Heritage Opportunities/Threats within Mega-Events in Europe

In the past, many cities used mega-events to support capital and revenue investments and boost tourism
while harnessing their competitiveness on a global scale. Until recently, the emphasis has been placed by
and large on the creation of new infrastructural components, new stadiums and other public facilities to
host events. In many instances today, on the contrary, mega-event organizers have opted for the re-use
of existing facilities, the conversion of inner-city areas and the regeneration of neighborhoods.
For heritage-rich European cities, this shift in paradigm - driven in part by the contraction in public budgets
and by the reduced pace of expansion of cities - represents both an opportunity and a threat.
How can we bring mega-events back into the urban historic fabric while fostering positive synergies with
urban heritage and cultural landscapes? What are the common issues and main trade-offs to be addressed
in European cities? How to improve urban and cultural planning tools for mega-events in heritage-rich
cities?

The HOMEE project brings together leading research centers working in the fields of cultural heritage
preservation and mega-event planning, in close contact with key institutions and policy officers who have
already had or will have direct responsibility for planning and implementing mega-events in Europe. In
order to answer the above mentioned questions , the HOMEE project will critically assess four recently
completed mega-events and address emerging issues and opportunities through a Living Lab organised
during the Matera European Capital of Culture 2019 event. Finally, the project will generate guidance and
policy recommendations to support heritage preservation policy and mega-event planning in future host
cities in Europe (through the HOMEE Charter).

The activities and deliverables of the research are aimed at cultural heritage policy-makers and mega event actors and stakeholders at different levels, from local inhabitants to international experts. The HOMEE project will bring the experiences and knowledge of these different groups together to develop
the reports and findings that will ultimately inform the final research output, the HOMEE Charter. Associate Partners for the project include representatives of national and international heritage bodies and ministries.

National Case Studies Report
Four national case studies (Milan 2015, Wroclaw 2016, Hull 2017, Pafos, 2017) will provide new information on recent events that have not yet been studied or published about in depth, and highlight important issues pertaining to cultural heritage. The information collected will provide valuable insights for academics and the Associate Partners connected to these events to show the far-reaching impacts.

Matera Baseline Report
The Matera Baseline Report presents the potential heritage opportunities and threats by the start of the 2019, which is the year of celebration. The report will be geared specifically towards the residents of Matera and will aim to give a voice to those affected by the planning and implementation of Matera European Capital of Culture 2019.

Matera 2019 Living Lab
The Living Lab will involve local users as co-innovators, placing local actors in a central role to lead discussions on their heritage and the impact of the mega-event. The Lab will then develop a community-based investigation that responds to the issues and concerns the community identifies. The experience of the Living Lab will be a vital component that informs the HOMEE Charter (see below) about local heritage viewpoints in mega-events. The lessons learned can be scaled up and spread to other events through the Associate Partners and ultimately implemented in the Kaunas ECoC 2022.

HOMEE Charter
The charter will distill all lessons learned to suggest practical guidelines on how to politically and technically contribute to a city's heritage while hosting a mega-event. It will fill a gap in policy, to focus on and empower local actors, based on the experience of Matera European Capital of Culture 2019. The charter will provide recommendations and planning tools for local decision-makers and mega-event managers. It will respond to the lack of clear and concise recommendations for cities on how to best utilise these events to incorporate their cultural heritage without putting it at risk. More generally, the charter will highlight the specific threats to be aware of and proposals to develop more conscious cultural and tourism policies that do not neglect local needs and priorities, aiming to avoid the standardisation of heritage towns and cities. Finally, the HOMEE Charter, with the endorsement of the Associate Partners, will propose recommendations for international bodies in charge of mega-events. As no current policies specifically address heritage issues within mega-events, the HOMEE Charter will be a resource to ensure that cultural heritage will benefit from these events.