EXPA: it is a shared cultural project focusing specifically on social and ethical issues. The Ecomuseum Terra del Castelmagno intends to give voice and involve actively the communities and actors (farms, pro loco associations, hoteliers, consortia and enthusiasts) from the eight municipalities of the Grana Valley (Cuneo): Cervasca, Bernezzo, Caraglio, Valgrana, Montemale, Monterosso Grana, Pradleves, Castelmagno.
Inaugurated in 2015, the initiative has seen the organisation of over 50 events in the three programming years. This has been implemented through the creation of a calendar of appointments addressed to good food and typical products lovers.
The calendar is characterised by experiential labs aimed at increasing knowledge of Grana Valley typical products via taste workshops, natural itineraries for hiking, events devoted to territorial culture, and musical experiences.
DIGITAL GARDEN Summer School: A shared working week on the Laouziere, the San Pietro Monterosso slate mines through four digital language arts (photography, graphics, videomaking and sound design). Digital Garden. Lights on the mines is an artistic training programme addressed to the fans of the four disciplines (no previous specific skills are required), it is held in the small village of Liretta di Montemale (Cuneo) and courses are run by four artists who, on the basis of their experience, set up the training programme through objectives intended to facilitate learning and the conduct of common activities within the workshop. The training involves both focus groups on the four disciplines, in which participants will be working closely with trainers, and joint workshop sessions, in which all participants will work to define the summer school outcome, i.e. the creation of a site-specific setup to emphasise the subject of the research, the Laouziere, which have been a key element in the working and social life of the Grana valley between the XVII and the XX century.
The BiblioVan: This is a mobile library based on a means of transport (BiblioVan), designed for book handling or the moving of persons (outside the BiblioVan project), or which can be converted into a fair stand, when properly equipped. It is the calling card of the Ecomuseum when it is out with the choir or with the guides or for participating in courses, projects, etc.. The vehicle is destined for internal use within the association, but sometimes it can be “exchanged” with groups and associations that share the Ecomuseum’s objectives.
Beico – The window overlooking the Grana valley: This is a space specially devoted to tourism promotion within the prestigious structure of the Red Spinning Wheel, a very old silk factory in the town of Caraglio. The name: “Beico” (look), is an expression used by common people living in the valley. A term in the Occitan language has been chosen to emphasise identity: a distinctive sign, marking a way of being that could not be different. The term “beico” can be regarded as an imperative: watch, listen to, look at the reality that surrounds you, do not forget the culture in which you live; or it can evoke wonder, enchantment and amazement. The aim of “Beico” is to allow the visitor of the silk mill to know a territory which is still unknown to many tourists but which offers great potential for development. The first room has been equipped to provide visitors with an overview of the valley’s cultural, landscape, sports, tourist and book-publishing sector proposals, whereas the second room proposes wine&food products (with the possibility of tasting and purchasing them) and big-screen projection of videos that may vary depending on the proposals that are presented. The objective is to increase contacts with farms and craftsmen in order to develop this space more and more as a meeting point for those who take the risk directly through their own activity, betting on the valley’s economic recovery through an effective model based on the rediscovery of its roots which puts the human being and the environment first, while still respecting the specificities of local culture. Moreover, “Beico” has also become one of the many info points scattered across the valley, and it has been equipped with innovative maps, with useful information in QR code on the back, in addition to various information sheets concerning all tourist sectors of the valley.
