Provenance, why does it matter?
Provenance, Dispossession and Translocation Research

Summer School, Zadar/Croatia, August 27-31, 2018

Transfer of Cultural Objects in the Alpe Adria Region in the 20th Century (TransCultAA) is a three-year-research project financed by the European Union in the HERA (Humanities in the European Research Area) funding scheme (“Uses of the Past”). Its multinational team of scholars analyses historical and current conflicts of ownership, patrimony and cultural heritage. TransCultAA examines the very concrete and material results of a genuinely European history of transfers, translocations, displacements, confiscations, lootings, thefts of cultural objects, and restitution politics: Who transferred or translocated which objects, when and why? Which explanations (if any) were – and are – given?

TransCultAA is now organizing a summer school at the University of Zadar/Croatia (August 27-31, 2018) and is asking for applications. We are looking for 12-15 participants who

• show a distinct interest in questions of provenance, dispossession and translocation research,
• have (good or bad) experiences in performing research on particular objects or collections,
• would like and are able to share their experiences,
• would like to expand their competences, and
• are able to communicate in English.

We are thus inviting students, curators, custodians, museum professionals as well as scholars, art dealers, cultural heritage specialists, administrators, private collectors, lawyers, police officers, journalists and other investigators to apply for participation. The summer school provides a unique opportunity to learn, discuss and connect.

The summer school with its strong focus on the Alpe Adria region (Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Austria) is particularly looking forward to applications from Southeast and East-Central Europe, including Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey etc. However, applications from other countries will also be considered.

The programme of the summer school features five distinct sections:

1. presentations by TransCultAA members and invited experts
2. presentations by participants
3. qualified feedback by TransCultAA members and invited experts to the participants
4. public lectures, and
5. visits to local archives and museums.

We welcome applications demonstrating an interest in case studies on institutions, administrations, legislations, collections, or even on individual objects as well as overarching methodological considerations, new approaches and developments (such as data bases and digital tools in general).
Interested individuals should explicitly outline their motivation to attend the summer school, along with a short CV, in a single PDF of no more than three pages (letter of interest max. two pages, CV max. one page). Please also delineate your previous and current work in the field.

There is no fee for attendance – the summer school is free of charge. As of now, all participants are expected to cover their travel costs themselves, while accommodation on the campus will be provided (August 26-31).

Only electronic applications attached to an email sent to school@transcultaa.eu until March 16, 2018, noon, will be considered.
If you have any questions, please contact school@transcultaa.eu.

For the PDF version of the call for participation, please click here.

TransCultAA is a HERA Project