Public History and Audience Engagement: Urban Space as Community Heritage
Abstract
The paper presents the topics of Public History and Audience Engagement,
narrowing the focus from the theoretical and methodological issues, to
several case-studies, developed within the urban scope of Turin (Italy): the
study starts reviewing the international strategic policies, and proceeds
throughout the local practices.
Therefore, Atelier Héritage, permanent educational workshop, devoted
to the cultural heritage and located in the district of Barriera di Milano
(Turin), has been described as the last dowel of deeper analysis: it includes
both the referees to the UN agencies resolutions on sustainable urban
development and cultural accessibility, and the European long-term
strategies.
Turin is a particular breeding ground for multifarious practices, actively
involving the citizens into cultural processes: these experiences make
them aware and capable of designing new shapes of participation. Into
the present study, there are also other cases, specifically focused on the
historical knowledge, and equally meaningful.
Thus, Atelier Héritage must be properly identified into Turin, capital of the
Public History and of the Audience Engagement: indeed, this lab aims to
provide children, living in the condition of marginalization, the tools to
understand the urban space as a community heritage.