H2020 group stresses economic benefits of cultural heritage

A Horizon 2020 expert group has highlighted the multiple economic benefits of cultural heritage and stressed the need for greater action to reap such advantages.

The ‘Report of the Horizon 2020 Expert Group on Cultural Heritage’ said that the EU “should vigorously promote the innovative use of cultural heritage for economic growth and jobs, social cohesion and environmental sustainability”. The expert group is chaired by the former European Commissioner for Research, Science and Technology and MEP Dr Philippe Busquin and comprises nine other cultural experts from the public and private sectors.

The group makes four recommendations in order to “reinforce the role of heritage as part of Europe’s underlying socioeconomic, cultural and natural capital”. The proposals focus on developing a “blueprint for success” to realise regeneration through cultural heritage, and starting a project “demonstrating how culture and biodiversity can be integrated and enhanced to create successful living rural landscapes”.

Also suggested is establishing a multinational financial prize recognising “social cohesion and understanding”, and creating a number of demonstration projects to illustrate “demand-driven reuse of heritage using innovative financing and governance models”.

The expert group was established in 2014 as part of the ‘Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials’ Societal Challenge and provides advice to the Commission. The group assist in creating an innovative research and innovation policy agenda for the EU in the area of cultural heritage, thus helping to “stimulate financing in this sector”.

The document was published for the DG Research and Innovation and you can read the full report here.