Spotting Intangible Heritage

Intangible heritage is always part of the local cultural identity. Yet this is often not visible to tourists and visitors. Intangible heritage is simply not as visible as, for example, a monumental church building is. In many cases it manifests itself only once a year. Sometimes intangible heritage cannot be detected at all because it is practiced behind closed doors, such as crafts or certain rituals. But also think of the preparations that a heritage community sometimes makes throughout the year for that one day of the year. The average cultural tourist doesn't see anything of that either! While these are often precisely the determining factor for the social identity of a community. Time for change and for more visibility for intangible heritage that is included in the Intangible Heritage Inventory of the Netherlands!

The Netherlands Intangible Heritage Knowledge Center has been working with heritage communities since 2019 on the 'Intangible Heritage Spotting' project, in which signs with QR codes are placed throughout the Netherlands.

Anyone who scans the QR code enters an online environment of local intangible heritage. For example, in the city this could be a festival and in a rural area it could be a tradition related to nature. The online environment offers a brief introduction to intangible heritage. You can watch a short video, see when it takes place, learn more about the background and history and get an impression of the atmosphere through photos. It also lists interesting locations in the area, such as a local museum about intangible heritage. This information is available in Dutch, English and German. All videos of the participating heritage communities are on the associated YouTube channel .

Heritage communities do it themselves

At KIEN, participatory work is central, and this also applies to the Intangible Heritage Spotting project. Heritage communities included in the Inventory  They decide for themselves whether they want to participate, design their Intangible Heritage Spotting page (the online environment to which the QR code refers), choose their own photos, determine which locations in the area are highlighted and write themselves. the texts. They also provide input for the short video and place the signs themselves at locations they know: tourists regularly visit here. KIEN edits and supports communities that want to make an IE Spotting production, both on a practical and financial level.

Would you also like to participate?

Heritage communities participate in the project free of charge, which is possible thanks to external financing from the Heersink Fund Family and the Province of Overijssel. Are you interested in participating in the project? View the information document ' participate in spotting intangible heritage '. Or contact heritage care advisors Kelly Boender or Krista van Geenhuizen directly.

Overview of Intangible Heritage Spotting productions

Overijssel
Traditional irrigation of grassland
Easter fire Espelo
Houtdorp Rijssen
Staphorster Stipwerk
Poaskearls Ootmarsum
Upper voice singing in Genemuiden
Midwinter horn blowing Twente
Goors School and Folk Festival
Pentecost riding in Vollenhove
Corso St. John's Monastery
Pentecost brides Borne
Gondola trip Giethoorn
Twentse Krentenwegge
Milk can shooting in Kampen

Utrecht
Saint Martin Celebration
Hanukkah Celebration

Gelderland
Midwinter horn blowing
Hedge braiding
King's Day in Velp
Folk festival in Hummelo

South-Holland
Masquerade in Brielle
São João Baptista

North Holland
Short track racing in Venhuizen
Harness racing in Medemblik
Kortebaan Santpoort

Zealand
Strao Driving

Limburg
Cramignon (following in 2024)

Friesland
The Shit Week

Nationwide
Paper scooping
Paper cutting art
Various short track trotting events (to follow in 2024)