“Culture Pilots” awarded as “Success Story” by the European Commission

The beginning of “Culture Pilots” goes back to the year 2009, when Linz was European Capital of Culture.  For “Linz09” the BFI Upper Austria developed an intercultural education and integration project, trained the migrants to Culture Pilots. The project offered subsequently self-compiled city tours, which allowed a multicultural insight into their everyday life and encounters with locals and tourists. “The migration, which often perceived as difficult and negative has been transformed into a valuable resource,” says Marlies Auer, project manager at BFI Upper Austria. In the same year the project was also awarded with the Austrian State Prize for Adult Education in the category “Innovation”.

From Linz to Barcelona, Lisbon, Marseille and Vicenza
Thereafter followed the know-how export throughout Europe. From 2011, the concept of BFI Upper Austria was implemented in Italy, France, Spain and Portugal – partly in a slightly modified form. So the project, which was funded by the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Commission and in which also the Portuguese EVBB member ISQ was involved, was opened to men and also people without immigrant background. In Spain, “Culture Pilots” was exclusively for young people. “Overall, 47 Culture Pilots were trained and eleven city tours in Vicenza, Marseille, Barcelona and Lisbon were developed,” the BFI project manager Marlies Auer takes stock. Until today 250 tours for more than 3000 people have been carried out.

All information on the project and resulting products for download can be read here: www.culturepilots.eu