DIGITsmart

DIGITsmart – INTERREG VI-A ITALY – CROATIA 2021-2027

Project name: DIGITsmart

Total project budget: 249.850,00 EUR

Total budget for City of Kastela: 98.430,00 EUR

Amount of co-financing (80%): 78.744,00 EUR

Own resources (20%): 19.686,00 EUR

Project implementation period: 01.08.2023. – 31.12.2024.

Lead partner: CITY OF KAŠTELA

Project partners:

1. ROMAGNA TECH SOCIETÀ CONSORTILE PER AZIONI (IT)
2. FONDAZIONE “GIUSEPPE DI VAGNO (1889 – 1921)” (IT)

Project description:

Within the Programme priority 5 “Integrated governance for stronger cooperation”, the Small-scale project DIGITsmart was approved, applied for the 1st call within the cross-border cooperation program Interreg Italy – Croatia 2021 – 2027 (specific objective – SO 5.1 – Other actions to support better cooperation governance).

The project will develop a user-friendly technical platform and digitize archival material to make it easily accessible to all target groups of this project and beyond. This specifically means that a new interactive website of the City of Kastela will be created, through which it will be easier to download and submit part of the forms, requests, etc. and the database of archival materials will be supplemented and improved to reduce the time needed to process old cases (e.g. old building permits).

The City of Kastela, as the Lead Partner, will manage the project partnership at the partner level and will coordinate the work of all project partners. The Lead Partner will be responsible for the overall coordination, implementation and financial management of the project. The City of Kastela will be the link between the Programme body and the project partners, coordinating the start, implementation and completion of the project.

“The content of the publication is the sole responsibility of the City of Kastela”

ABOUT GIUSEPPE DI VAGNO FOUNDATION

The Di Vagno Foundation, named after the first socialist deputy to the National Parliament who fell victim to fascist violence in 1921, has been dedicated to historical research and cultural promotion since 2003. Located in Conversano (Puglia, Italy), within the ancient Monastery of San Benedetto, the Foundation organizes historical and documentary exhibitions and promotes conferences dedicated to historical research. Over the years, it has developed a significant historical archive that preserves over 60 paper, photographic, and audiovisual collections from notable figures in the political and cultural spheres of Puglia and beyond. The Foundation not only conserves these materials but also aims to enhance them as connections between the past and the future, fostering active citizenship.

The Foundation’s library has evolved into a vibrant community space and was officially designated as a Community Library on June 1, 2021. After renovations, it now offers comprehensive services and houses approximately 25,000 volumes, 2,000 DVDs, 4,000 CDs, and 1,000 VHS tapes and vinyl records. Focusing on contemporary history, the library is continually updated. Additionally, the Foundation annually hosts Lectorinfabula, an international festival of European culture that has attracted leading national and international figures from the sectors of politics, culture, and media.

THE DIGITALIZATION ACTIVITIES

The Foundation, partner of the DIGITsmart project, holds an extensive collection of archival photographs, totaling approximately 10,000 items. This collection includes significant contributions from notable photographers, who are major figures in the political and cultural landscape of Puglia. Thanks to the DIGITsmart project, about 8,000 photographs have been digitized, preserving the physical integrity of these valuable documents and mitigating wear from handling and consultation. Among this, the Tommaso Sicolo collection (approximately 1000 positives, 1960s-1980s, political and labor engagement), the Luigi Sacchetti collection (350 positives, 1940s-1970s, labor engagement), the Imbimbo and Impagnatiello collections (190 positives, 1960s, political engagement), the Giuseppe Patrono collection (526 positives, 1930s-1980s, political and cultural engagement), the Aldo Baldi collection (140 positives, 1920s-1950s, political engagement), and the Leonardo Damiani collection (240 positives, 1915-1918, war front). Finally, the Rocco Errico’s archive has been completely reproduced. It consists of 6000 negatives, both in black and white and in color, scanned and restored with professional materials for optimal preservation. Part of the digitized material was used to organize the exhibit “Rocco Errico’s Lens: An Interactive Experience”, curated by Jacopo De Benedictis and held during the 20th edition of the Lectorinfabula festival, from September 19-25, 2024 in Conversano.

Additionally, the foundation has upgraded its archival platform (fondazionedivagno.archiui.com) to specifically showcase its photographic heritage. This improved platform allows users to navigate the collection through chronological and thematic filters and features relational maps that provide graphic storytelling pathways, greatly enhancing user interaction and engagement with the archives. This enhancement also ensures accessibility for future generations.

The photographic archives digitized by DIGITsmart are the following:

• Rocco Errico
• Tommaso Sicolo
• Luigi Sacchetti
• Salvatore Imbimbo
• Matteo Impagnatiello
• Giuseppe Patrono
• Aldo Baldi
• Leonardo Damiani

https://fondazionedivagno.archiui.com/esplora