Regaining a sense of belonging
Threading Communities
communally informed creative spaces for textile memory
The main objective of the Hilvanando Comunidades (Threading Communities) project is to implement participatory spaces where intergenerational artistic creation facilitates the exercise of personal and communal textile memory in the town of Llanes (Asturias).
Spain
Local
Llanes, Asturias, Spain
Mainly rural
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
Prototype level
Yes
ERASMUS
No
As an individual partnership with other persons/organisation(s)
In a global context where rural areas are still perceived as secondary to urban centers in centralized states, access to and participation in culture remain limited. This project, rooted in the situated knowledge of rural communities in Llanes (Spain), seeks to address two pressing challenges: the weakening of intergenerational bonds due to depopulation and an aging population, and the loss of identities, knowledge, and values linked to the region’s textile heritage (trajes de aldeana y porruano), caused by generational disconnect and the pressures of tourism.
The project centers on textile memory, understood as a "social skin" that envelops and communicates both individual and collective cultural identity. Through the creation of a core working group (Grupo Hilván), composed of local community members and artisans, we facilitate intergenerational participation by integrating textile art with storytelling and shared creative practices.
These gatherings strengthen community ties, enabling knowledge transmission between children, youth, elders, and artisans who hold the expertise in traditional crafts.
The final two sessions culminate in the collective creation of a textile artwork, guided by a local artist, symbolizing the woven narratives and cultural fabric of the community.
This initiative follows an open-source, replicable methodology, focusing on care, gender perspectives, and new ruralities.
By fostering active participation and valuing the voices of different generations, the project not only revitalizes traditional textile crafts but also reinforces a shared sense of belonging, empowering rural communities to reclaim and celebrate their heritage in contemporary ways.
The project centers on textile memory, understood as a "social skin" that envelops and communicates both individual and collective cultural identity. Through the creation of a core working group (Grupo Hilván), composed of local community members and artisans, we facilitate intergenerational participation by integrating textile art with storytelling and shared creative practices.
These gatherings strengthen community ties, enabling knowledge transmission between children, youth, elders, and artisans who hold the expertise in traditional crafts.
The final two sessions culminate in the collective creation of a textile artwork, guided by a local artist, symbolizing the woven narratives and cultural fabric of the community.
This initiative follows an open-source, replicable methodology, focusing on care, gender perspectives, and new ruralities.
By fostering active participation and valuing the voices of different generations, the project not only revitalizes traditional textile crafts but also reinforces a shared sense of belonging, empowering rural communities to reclaim and celebrate their heritage in contemporary ways.
New Ruralities
Textile Memory
Co-development
Intergenerational
Open Source Methodology
The main sustainability objectives of this project are :
Strengthening the Connection with Nature : The textile memory of the traditional costumes is deeply intertwined with the local landscape. Tradiotionally, natural dyes for these garments were derived from local plants, while their embroidery motifs are inspired by the region’s flora. By revitalizing these practices, the project fosters environmental awareness and appreciation for natural resources, reinforcing the link between cultural identity and ecological sustainability.
Interconnection of Craftsmanship, Territory, and Communal Memory : Textile art is a living narrative—a way for communities to affirm their identity. Every handmade textile carries stories of experiences, traditions, and historical events. Without intergenerational knowledge transfer, these artifacts risk becoming lifeless relics. By ensuring that the skills and meanings behind traditional textiles are actively passed down, the project maintains craftsmanship as a living, evolving practice, deeply rooted in its social and geographical context.
Respect for Local Rhythms and Local Identity : The project embraces the sustainable pace of traditional craftsmanship, aligning with the rhythms and values of rural life in Llanes. By prioritizing local knowledge, it resists the acceleration and commercialization of the living heritage.
Environmental Care and Low-Impact Activities : Workshops emphasize nature as both inspiration and collaborator. This conscious approach fosters ecological stewardship within the community.
Use of Recycled and Recyclable Resources : Workshops and the final collective artwork rely on recycled and recyclable fabrics, promoting circular economy principles.
This project serves as an exemplary model by integrating sustainability into heritage preservation, community engagement, and environmental consciousness, empowering rural communities to safeguard their traditions while embracing sustainable futures.
Strengthening the Connection with Nature : The textile memory of the traditional costumes is deeply intertwined with the local landscape. Tradiotionally, natural dyes for these garments were derived from local plants, while their embroidery motifs are inspired by the region’s flora. By revitalizing these practices, the project fosters environmental awareness and appreciation for natural resources, reinforcing the link between cultural identity and ecological sustainability.
Interconnection of Craftsmanship, Territory, and Communal Memory : Textile art is a living narrative—a way for communities to affirm their identity. Every handmade textile carries stories of experiences, traditions, and historical events. Without intergenerational knowledge transfer, these artifacts risk becoming lifeless relics. By ensuring that the skills and meanings behind traditional textiles are actively passed down, the project maintains craftsmanship as a living, evolving practice, deeply rooted in its social and geographical context.
Respect for Local Rhythms and Local Identity : The project embraces the sustainable pace of traditional craftsmanship, aligning with the rhythms and values of rural life in Llanes. By prioritizing local knowledge, it resists the acceleration and commercialization of the living heritage.
Environmental Care and Low-Impact Activities : Workshops emphasize nature as both inspiration and collaborator. This conscious approach fosters ecological stewardship within the community.
Use of Recycled and Recyclable Resources : Workshops and the final collective artwork rely on recycled and recyclable fabrics, promoting circular economy principles.
This project serves as an exemplary model by integrating sustainability into heritage preservation, community engagement, and environmental consciousness, empowering rural communities to safeguard their traditions while embracing sustainable futures.
Beauty is at the heart of our project, woven through its design, traditions, and the human experience it fosters. It manifests in three fundamental ways:
The project creates a space for meaningful encounters in a world where generations are growing increasingly apart. Sitting together, stitching, sharing stories, and learning from one another fosters a sense of belonging that transcends age and background. These workshops become places where hands, voices, and traditions intertwine—where younger generations inherit not just skills but also a deep connection to their roots. The aldeana and porruano costumes of Llanes are not just garments but repositories of memory, each stitch telling a story of ancestry, nature, and resilience. By reviving and reinterpreting these traditions, we bring their beauty into the present—an act of preservation that is also one of transformation. Through embroidery patterns and natural dyes, the project highlights the harmony between craftsmanship and territory, reinforcing the intrinsic relationship between cultural heritage and the natural world.
The project is designed as a participatory space where every contribution matters. Whether through embroidering floral motifs, dyeing fabric with natural pigments, or weaving a collective textile artwork, each participant becomes both creator and storyteller. The tactile experience of working with textiles, offers a meditative, grounding experience that fosters well-being, confidence, and artistic expression. By integrating these elements, the project not only preserves traditions but also makes them accessible and engaging for new generations. This initiative exemplifies how aesthetics are not merely visual but deeply emotional and communal. It transforms beauty into a lived, shared experience—one that is accessible and empowering, strengthening the cultural fabric of the community while allowing new forms of artistic expression to emerge.
The project creates a space for meaningful encounters in a world where generations are growing increasingly apart. Sitting together, stitching, sharing stories, and learning from one another fosters a sense of belonging that transcends age and background. These workshops become places where hands, voices, and traditions intertwine—where younger generations inherit not just skills but also a deep connection to their roots. The aldeana and porruano costumes of Llanes are not just garments but repositories of memory, each stitch telling a story of ancestry, nature, and resilience. By reviving and reinterpreting these traditions, we bring their beauty into the present—an act of preservation that is also one of transformation. Through embroidery patterns and natural dyes, the project highlights the harmony between craftsmanship and territory, reinforcing the intrinsic relationship between cultural heritage and the natural world.
The project is designed as a participatory space where every contribution matters. Whether through embroidering floral motifs, dyeing fabric with natural pigments, or weaving a collective textile artwork, each participant becomes both creator and storyteller. The tactile experience of working with textiles, offers a meditative, grounding experience that fosters well-being, confidence, and artistic expression. By integrating these elements, the project not only preserves traditions but also makes them accessible and engaging for new generations. This initiative exemplifies how aesthetics are not merely visual but deeply emotional and communal. It transforms beauty into a lived, shared experience—one that is accessible and empowering, strengthening the cultural fabric of the community while allowing new forms of artistic expression to emerge.
Co-Planning and Co-Creation of Activities and Workshops
The planning of workshops and gatherings is a collaborative process led by Grupo Hilván, which includes both the initial working team and community members. This ensures that activities are designed with local knowledge and the needs of participants in mind. By incorporating diverse voices into the decision-making process, the project fosters a sense of ownership and engagement among all involved.
Use of Already-Established Communal Spaces
The project takes place in spaces that hold cultural and social significance within the community. Rural schools are identified as key gathering points, serving as strategic allies in facilitating access and participation.
Respect for Children and Young People’s Perspectives
Workshops are structured into parallel sessions tailored to different age groups—one for adults/elders and another for children and youth. While all sessions address the same themes, the methodologies and tools used are adapted to each group’s specific needs and modes of expression. By validating all voices equitably, the project moves away from an adult-centered perspective and ensures that young participants have an active role in shaping the collective memory.
Ongoing Dialogue and Community Care
To ensure an inclusive experience, workshop groups are kept to a manageable size of 15-20 participants. Each session begins with a welcoming exercise and concludes with a reflective evaluation. This continuous feedback loop enables the project to adapt and respond to the evolving needs of the group, reinforcing a culture of care and inclusivity.
A Model for Inclusive Cultural Initiatives
By integrating co-creation, accessibility, and intergenerational dialogue, the project stands as an example of inclusive cultural participation. It not only preserves heritage but does so in a way that empowers communities, making cultural engagement a shared, dynamic, and evolving process accessible to all.
The planning of workshops and gatherings is a collaborative process led by Grupo Hilván, which includes both the initial working team and community members. This ensures that activities are designed with local knowledge and the needs of participants in mind. By incorporating diverse voices into the decision-making process, the project fosters a sense of ownership and engagement among all involved.
Use of Already-Established Communal Spaces
The project takes place in spaces that hold cultural and social significance within the community. Rural schools are identified as key gathering points, serving as strategic allies in facilitating access and participation.
Respect for Children and Young People’s Perspectives
Workshops are structured into parallel sessions tailored to different age groups—one for adults/elders and another for children and youth. While all sessions address the same themes, the methodologies and tools used are adapted to each group’s specific needs and modes of expression. By validating all voices equitably, the project moves away from an adult-centered perspective and ensures that young participants have an active role in shaping the collective memory.
Ongoing Dialogue and Community Care
To ensure an inclusive experience, workshop groups are kept to a manageable size of 15-20 participants. Each session begins with a welcoming exercise and concludes with a reflective evaluation. This continuous feedback loop enables the project to adapt and respond to the evolving needs of the group, reinforcing a culture of care and inclusivity.
A Model for Inclusive Cultural Initiatives
By integrating co-creation, accessibility, and intergenerational dialogue, the project stands as an example of inclusive cultural participation. It not only preserves heritage but does so in a way that empowers communities, making cultural engagement a shared, dynamic, and evolving process accessible to all.
The project is designed to be co-developed with local stakeholders, cultural actors, and textile artisans, ensuring that it responds to the real needs and dynamics of the rural community. From the outset, the initiative seeks to involve community members of all ages—adults, youth, and children—who express interest in the proposal. Their role is crucial in identifying barriers and opportunities for participation, such as transportation challenges, commonly used gathering spaces, and effective communication channels.
To facilitate participation, the project will form Grupo Hilván, a working group composed of interested community members and the project team. This group will function as an open and evolving space, where local participants contribute knowledge about rural life, traditions, and social structures, while the project team provides guidance in artistic mediation and cultural management. This collaborative approach ensures that the project is designed with the community rather than for the community.
The expected impact of this citizen involvement is the creation of a truly participatory and context-sensitive initiative. By integrating local perspectives from the beginning, the project aims to establish a sustainable framework for intergenerational learning, textile heritage preservation, and cultural exchange, ensuring that it is accessible, relevant, and rooted in the identity of the community.
To facilitate participation, the project will form Grupo Hilván, a working group composed of interested community members and the project team. This group will function as an open and evolving space, where local participants contribute knowledge about rural life, traditions, and social structures, while the project team provides guidance in artistic mediation and cultural management. This collaborative approach ensures that the project is designed with the community rather than for the community.
The expected impact of this citizen involvement is the creation of a truly participatory and context-sensitive initiative. By integrating local perspectives from the beginning, the project aims to establish a sustainable framework for intergenerational learning, textile heritage preservation, and cultural exchange, ensuring that it is accessible, relevant, and rooted in the identity of the community.
At the local level, the project is deeply rooted in the Llanes community, where Grupo Hilván—a core working group composed of local artisans, cultural mediators, and community members—plays a key role in the co-design and implementation of activities. Rural schools would serve as strategic spaces, providing both physical spaces and access to younger generations, while local artists and craftspeople contribute their expertise in traditional textile techniques. Elders and long-standing residents act as knowledge keepers, transmitting valuable cultural heritage. Their engagement ensures that the project responds directly to local needs and preserves authentic traditions.
At the regional level, the initiative would collaborate with cultural organizations and heritage associations that support traditional craftsmanship. These institutions would provide resources, visibility, and expertise to enhance the project’s methodology and outreach. Additionally, local government representatives could facilitate connections between the project and existing regional cultural programs, ensuring alignment with broader heritage preservation efforts.
At the national level, the project engages with networks of cultural practitioners, researchers, and institutions focused on textile heritage, rural sustainability, and participatory art. These collaborations offer insights into best practices, open opportunities for knowledge exchange, and contribute to the replicability of the model in other rural areas across Spain.
At the European level, the project aligns with initiatives promoting cultural participation, sustainability, and community-led heritage preservation. Through participation in European cultural networks, the project benefits from transnational dialogue, visibility, and potential funding opportunities, positioning it within a broader movement that values rural cultural revitalization and intergenerational learning.
At the regional level, the initiative would collaborate with cultural organizations and heritage associations that support traditional craftsmanship. These institutions would provide resources, visibility, and expertise to enhance the project’s methodology and outreach. Additionally, local government representatives could facilitate connections between the project and existing regional cultural programs, ensuring alignment with broader heritage preservation efforts.
At the national level, the project engages with networks of cultural practitioners, researchers, and institutions focused on textile heritage, rural sustainability, and participatory art. These collaborations offer insights into best practices, open opportunities for knowledge exchange, and contribute to the replicability of the model in other rural areas across Spain.
At the European level, the project aligns with initiatives promoting cultural participation, sustainability, and community-led heritage preservation. Through participation in European cultural networks, the project benefits from transnational dialogue, visibility, and potential funding opportunities, positioning it within a broader movement that values rural cultural revitalization and intergenerational learning.
The project brings together multiple disciplines and knowledge fields, creating a holistic and interdisciplinary approach that strengthens its impact.
The primary field is living heritage, as the project focuses on the preservation and revitalization of traditional textile practices in Llanes. Textile memory is not only a cultural artifact but a living practice passed down through generations. The project ensures that this intangible heritage remains relevant by integrating it into contemporary artistic and educational formats.
Textile craftsmanship is at the core of the initiative, engaging local artisans who hold specialized knowledge of embroidery, weaving, and natural dyeing techniques. These artisans work alongside younger generations, sharing their expertise while also exploring new interpretations of traditional textile arts.
The concept of new ruralities plays a significant role in the project’s design, moving beyond the idea of rural spaces as static or isolated. By fostering active participation, valuing local knowledge, and resisting the erosion of identity due to depopulation and tourism, the project repositions rural areas as spaces of innovation, cultural production, and sustainable community-building.
Community-led practices in a rural context define the methodology of the project, ensuring that it is not imposed externally but co-created with local residents. The Grupo Hilván, consisting of local artisans, cultural mediators, and community members, plays a fundamental role in shaping and guiding the project. Schools, heritage associations, and local institutions also contribute, creating a network of collaboration.
The added value of this interdisciplinary approach lies in the dynamic exchange between tradition and contemporary practice. By integrating multiple fields, the project reinforces a sense of belonging, empowers local voices, and positions rural culture as a space of resilience, creativity, and innovation.
The primary field is living heritage, as the project focuses on the preservation and revitalization of traditional textile practices in Llanes. Textile memory is not only a cultural artifact but a living practice passed down through generations. The project ensures that this intangible heritage remains relevant by integrating it into contemporary artistic and educational formats.
Textile craftsmanship is at the core of the initiative, engaging local artisans who hold specialized knowledge of embroidery, weaving, and natural dyeing techniques. These artisans work alongside younger generations, sharing their expertise while also exploring new interpretations of traditional textile arts.
The concept of new ruralities plays a significant role in the project’s design, moving beyond the idea of rural spaces as static or isolated. By fostering active participation, valuing local knowledge, and resisting the erosion of identity due to depopulation and tourism, the project repositions rural areas as spaces of innovation, cultural production, and sustainable community-building.
Community-led practices in a rural context define the methodology of the project, ensuring that it is not imposed externally but co-created with local residents. The Grupo Hilván, consisting of local artisans, cultural mediators, and community members, plays a fundamental role in shaping and guiding the project. Schools, heritage associations, and local institutions also contribute, creating a network of collaboration.
The added value of this interdisciplinary approach lies in the dynamic exchange between tradition and contemporary practice. By integrating multiple fields, the project reinforces a sense of belonging, empowers local voices, and positions rural culture as a space of resilience, creativity, and innovation.
The project stands out from mainstream heritage initiatives by redefining textile craftsmanship as a living, participatory, and intergenerational practice.
Key Innovations:
Co-Creation Instead of Passive Transmission
Unlike traditional heritage projects that focus on documentation and preservation, this initiative is deeply collaborative and community-driven.The Grupo Hilván leads the design and implementation of activities, ensuring that knowledge transmission is active, not passive.
Intergenerational and Decentralized Learning
While many projects focus solely on artisans or researchers, this initiative integrates children, youth, and elders, creating parallel spaces where different age groups engage with the same themes through tailored methodologies.
Textile Memory as a ‘Social Skin’
Rather than treating textile heritage as simply a craft, the project repositions it as a medium for storytelling, identity, and community-building.The project highlights the connection between craft, nature, and cultural identity, something rarely emphasized in mainstream textile heritage initiatives.
Sustainability and Open-Source Replicability
Instead of being a one-time, location-specific project, this initiative follows an open-source model, allowing other rural communities to adapt and replicate the methodology. The use of recycled materials and low-impact, community-based production processes ensures that sustainability is embedded in both the artistic and educational aspects of the project.
Moving Beyond the ‘Folklorization’ of Rural Culture
Many mainstream heritage projects risk freezing traditions in time, presenting rural crafts as museum artifacts. This project challenges that by activating heritage as a dynamic cultural force, allowing traditional techniques to be explored through contemporary artistic practices. Rather than isolating the past, it integrates it into the present and future through new rural narratives and community agency.
Key Innovations:
Co-Creation Instead of Passive Transmission
Unlike traditional heritage projects that focus on documentation and preservation, this initiative is deeply collaborative and community-driven.The Grupo Hilván leads the design and implementation of activities, ensuring that knowledge transmission is active, not passive.
Intergenerational and Decentralized Learning
While many projects focus solely on artisans or researchers, this initiative integrates children, youth, and elders, creating parallel spaces where different age groups engage with the same themes through tailored methodologies.
Textile Memory as a ‘Social Skin’
Rather than treating textile heritage as simply a craft, the project repositions it as a medium for storytelling, identity, and community-building.The project highlights the connection between craft, nature, and cultural identity, something rarely emphasized in mainstream textile heritage initiatives.
Sustainability and Open-Source Replicability
Instead of being a one-time, location-specific project, this initiative follows an open-source model, allowing other rural communities to adapt and replicate the methodology. The use of recycled materials and low-impact, community-based production processes ensures that sustainability is embedded in both the artistic and educational aspects of the project.
Moving Beyond the ‘Folklorization’ of Rural Culture
Many mainstream heritage projects risk freezing traditions in time, presenting rural crafts as museum artifacts. This project challenges that by activating heritage as a dynamic cultural force, allowing traditional techniques to be explored through contemporary artistic practices. Rather than isolating the past, it integrates it into the present and future through new rural narratives and community agency.
Threading Communities was designed with an open-source methodology, providing a clear structure and direction while allowing flexibility and adaptability for any community that chooses to implement it. Instead of imposing a fixed model, it ensures that each community can interpret, modify, and integrate the methodology according to its own cultural practices, languages, and needs.
This methodology respects local knowledge, customs, and storytelling traditions, allowing participants to define their own aspirations and shape the project in a way that is meaningful and relevant to them. This flexibility and agency foster a sense of belonging, ownership, and co-creation, making the project a living, evolving tool rather than a rigid framework.
By embracing replicability and adaptability, the methodology also highlights the uniqueness and diversity of rural communities. Beyond preservation, it encourages dialogue, collaboration, and creative reinterpretation, enabling communities to see their heritage as a resource for the future.
For an optimal design and implementation, the methodology is context-driven, meaning it adapts to the territorial, social, and economic dynamics of each rural locality where it is prototyped. Through a detailed analysis of the participating community, we ensure that the project aligns with existing networks, local rhythms, and socio-economic conditions.
Once the roadmap is established, we define the necessary resources while prioritizing sustainability and accessibility. It also includes an assessment of potential funding strategies to ensure the project's long-term viability.
This approach is not only a tool for heritage preservation but also a catalyst for local agency, intergenerational learning, and rural resilience. We hope that this methodology inspires rural communities worldwide, fostering global networks of shared knowledge, collaboration, and strengthening the cultural, economic, and social sustainability of textile traditions.
This methodology respects local knowledge, customs, and storytelling traditions, allowing participants to define their own aspirations and shape the project in a way that is meaningful and relevant to them. This flexibility and agency foster a sense of belonging, ownership, and co-creation, making the project a living, evolving tool rather than a rigid framework.
By embracing replicability and adaptability, the methodology also highlights the uniqueness and diversity of rural communities. Beyond preservation, it encourages dialogue, collaboration, and creative reinterpretation, enabling communities to see their heritage as a resource for the future.
For an optimal design and implementation, the methodology is context-driven, meaning it adapts to the territorial, social, and economic dynamics of each rural locality where it is prototyped. Through a detailed analysis of the participating community, we ensure that the project aligns with existing networks, local rhythms, and socio-economic conditions.
Once the roadmap is established, we define the necessary resources while prioritizing sustainability and accessibility. It also includes an assessment of potential funding strategies to ensure the project's long-term viability.
This approach is not only a tool for heritage preservation but also a catalyst for local agency, intergenerational learning, and rural resilience. We hope that this methodology inspires rural communities worldwide, fostering global networks of shared knowledge, collaboration, and strengthening the cultural, economic, and social sustainability of textile traditions.
Open-Source Methodology
The project's structure is flexible allowing communities to tailor activities according to their specific cultural practices, languages, and needs.
Participatory and Community-Led Approach
The project is co-created with local residents. This approach can be replicated in any community that seeks to strengthen intergenerational bonds, heritage practices, and collective storytelling. Local artisans and mediators can adapt the methodology to their own traditions, ensuring that knowledge transmission remains meaningful.
Textile Memory as a Universal Medium
While this project focuses on the textile heritage of Llanes, the concept of textile memory as a form of cultural identity and storytelling is widely applicable. Whether in other parts of Europe, Latin America, or beyond, communities with a rich tradition of craftsmanship and textile arts can use this model to reclaim, preserve, and reinterpret their own heritage.
Sustainability and Resource Adaptability
The project prioritizes low-cost, sustainable materials and encourages the use of recycled and locally available resources.
Intergenerational Learning and Rural Innovation
The intergenerational aspect is a universal strategy for cultural revitalization. Schools, local associations, and craft collectives worldwide can adopt this model of knowledge exchange, ensuring that traditional practices continue to evolve and inspire new generations.
Potential for Cross-Community Networks
By applying this methodology across different rural regions, the project has the potential to create a global network of textile communities, where knowledge, techniques, and experiences can be shared. This fosters a sense of solidarity, collaboration, and cultural sustainability beyond local borders.
This project provides a replicable and scalable model for any community seeking to preserve heritage and strengthen local identity through creative and inclusive methodologies
The project's structure is flexible allowing communities to tailor activities according to their specific cultural practices, languages, and needs.
Participatory and Community-Led Approach
The project is co-created with local residents. This approach can be replicated in any community that seeks to strengthen intergenerational bonds, heritage practices, and collective storytelling. Local artisans and mediators can adapt the methodology to their own traditions, ensuring that knowledge transmission remains meaningful.
Textile Memory as a Universal Medium
While this project focuses on the textile heritage of Llanes, the concept of textile memory as a form of cultural identity and storytelling is widely applicable. Whether in other parts of Europe, Latin America, or beyond, communities with a rich tradition of craftsmanship and textile arts can use this model to reclaim, preserve, and reinterpret their own heritage.
Sustainability and Resource Adaptability
The project prioritizes low-cost, sustainable materials and encourages the use of recycled and locally available resources.
Intergenerational Learning and Rural Innovation
The intergenerational aspect is a universal strategy for cultural revitalization. Schools, local associations, and craft collectives worldwide can adopt this model of knowledge exchange, ensuring that traditional practices continue to evolve and inspire new generations.
Potential for Cross-Community Networks
By applying this methodology across different rural regions, the project has the potential to create a global network of textile communities, where knowledge, techniques, and experiences can be shared. This fosters a sense of solidarity, collaboration, and cultural sustainability beyond local borders.
This project provides a replicable and scalable model for any community seeking to preserve heritage and strengthen local identity through creative and inclusive methodologies
This project tackles global challenges affecting rural areas worldwide, particularly the rupture of intergenerational bonds due to depopulation and aging, as well as the loss of cultural identity, knowledge, and values linked to traditional textile craftsmanship. These issues are exacerbated by generational disconnection and tourism, which often prioritize external consumption over local heritage preservation.
To counter these challenges, we propose local solutions that empower communities to reclaim and sustain their cultural traditions:
The project fosters creating shared spaces where elders, artisans, and younger generations interact, learn from one another, and build collective memory. This strengthens social ties and promotes collaborative community-building, ensuring that rural areas remain vibrant and self-sustaining.
By integrating traditional textile techniques with contemporary artistic and educational methodologies, the project ensures that local heritage is not only preserved but also reinterpreted and revitalized.
Textile craftsmanship is often an undervalued form of cultural labor, despite being deeply embedded in community identity and history. This project elevates and legitimizes textile arts as a cultural expression, while recognizing the women who have preserved and transmitted these traditions across generations. By doing so, it contributes to the visibility of women’s roles in heritage conservation and supports the economic and social recognition of traditional craftswomen.
While rooted in Llanes, the project offers a model that can be adapted to rural communities worldwide facing similar challenges. It demonstrates how localized, community-driven cultural initiatives can provide scalable, sustainable solutions to global rural decline, ensuring that living heritage remains a tool for identity, empowerment, and resilience in the face of modern socio-economic transformations.
To counter these challenges, we propose local solutions that empower communities to reclaim and sustain their cultural traditions:
The project fosters creating shared spaces where elders, artisans, and younger generations interact, learn from one another, and build collective memory. This strengthens social ties and promotes collaborative community-building, ensuring that rural areas remain vibrant and self-sustaining.
By integrating traditional textile techniques with contemporary artistic and educational methodologies, the project ensures that local heritage is not only preserved but also reinterpreted and revitalized.
Textile craftsmanship is often an undervalued form of cultural labor, despite being deeply embedded in community identity and history. This project elevates and legitimizes textile arts as a cultural expression, while recognizing the women who have preserved and transmitted these traditions across generations. By doing so, it contributes to the visibility of women’s roles in heritage conservation and supports the economic and social recognition of traditional craftswomen.
While rooted in Llanes, the project offers a model that can be adapted to rural communities worldwide facing similar challenges. It demonstrates how localized, community-driven cultural initiatives can provide scalable, sustainable solutions to global rural decline, ensuring that living heritage remains a tool for identity, empowerment, and resilience in the face of modern socio-economic transformations.
The plan for develop and implement the concept is explained in the document submitted above.
