciate this heritage and to come up with models and proposals for rural development in order to counteract depopulation trends.

LoThe materials are openly available for use by other schools, thus also fostering knowledge about Mudejar heritage in towns beyond Territorio Mudéjar. They can be found at: https://paisaje-patrimonio-cultural-y-despoblacin-cmzgz.hub.arcgis.com/

These materials introduce the use of ICTs in the classroom, with tools that are similar to those already widely in use in the workplace, and they offer students a geographic analysis tool with which to work on the curriculum contents of the subject of Geography. They also provide an educational resource that promotes methodological and didactic renewal, and teachers can adapt them to the characteristics of the group or to specific students. Guidance, support and online training in the use and development of this application during the school year are also available.

The materials created are presented on a website arranged into several sections. Firstly, there are multimedia applications about specific theme-based content, which were prepared in Story Map Cascade, a template that combines narrative text, maps, images and multimedia content. In each application there are interactive maps for working with distinct layers of information, with activities and instructions for the students. There are also field project viewers that are used for planning, capturing, analyzing and presenting different projects carried out on site in relation to intangible heritage, natural heritage, cultural heritage and types of landscape. Finally, some brief explanatory videos about the interactive maps and their tools have been added.

This secondary school project complements the Territorio Mudéjar initiative for primary school entitled “Rural school as the start of the circle”, in which we aim to introduce heritage working methods into the curricula of rural schools. The objective is for students to understand and appreciate the heritage that surrounds them, thus strengthening their roots and identification with their region.

LINE OF RESEARCH. (2) Territorio Mudéjar and cultural landscape

THE AUTHORS:

Carlos Guallart Moreno, project coordinator, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography and History and a Master’s in Territorial and Environmental Organization, at Santa María del Pilar school (Zaragoza).
Noelia Cuartero Latorre, a graduate in Geography and Regional Planning from the University of Zaragoza.
María Felisa Ferraz Gracia, who holds a PhD in Information and Documentation, at Sagrado Corazón de Jesús school (Zaragoza).
María Laguna Marín-Yaseli, with a PhD in Geography, at El Salvador school (Zaragoza).
Alfredo Ollero Ojeda, with a PhD in Geography, University of Zaragoza
Beatriz Rodrigo Garza, holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Art History and a Master’s in Cultural Heritage Management, teacher at La Azucarera secondary school (Zaragoza)
Javier Velilla Gil, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography and History, and department head at El Portillo secondary school (Zaragoza).

More info:
www.estancias2019mudejaryaprendizaje.territoriomudejar.es

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2019 Fieldwork: 3D Mudejar World Heritage: digital graphic documentation and educational outreach to revalue Mudejar architecture

The 3D Mudejar World Heritage project is a cross-disciplinary initiative that proposes two complementary actions aimed at revaluing Mudejar heritage. On the one hand, several buildings were registered in a digital inventory and virtual reconstructions were created using a combination of 3D scanners, photogrammetry and drone filming. These include the collegiate church of Santa Maria in Calatayud, the church of Santa Tecla in Cervera de la Cañada and the church of La Virgen in Tobed, all of which have been declared UNESCO World Heritage sites, in addition to a previous project undertaken by the research team on the church of San Félix in Torralba, with subsequent work on the preliminary phase of work on the church of Santas Justa y Rufina. On the other, the materials were designed to bring data collection and analysis techniques and technology into educational settings in the Territorio Mudéjar towns. The first of these actions was scientific in nature, enabling the virtual reconstruction of these buildings and thus having a strong impact on the scientific community. The second, of a participatory nature, prompted value creation by pertaining to a brand image, Territorio Mudéjar, which has a significant impact on the inhabitants of these towns.

The virtual 3D building survey consists in capturing the actual geometry of a constructed building using the latest point cloud technology in order to replicate buildings with enough precision to provide information that is at least virtual about them in the event of any eventuality. A three-dimensional survey makes it possible to keep a highly precise copy of the current condition of a building so that it can be replicated; this aids in upkeep because geometric information, for example, can be used to simulate structures, moisture, etc. It is also useful in understanding the building and sharing knowledge about it, as an inventory with the three-dimensional models can be created and placed in 3D databases so that the building can be viewed and studied anywhere in the world. With a 3D printer, scale models can even be made.

The second action in this project entails initiatives for raising awareness among the inhabitants of the Territorio Mudéjar towns about the fact that they possess emblematic assets of universal value. The best way to create opinion and brand image – in this case, the Territorio Mudéjar brand – is through schools, given that the youth population is the most open to learning and the most sensitive to the digital world. Therefore, with a view to revaluing Mudejar art, didactic exhibitions and educational workshops at schools were proposed, in which teachers, AMPA and researchers take part, using the project-based learning method.

LINE OF RESEARCH: (1) New Perspectives on Mudejar Art

THE AUTHORS:

Luis Agustín Hernández, an architect with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and professor at the School of Engineering and Architecture of the University of Zaragoza.
Miguel Sancho Mir, an architect with a PhD in Architectural Graphic Expression and professor at the School of Engineering and Architecture of the University of Zaragoza.
Beatriz Martin Domínguez, architect and professor at the Polytechnic School of Engineering in La Almunia, University of Zaragoza.

call for proposals development educación education heritage innovation pedagogy projects research rural towns

2019 Fieldwork: Mudejar plaster work, as used today: searching the memories of artisans for the keys to traditional production

The fieldwork project entitled Mudejar plaster work, as used today represented the next step in Pedro Bel’s doctoral thesis, which confirmed that Mudejar plaster production techniques remained unchanged until the mid-20th century. This research digs further into the traditional plaster production process to gain an in-depth understanding of it and to identify the catalysts and motives that led to changes in today’s plaster production, increasing its quantity and reducing its quality. During the project, former plaster artisans were located and their technique was documented, noting the variations today. In the process, quarries and former gypsum furnaces were also visited, documenting their conditions and creating a 3D photogrammetric survey at those of particular interest; a registry was also made to identify the region’s buildings with typical Mudejar plaster features. As stated in the conclusion, the ultimate aim is to revitalize work spaces linked to construction trades, re-activating them by creating a local business devoted to traditional or Mudejar plaster production.

The research took place in the towns of Aniñón, Borja, Calatayud, Daroca, Fuentes de Ebro, La Almunia de Doña Godina, Longares, Maluenda, Quinto de Ebro, Ricla, San Mateo de Gállego, Tauste, Terrer, Tobed, Villamayor, Villafeliche and Villar de los Navarros.

The study shows that traditional plaster production processes were prevalent until 1950, after which time the technology at the quarries began to develop rapidly. Those that failed to adapt quickly became obsolete and went bankrupt, making it commonplace to find gypsum plaster furnaces still intact and storerooms containing gypsum at the old Aragonese quarries. The semi-industrialization that took place in the fifties altered the traditional plaster made, and the change that had the greatest impact was when manual grinding was replaced with mechanical grinding procedures.

External factors that influenced this phenomenon include strong demographic growth stemming from a favorable economic and social setting, which led to strong demand, thus driving the pre-industrialization process.

LINE OF RESEARCH: (1) New Perspectives on Mudejar Art

THE AUTHOR: Pedro Bel Anzué is an architect with a PhD in Architectural Heritage Restoration from the University of Granada.

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The countdown has begun on the second call for proposals to the Territorio Mudéjar fieldwork grants

If you have an idea that can be developed somewhere in Territorio Mudéjar, this is your advance notice about the 2nd call for proposals to the 2020 Gonzalo M. Borrás Gualis grants for projects and fieldwork; the application period begins on the 10th. In the meantime, we have prepared a summary of the key features we are looking for in the proposals and a major update of the contents on our website, with a recap of the results from the 2019 call for proposals in the projects section and a general overview of the towns that belong to our entity.

If you are looking for guidance about the types of proposals you could submit, starting today our 2019 resident researchers will be explaining their proposals and results on our Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels.

An explanatory video by the director of Territorio Mudéjar, Victoria Trasobares, is also available, outlining the characteristics of these grants, the requirements and the five lines of research: New perspectives on Mudejar art, Territorio Mudéjar and cultural landscape, management of cultural heritage, communication and dissemination of Mudejar heritage and Mudejar heritage and its role in society as a key element for regional development. At the end of May we will also open up live forums to address any questions you may have.

We will soon be providing all the details about the call for proposals and will keep you up to date on the latest news. We encourage you to participate! See you in Territorio Mudéjar!

You can find us on:

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNlRwwS3qWi6qmHcEa6UQxQ?view_as=subscriber

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/proyectoterritoriomudejar/

INSTAGRAM: @territoriomudejar

LINKEDIN: @territoriomudejar (business profile)

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RULES FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSALS: 2020 grants for projects and fieldwork

**2nd call for proposals to the Gonzalo M. Borrás Gualis grants for projects and fieldwork**

Territorio Mudéjar has announced the second edition of the Gonzalo M. Borrás Gualis grants for projects and fieldwork aimed at directly supporting the work of researchers and developers of projects that are to be carried out in the member towns, based on a responsible, sustainable use of cultural and natural heritage resources.

Territorio Mudéjar was established as an association of city councils – thirty-two at this time – whose objective is to consolidate a unified, collaborative management network for the use of historical and artistic resources linked to important Mudejar heritage; such resources are deemed a driving force in the development of the towns and an identifying feature for upholding the communities existing in our region. Our activity program for the coming years was designed in accordance with the strategic lines set out in the “2019-2022 Work Plan by the Council of the European Union”, which are aligned with the goals of Agenda 2030, and it is based on the guiding principle that “the cultural identity of the territories shall contribute to sustainable social and economic development, differentiating markets and, in turn, enabling them to be integrated into a diversified economy that can ensure their future success”.

The projects undertaken in 2019 have strengthened one of our most important lines of work based on the development of activities that help attract and retain talent, as well as activities aimed at building networks of highly qualified professionals linked to the use of historical, artistic and cultural resources, thus contributing to regional development in the medium and long term.

They are dedicated to professor Gonzalo M. Borrás Gualis, a firm advocate of managing Aragon’s heritage and territory, in terms of individual action and as an innovative field of work with a bright future. His work exemplified in a perfectly coherent manner how it is possible to combine highly relevant scientific research with a commitment to the land and its people, not only fostering knowledge, preservation and dissemination of historical and artistic heritage but also modernizing working methods and proposing innovative projects in which natural, cultural and heritage resources play a key role in communities’ futures.

Rules for participation

1/ Aim and scope of application

The aim of this call for proposals is to award FIVE grants to researchers and professionals in the field of cultural and natural heritage management so that they can carry out highly innovative research work or a project in this region within one of the fields of activity or areas of work specified below.

The proposals may span from the preliminary phases to development or pilot testing phases to project trials already underway.

The proposals must include a justified physical fieldwork stay in one or more of the towns in Territorio Mudéjar as an essential element in their execution. The projects submitted must demonstrate that they have a direct impact on at least three Territorio Mudéjar member towns and provide evidence of the influence of this impact on the region as a whole.

Objectives:

To raise awareness about the rural setting through its Mudejar identity by creating innovative perspectives whose ultimate aim is to have a positive impact on the towns.
To encourage projects with a strong regional impact carried out by experiencing life in the towns.
To help create and implement professional networking through a shared perspective about the potential that heritage, cultural and natural resources have for supporting other sectors by means of cross-disciplinary and collaborative work.
To create mechanisms for social participation in the field of heritage resource management from a regional perspective.

Specific objectives:

To drive the knowledge about heritage resources in order to foster the implementation of projects, to better protect and to encourage preservation of the Mudejar heritage in the towns.
To raise awareness about UNESCO World Heritage and the benefits it offers the region as an international brand.
To support, in particular, projects related to the paragraphs above that deal with two or more Territorio Mudéjar towns.
To support projects that function as a framework for action in a large number of sites or in relation to numerous assets, or that propose solutions and formulas that enhance the sustainability and management capabilities of Mudejar heritage in general.
To support projects that help foster the social function of cultural heritage.

The areas addressed in this call for proposals are as follows:

AREA 1. New perspectives on Mudejar art:

– Updating data and knowledge about all aspects of Mudejar heritage: Monumental, urban, ethnographic, linguistic, agricultural, water-related and geographic issues, materials, processes, etc.

– Technical languages applied to the Mudejar: planimetric measurements, photogrammetry and 3D Mudejar.

– Geolocation, cartography and maps.

– Any topic that contributes to the expansion of the scientific base about Mudejar art.

AREA 2. Territorio Mudéjar-Cultural Landscape (definition of cultural landscape)

– Heritage resources and the actions of individuals

– Natural and social contexts

– Interactions between landscape and monuments

AREA 3. Management of cultural heritage:

– New models for usage beyond the traditional concept of “tourism or recreational use”

– Studies on physical, economic and intellectual accessibility

– Models for the future of preservation or intervention.

AREA 4. Communication and dissemination of Mudejar heritage

– Mudejar heritage and the media

– New media discourses

– Interpretation and means of accessing knowledge about Mudejar heritage

AREA 5. Mudejar heritage and its role in society as a key element for regional development

– Emotional ties as a key element in caring for, protecting and managing heritage.

– Population contexts: The value of inter-generational experience

– Society’s participation in the spotlighting, exchange and collective construction of knowledge and new ways of learning.

Grants will be awarded in accordance with a competition system following the assessment criteria set out in the call for proposals and pursuant to article 22.1 of General Subsidies Act 38/2003, of November 17.