A Shared Heritage
Common Cultural Connections involves the three partners sharing best practice to create an innovative and engaging mobile exhibition to promote our shared cultural heritage and demostrate long-term connections between the UK, France and Spain.
Through highlighting and promoting social cohesion, the touring exhibition provides greater opportunities for people of all ages backgrounds and abilities to learn about and become involved with their heritage. At the same time, it constitutes a rare opportunity to raise the profile of the unique, finite and no-renewable resource that is European's marine and coastal heritage.
Our coastlines and waters are rich in sites of national and international interest, from unique submerged landscapes providing evidence from a time when the UK and mainland Europe were connected at times of low-sea level, to shipwrecks, harbours and ports containing evidence of trade and long-distance maritime networks linking Spain, France and Britain. Due to their nature, however, such sites can often be overlooked as ‘out of sight, out of mind’. The study of artefacts can also improve our understanding of the extent of these networks and the links between the partner countries.
The project works to raise the profile of this unique and finite resource, encouraging people to become more involved in their cultural heritage.
The Discovery Bus attends events and open days, and visits schools and groups in all three partner countries, this tour is publicised online and through social media. Schools and groups are encouraged and assisted to communicate with other schools and groups in the partner countries in order to maintain and develop links so they can continue to learn about our shared heritage beyond the life of the project.
Culverwell Bouldnor Cliff Poole Harbour