Description
RuralizART is an Erasmus+ funded project that promotes artistic residencies and participatory processes in rural villages to co-create new narratives about rural life. In Spain, the cooperative La Surera has coordinated activities in Almedíjar (Castellón) with a programme open to the community, including workshops, intergenerational encounters, and collective creation of works that engage with local identity. The project mobilises young artists and cultural agents from different countries to explore, together with residents and local organisations, challenges such as sustainability, rootedness, and cultural diversity. The methodology combines artistic mediation, community participation, and audiovisual documentation to make local stories visible and activate underused public spaces. Its second phase, RuralizART II, deepens the development and experimentation of methodologies that foster youth empowerment and participation as agents of change in the territory.
Innovation
RuralizART innovates by using artistic mediation as a social technology for rural revitalisation: temporary residencies and cultural “labs” that activate spaces and local networks with low cost and high educational value. It integrates youth (emerging artists and young local residents), participation, and lifelong learning through workshops and open actions that connect local knowledge with contemporary approaches. The transnational Erasmus+ dimension adds practice exchange and content digitalisation (videos, stories, documentation), facilitating transferability and replication in other villages. The continuation in RuralizART II systematises methodologies for youth empowerment in rural contexts.
Why it is inspiring
It shows that small, well-mediated cultural interventions can change perceptions of a territory, strengthen local pride, and build community. The direct involvement of young people—as creators and facilitators—and collaboration with residents and organisations reactivates spaces and narratives, offering realistic and scalable models for small municipalities. Public visibility (local news, videos) and the Erasmus+ structure support dissemination and transfer. For VILLAHUB, it is a clear example of how cultural sustainability, territorial inclusion, and non-formal learning can converge in a Living Lab that motivates youth and the community to co-design the future of their village.
Responsible entity: La Surera Cooperative (Spain) and Erasmus+ project partners
Location: Almedíjar, Castellón (Spain), and Ligonchio (Italy)
More information: link 1
