The Consell Insular de Menorca (Island Government) has published an official announcement for grants for research, conservation and dissemination of historical heritage for the year 2019, for a grand total of €200,000. This figure represents a €10,000 increase with respect to 2018.
Along the lines of what was initiated last year for management optimisation, one sole announcement shall be made for all five different areas: archaeological and paleontological excavations, historical research, restoration of historical heritage properties, the development of publications and the execution of activities to further awareness.
The category of grants for the restoration of Historical Heritage properties consists of a total budget of €40,000. It aims to contribute to the conservation of the island’s historical heritage, eliminating perilous processes of deterioration, fostering the restoration of properties and promoting steps toward conservation, as well as collaborating with and providing support for both entities and private individuals who take part in activities involving Menorca’s historical heritage.
The maximum grant per application is of €10,000, and the factors taken into account for the evaluation of the different projects consider whether the property is of public ownership and the assurance that it can be enjoyed by as many visitors as possible. Similarly, grants can also be requested for privately owned properties, although in this case the Council will only finance up to 75% of the total cost of the intervention.
The category of grants for the execution of historical, artistic, architectural, archaeological, paleontological, historical-industrial, anthropological and ethnological research that contribute to the further understanding of the island’s past shall have a total budget of €25,000, that shall be divided into five grants of €5,000 each.
Although the research topics can be chosen freely, preference shall be given to those proposals that correspond with the priority categories of action:
- Creation of monographs and cataloguing of historical heritage properties or of private collections.
- Historical documentary or archive studies on the medieval, modern or contemporary periods.
- Studies and projects that contribute to the completion of the scientific memoires for any archaeological excavations that are not part of active excavations.
- Studies and projects that contribute to the improved management or dissemination of properties that make up this heritage, in any of the aforementioned areas (master plan for archaeological sites or educational projects).
The category of grants for the execution of archaeological and paleontological interventions has a total budget of €105,000, which represents a €10,000 increase with respect to last year. The maximum amount that can be requested per project is of €14,000. The objective of these grants is to provide economic support for archaeological and paleontological interventions for sites found in Menorca, both for fieldwork as well as for laboratory work.
Also included this year for the second time is a category of grants for the creation of publications that disseminate information regarding the results of scientific research on historical heritage, offering a total of €15,000, with a maximum requested sum of €1,500 for articles and €6,000 for books.
Another category that was initiated last year and that will also be announced for the second time this year provides support for awareness activities like conferences and seminars. Its total budget is of €15,000, with a maximum available sum per activity of €5,000.
The application period shall be open for 30 calendar days from the date of the publishing of the announcement in the Official Bulletin of the Balearic Islands.