ARCHE Final Event paves the way for European Partnership on Resilient Cultural Heritage
After three years of intensive collaboration between 24 partners from 18 European countries, the ARCHE project (Alliance for Research on Cultural Heritage in Europe) has been successfully concluded. The final event Bridging Towards Resilient Cultural Heritage took place on 11 and 12 September in Brussels. During the event, the achieved results were presented, and attention was also paid to the development of the upcoming European Partnership on Resilient Cultural Heritage (RCH) — an initiative aimed at strengthening cultural heritage research and innovation across and beyond Europe.
About the ARCHE Project
The ARCHE project started in 2022 with the objective of creating a European framework for research and innovation in cultural heritage. Over the past three years, 24 partners from 18 countries have worked on building a network that connects policymakers, the heritage sector, technology experts, social scientists, and climate researchers.
One of ARCHE's key achievements is an foresight analysis of upcoming developments in the European heritage sector, identifying pressing research gaps, knowledge needs, and innovation demands. This has been translated into a joint Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA). This agenda, which was presented in printed form at the Brussels event and is available for consultation on this website, forms the foundation for future collaborative research programmes and policy initiatives. Furthermore, a new structure has been established to ensure long-term cooperation and coordination. In this way, ARCHE has laid the groundwork for far more extensive collaboration within the RCH Partnership.
The Netherlands Cultural Heritage Agency (RCE) was one of the Dutch partners involved, alongside the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO).
Launch of the European Partnership for Resilient Cultural Heritage
The forthcoming European Partnership for Resilient Cultural Heritage (RCH) will be a key instrument in reinforcing the European heritage sector. Within the partnership’s collaborative frameworks, Member States and the European Commission (EC) will jointly fund research and innovation to address major societal challenges.
The aim of this Partnership is to strengthen research into mitigation of climate impact on European cultural heritage and to explore how heritage can contribute to climate neutrality and resilience against climate phenomena.
It is anticipated that the participating countries will collectively contribute at least €150 million to fund research and innovation activities over the entire duration of the Partnership. The EC will add a further 30%. The final proposal for the Partnership will be submitted to the EC following a call in October 2025. The Partnership RCH is expected to commence in 2026 and run for about a decade.
ARCHE Final Event
The ARCHE final event, Bridging Towards Resilient Cultural Heritage, held on 11 and 12 September, was organised by the Fondation des Sciences du Patrimoine (French Foundation for Heritage Science), in partnership with the Flemish Heritage Agency and KEA European Affairs. The programme featured presentations on the ARCHE project’s achievements, including the development of the new SRIA, debates, and interactive sessions.
Eva Stegmeijer from the RCE led a parallel session in which over 40 participants experienced the consequences of climate change on heritage, through the serious game she has developed. Together, they made complex decisions about which heritage to save and how. The conclusion was that loss is inevitable, but with knowledge of the risks, better interventions are possible, and that action must be taken now. This event has strengthened the foundation for closer cooperation among heritage professionals, researchers, policymakers, and the wider public.