aSmug
The "aSMUG" project protects linguistic minorities and promotes the cultural heritage by supporting creative industries. It puts emphasis on digitalisation with a part dedicated to Virtual Reality (VR). "aSMUG" presents the phenomenon of smuggling in a creative way, through dance shows and workshops, adding realism to this distant reality in time with VR demonstrations. Among the activities, the main event is the dance show "Contrabbandieri dilettanti" with premieres in Ljubljana and Gorizia and at least six appearances on the stages organized by the project partners in the border region. They will develop a joint solution that will connect the cities of Gorizia and Nova Gorica through a special "Passe-Partout method". The VR project “aSMUG” will also be linked to a dance performance and will offer a unique VR experience. To increase accessibility, it will be possible to view content even on mobile phones.
The project’s objectives were:
to create a high-quality contemporary dance production under the artistic direction of Italian choreographer Silvia Gribaudi, performed by the En-Knap Group, Slovenia’s only permanent contemporary dance ensemble, centered on the cross-border theme of borders and smuggling;
to develop an innovative virtual reality experience connecting the two cities through the Creative Passe-Partout method, an artistic framing practice that enables artistic reflection on a selected object;
to develop, through cross-border cooperation, a sustainable cultural product that would become part of the regional tourism offer while connecting stakeholders already active in the fields of contemporary performing arts and contemporary visual arts, thereby ensuring the project’s sustainability and long-term impact.
The cross-border art project “Contrabbandieri Amatoriali” was implemented through a contemporary dance performance presented at various venues in the border region between Italy and Slovenia. The performance brought together artists, cultural professionals and audiences from both sides of the border, fostering a shared reflection on the historical, social and cultural significance of borders.
Workshops and public presentation events were also organized, encouraging the participation of local communities and promoting discussion of themes related to the history of the border, identity and smuggling practices.
A significant project outcome was the development of the virtual reality film “Amateur Smugglers 360”, which combines testimonies, archival materials, historical research, and contemporary artistic expressions to recount the transformations brought about by the border between Italy and Yugoslavia after 1947. To ensure public access to the work, eight VR stations equipped with the necessary technology for the immersive experience were installed at cultural institutions and public spaces in Italy and Slovenia.
The project also generated research and documentation activities based on the collection of oral testimonies from local communities, the analysis of theoretical and artistic sources, and the preservation and interpretation of memories related to smuggling as a historical, social and cultural phenomenon.
Informational and promotional materials were also produced in both print and digital formats, including trilingual publications, production dossiers, multimedia content and communication tools intended for the public and partner institutions, thereby contributing to the dissemination of the project’s results at the cross-border and international level.
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