Welcome to the ERIH February newsletter. We start with a short review of 2019, report on the results of the second Industrial Heritage Barometer, offer an update on the third edition of our dance event "WORK it OUT" and take a look at what's happening online at ERIH. As always, there is an overview of recently added Anchor Points and an outlook on upcoming events.

The topics of the newsletter in detail:

• ERIH 2019: Projects, Regional Routes Guidance and Online PR
• ERIH Industrial Heritage Barometer 2019: The Results
• ERIH "WORK it OUT": Update on this year's dance event
• ERIH Cross-Marketing and Cooperation
• ERIH website: What's new?
• ERIH expansion: New Anchor Points and a new Regional Route
• ERIH events: Save the date

Linking Europe
One of the most important projects in this regard is the virtual exhibition "Linking Europe", which went online in September 2019. It links ERIH sites with each other and thus highlights European correlations. This is done either by means of individual objects or in relation to historic industrial aspects such as transnational transfer of technology. To ensure that the exhibition continues to grow, we cordially invite sites interested in participating to submit their own Linking Europe proposals. In addition to the virtual presentation, ERIH members benefit from a production cost subsidy totalling up to €250 for an individualized roll-up display or a banner that can be used, for example, to indicate the European references of a particular machine or a special architectural feature. The chart is provided by ERIH as a ready-to-print pdf.

Virtual Exhibition "Linking Europe"
The "Linking Europe" project

Twinning of Sites
The "Twinning of Sites" exchange programme additionally focuses on the knowledge exchange between thematically related sites, thus establishing new links within the ERIH network. The current funding year allows at least two pairs of sites to visit each other. There is still time to apply: the deadline for submitting the completed application form is next Friday, 14 February.
The "Twinning of Sites" exchange programme

"Linking Europe" and "Twinning of Sites" put into practice what the ERIH brochure "European Industrial Heritage: The International Story", published in 2018, addresses in a general outline. The more ERIH members contribute to the two projects, the more visitors will understand better that each site is part of a larger picture. This increases the visibility of the participating industrial heritage sites and also strengthens ERIH as a network.

Guidance for creating ERIH Regional Routes
More visibility, which translates into more visitors, is also achieved by combining sites into a Regional Route. At the last ERIH Annual Conference in Berlin, the idea was born to offer a workshop this year aimed exclusively at Regional Route coordinators. However, ERIH would also like to support those members who have not yet established a Regional Route, but are planning to start one in the near future.

This is why we have revised our "Guidance for creating ERIH Regional Routes", originally developed in 2008 (and so far only available in English). The new edition includes all the experience we have gained in the meantime. The eight-page paper lists a number of key success factors to consider when designing a Regional Route and also deals with post-launch management issues. An appendix provides case studies and further assistance.
Guidance for creating ERIH Regional Routes

Online Communication
When it comes to online communication, in 2019 ERIH has been more active than ever. Throughout the year, the website featured 25 news items on events and activities directly related to or organized respectively supported by ERIH. The ERIH Facebook page was also busier than before, with 144 posts covering events and news on Anchor Points, Regional Routes, conferences and other topics related to European industrial heritage. The online campaign for WORK it OUT 2019 generated over 2.1 million impressions, reaching almost 1.8 million people and about 70,000 video views.
ERIH Facebook page

On the ERIH website we have already reported on the results of the survey on the state of industrial heritage. Once again, we drew on the expert knowledge of the Ruhr Regional Association. Of 325 sites contacted, representing all members of ERIH e.V. and all sites on the Ruhr Industrial Heritage Trail, more than a third took part in the survey.

One of the most important findings is that industrial heritage generates jobs. Although 41 percent of the sites have a mere 1 to 5 full-time employees, the share of industrial monuments and museums with 11 to over 50 employees is almost as large. In combination with a predominantly all-season service - 87 percent of the sites - it is obvious that industrial heritage is an important economic factor and provides a professional, tourist-friendly product range.

This year, the pan-European dance event "WORK it OUT" will be held for the third time. And it is set to be even bigger than last year with its more than 5,000 dancers rocking 40 industrial heritage sites. Currently, it is already 50 sites in 12 countries that are planning to kick off on May 1, 2020. Once again, there will be a shared song and choreography, which is being worked out right now, and like before, ERIH will be covering "WORK it OUT" with a comprehensive social media campaign. As in the previous years, the participating sites have the chance to benefit from a good performance on Facebook, since the three videos that collect the most Likes will be rewarded by ERIH with a financial bonus.

The objective of the dance event is to introduce children and young people to the subject of "industrial heritage" by means of their favourite leisure activities - listening to music, dancing and spending time in social media with their smartphones. WORK it OUT" was conceived in the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018.
"WORK it OUT" 2020

ERIH Sites
Last year, the number of sites featured on the ERIH website increased significantly to over 1,850 - about 100 more than previously. The database only covers industrial monuments and museums designed to attract tourists. The increase is further evidence of the important role played by industrial heritage in today's Europe. ERIH highlights this significance unlike any other network and thus extends the number of potential members.

Industrial history of European countries
The collection of essays on the industrial history of European countries has expanded as well. Recent entries provide an introduction to the industrial evolution of Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Liechtenstein, Montenegro and North Macedonia. The article on Spain has been updated. In total, the site now offers 42 nationality-based essays on industrial history.
Industrial history of European countries

„Save the date“ calendar of events
Nothing new, but somewhat hidden and thus perhaps not familiar to everyone is the section Save the date, covering events, meetings, conferences, fairs and heritage festivals in Europe related to industrial heritage (tourism). While the collection, listing 82 entries in the last year alone, does not claim to be exhaustive, it is certainly one of the most comprehensive of its kind and a convenient way to keep up to date, especially with regard to expert meetings. Many of the events are also shared on Facebook. So if you have an activity to promote there, please send all relevant information and web links to webmaster@erih.net
"Save the date" calendar of events

Search project partners
New opportunities for cooperation are made available on a site where we intend to post calls for projects submitted by ERIH members and partners. If you are looking for project partners, you can send details such as the idea behind the project, funding programmes and partner specifications to ERIH. The partnership proposals will be uploaded onto the new site for a given period of time to allow interested parties to contact the respective project owner directly.
Search project partners

Anchor Point pages linked to TripAdvisor
Another new service relates to the ERIH Anchor Point pages: a link directs users to the reviews of previous visitors and allows them to share their own impressions at the respective industrial heritage site right on TripAdvisor. We are excited to see the first ratings!

These sites were recognized as Anchor Points at the latest Board meeting and will add to the virtual ERIH main route:

Añana Salt Valley. Salinas de Añana (E)
Cracow Salt-Works Museum in Wieliczka World Heritage Site. Wieliczka (PL)

New Regional Route: Minett Tour
Additionally, a new Regional Route enhances the ERIH network: the Minett Tour, only 35 kilometres long, traces Luxembourg's mining history and takes visitors back to the days when miners and steelworkers laid the foundations for the country's current prosperity. The starting point of the route is Rumelange, home to the National Mining Museum. As with the other four sites on the Minett tour, Rumelange is located in the ore mining district in the very south of the duchy, which turned Luxembourg, on the eve of World War I, into one of the world' s top ten producers of pig iron and iron ore.
Regional Route: Minett Tour