About the project
ICH North is a three-year project funded by Interreg Aurora, aimed at strengthening cross-border cooperation related to musical intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in northern Finland, Sweden, and Norway – including Sápmi. The project is based on the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and follows a community-based, bottom-up approach where co-creation between communities, educational institutions, and heritage organizations is central.The project develops new innovative services and products within the cultural and creative industries, with a focus on digitization, knowledge transmission, and increased visibility of musical heritage. ICH North addresses the challenges of intergenerational transmission of musical heritage in sparsely populated regions with long distances, revitalizing musical ICH through social innovation and community engagement.
Project partners include: Centria University of Applied Sciences, Kulturens Bildningsverksamhet, KulturÖsterbotten, Novia University of Applied Sciences, The Arctic University of Norway (UiT), The Finnish Folk Music Institute, and Västernorrlands Museum. Co-funding comes from Region Västernorrland, Troms og Finnmark County Council, the Nordic Culture Fund, and the Regional Council of Lapland.
Project goal
Project ObjectivesStrengthen musical communities in the Aurora area and their role in heritage processes through cross-border collaboration and networking.
Develop and implement new tools and innovations to increase the visibility, documentation, and transmission of musical intangible cultural heritage.
Promote the transmission of musical heritage across generations using social innovations and inclusive educational methods.
Support entrepreneurship and cultural tourism linked to local musical traditions and skills.
Create a joint strategy for collaboration between musical communities, archives, and museums in safeguarding and sharing musical heritage.
Mats Granfors
Senior Lecturer