Heritages, identities and Europe

Abstract

Traditional arts practices and festivals have attracted increasing and diverse attention in the European context since policymakers discovered 'culture' as a resource in the 1980s (see, e.g., Kilday 1998 ). Their impact on their respective communities of practice, modes of production and exchange value in contemporary European society is under the spotlight from various angles within the newly emerged fi eld of 'festival studies', which is deeply connected to policy issues (Frost 2016 ). However, much of this interest is instrumentally concerned with revenue potential, leaving key concepts, such as heritage, identity and indeed Europe, defi ned in rather vague and often contradictory terms (Kockel,

Celtic Music Festivals in Portugal: Europeanisation, Urban Regeneration, and Regional Development

“…The first concerns the Europeanisation of Portugal, involving new possibilities for identifying with Europe, a space that in this case was symbolised by the Celtic imaginary. In this context, Porto’s festival served as a site for the “reframing of collective memory and the reinterpretation of the idea of a common European heritage” (Kockel et al 2020:1). The second process concerns the regeneration of Porto’s centre and the reconfiguration of its image and identity (Azevedo 2014; Queirós 2007).…”

“…This article addresses the interceltic festivals of Porto and Sendim from the perspective of European heritage festivals defined as “…sites for the reframing of collective memory and the reinterpretation of the notion of a common European heritage… [and as] opportunities for citizens to negotiate, articulate and transform their European identity…at local level” (Kockel, Craith, Clopot, and Tjarve 2020:1–2). We also consider that heritage festivals constitute tourism events “…given tourism’s major and growing economic role, and its sociocultural as well as environmental impacts…” (ibid.…”