The Autonomous Community is allocating one million euros to create a new line of grants to support work at archaeological and paleontological sites in the region. Both municipal governments that own the sites and the research teams working there will be eligible for this aid.
This new initiative aims, on the one hand, to promote the consolidation, restoration, and enhancement of the various archaeological and paleontological sites, as well as to increase research activities on the region's archaeological and paleontological heritage.
These grants "will allow us to advance our understanding of past cultures, delve deeper into our own history, and raise awareness and appreciation of our cultural heritage," said the Regional Minister of Tourism and Culture, Miriam Guardiola, who noted that "in the region, with its vast heritage, there are around 2,000 sites, around twenty of which are of exceptional value, some of which are internationally recognized."
The regulatory bases for these grants will be submitted this week to the Official Gazette of the Region of Murcia (BORM), and, in accordance with the established deadlines, the full call for applications is expected to be launched within a month. Furthermore, the competitive bidding process guarantees their allocation and awarding under the proper conditions of publicity, objectivity, transparency, equality, and effectiveness.
The head of Culture explained that "this initiative is part of the actions to protect, promote, and disseminate the region's heritage, implemented by the regional government." Furthermore, "it is one of the measures included in the future Strategic Plan for the Region's Cultural Heritage, which, due to its urgency, we are already implementing, thus responding to the demands of professionals and citizens."
Bases
Two grant lines will be published, each with a budget of €500,000. The first will be aimed at municipalities that own archaeological and paleontological sites, with the aim of undertaking restoration and refurbishment projects. In this case, the maximum amount to be funded will be 90 percent of the total budget for each project, with the grant never exceeding €100,000.
The second line is intended for research teams responsible for archaeological or paleontological interventions at sites and for conducting material studies. These teams may be located in Spanish universities, university foundations, public organizations, or city councils in the region. The maximum amount, on this occasion, will be €30,000.
The funding percentage for each project will be established according to the following evaluation criteria, on a scale of 0 to 100 points: the site must be considered a Site of Cultural Interest or have an application for its declaration underway (up to 10 points); the sites must be part of research projects already underway (up to 5 points); and they must have been excavated within the last five years or have master plans (up to 5 points).
Specific criteria are also set for municipalities: the need to intervene in the conservation, restoration, and adaptation of the sites (up to 15 points); the experience of the project management and, where applicable, the architect or restorer (up to 15 points); the quality and technical and scientific interest of the project; the intervention methodology and its relevance to the objectives of the call for proposals (up to 30 points); and the percentage of co-financing (up to 20 points), with a minimum of 10 percent being essential.
For the research team, consideration will also be given to the scientific interest of the project (up to 45 points); the team's experience (up to 15 points); the methodology and suitability of the actions to the objectives (up to 10 points); the project's planning and execution (up to 5 points); and the percentage of co-financing (up to 5 points).
Source: CARM.