Network for medieval arts and rituals
Even though it is a cliché that most Byzantine arts originated in, for and as rituals, scholars largely neglect their ritual origins and functions. Medievalists tend to treat visual, literary and performing arts as distinct from each other. In the medieval world, however, these arts were often combined to produce effective rituals. Recognizing the importance of considering these three arts together, NetMAR will use the concepts of “ritual”, “ritualization” and “performance” to bring together all types of Byzantine arts under one roof. Given the importance of Cyprus within the Byzantine and Western medieval worlds, NetMAR will use the same approach for Western medieval arts where they coexisted and interacted with their Byzantine counterparts.  Building on twinning’s huge potential for knowledge transfer, training and exchange of best practices between the three partnering institutions, NetMAR will work towards filling the networking gaps and deficiencies between UCY and its advanced partners in the field of Medieval Studies. NetMAR will also have a dedicated focus towards both promoting the involvement of female and male ESRs in the coordinating institution and strengthening its research management and grant writing skills. Furthermore, NetMAR will participate in the production of new tools and services that will benefit the tourism and culture industry, along with other interested stakeholders and public authorities.  The collaboration of the three partners, which mainly aims at strengthening the abilities, networks, skills and knowledge of UCY, will be performed within the framework of a number of CSA including: staff exchanges, expert visits, webinars, workshops, conferences and a summer school, as well as dissemination and outreach activities. These CSA will enable UCY to produce high-impact publications, establish an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed and open access scholarly journal, and create a critical mass of highly qualified young scholars of both sexes.