In order to support the municipalities of Hauts-de-France in the preservation of their movable heritage, the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs deploys the Collectif Objets: a digital service to facilitate their exchanges with the curators of Antiquities and Works of Art and the curators of historical monuments of the region.
Until November 22, 2022, the municipalities of Nord and Pas-de-Calais are invited to list the objects protected under the title of historical monuments preserved in their territory on the website Collectif Objets. Based on this information, the curators will then be able to make a diagnosis and contact local elected officials to guide them in their projects of valorization, restoration and security.
This participatory campaign aims to facilitate the relations between the communes owners of protected objects and the curators in order to accompany them in the preservation of this national heritage.
The North and Pas-de-Calais are home to more than 16,000 objects protected as historic monuments
From the bourgeois of Calais to the chalices and statues of the Virgin and the Child scattered in the country churches, the communes of Nord and Pas-de-Calais host respectively more than 8710 and 8131 objects protected under the title of historical monuments (listed or classified), above the national average.
The municipalities own and are responsible for most of these objects, which are an integral part of the heritage of Hauts-de-France and which forge the cultural identity of this region.
Unfortunately, for lack of time, means or simply ignorance, they are too often threatened by oblivion, degradation or even stolen…
A new service to facilitate dialogue between local owners and curators
To remedy this and support the municipalities in the preservation of this movable heritage, the Ministry of Culture launches a participatory census campaign.
Until 22 November 2022, the owner municipalities are invited to identify the historical monuments - i.e. check their presence, check their condition (using a questionnaire) and photograph them - on the dedicated website Objects Collective.
Based on this information, the Curators of Antiquities and Works of Art will contact the participating municipalities directly to guide them in the protection and enhancement of their heritage.
To combat theft and degradation, the role of local elected officials is essential.
Fifteen participatory census campaigns already underway throughout France
Since the launch of Collectif Objets, some 15 participatory census campaigns have been conducted throughout France - more than 6,000 protected objects registered and 700 municipalities participating!
Everyone can contribute by contacting their municipality to help with the participatory census.
If you are a northern municipality or not-of-Calais, that you want to participate but you have not received an email inviting you to take part in this census, you can contact us at: collectifobjets@beta.gouv.fr
Questions? Your contact at the Ministry of Culture:
Romuald Goudeseune, Curator of Historical Monuments
romuald.goudeseune@culture.gouv.fr
An initiative led by beta.gouv, the digital utilities incubator programme
This initiative is supported by theDigital workshop, the incubator of the Ministry of Culture under the program beta.gov.
The objective is to respond to practical problems identified by field agents and to support them in the construction of digital services that can provide solutions.