How to make ‘new heritage’ in a fragile institutional context: the case of Tzari Mali Grad in Bulgaria as ‘community of patrons’

ABSTRACT

The paper discusses how ‘new heritage’ is created in a fragile institutional context by analysing the example of the historical complex Tzari Mali Grad (TMG) in Bulgaria. The analysis builds upon Regina Bendix’s notion of ‘communities of patrons’ and further develops its analytical potential. The article focuses on the hierarchical community structures; on the transformation of patrons into leaders; on the dynamics of patrons’ engagement with heritage which we call ‘spiral of involvement’; and on the specifics of the fragile post-socialist context, which allows individual actors to substitute public institutions by restricting their power in heritage decision making. To explore the case, we triangulate qualitative and quantitative data. We conclude that this is an instrumental approach towards heritage, focused on the needs of the present rather than on the heritage’s authenticity. This contextual specificity allows individual patrons to become heritage leaders and to cultivate communities of patrons.

KEYWORDS:

• ‘Communities of patrons’
• ‘new heritage’
• heritage leader
• fragile institutions
• post-socialist context

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. When referring to the TMG complex, we refer to the three objects together.

2. The community and the leader behind the TMG invested many resources in networking and advertising to build the image of the complex as a ’success story’. The complex received different awards labelling it as a ‘success’. Our data also suggest that in terms of revenues and visitors’ satisfaction the complex can be characterised as successful.

3. This data describe the situation before the COVID-19 pandemic.

4. Bendix refers to the international heritage regime. We aim to adapt this concept to the local heritage, which deals with national and local rules and norms.

5. This concept of communities of patrons is in line with the Faro convention definition of heritage community.

6. Here we will consider the three terms ‘sponsor’, ‘patron’, and ‘donator’ as synonymous as we have no occasion to reflect on the important differences between them.

Additional information

Funding

This work received support from the project BG05M2OP001-1.001-0001 Construction and Development of “Heritage BG” Center of Excellence, funded by the Operational Program Science and education for Smart Growth

Notes on contributors

Petya Slavova

Petya Slavova (Main and corresponding author, [email protected]): Petya Slavova is an associated professor in Sociology at Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’ where she is teaching Research methods for social sciences and Sociology of work and professions. Her main interests are in the field of professional communities, rural development and cultural policies.

Zhelyu Vladimirov

Zhelyu Vladimirov is a full professor and senior lecturer at the Faculty of Economics at Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’. He teaches courses on HRM, Organizational change and Research methods. His main interests are in the field of small business competitiveness, entrepreneurship and the integration of cultural heritage in socio-economic development. He has published in journals such as Tourism Management Perspectives, European Journal of Tourism Research, International Review of Entrepreneurship, Economic Studies, and others.

Rosalina Todorova

Rosalina Todorova is a PhD Candidate at Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’. Her research interests are centred on identities, moral and cultural boundary-making, intergroup dynamics and attitudes. Rosalina’s previous academic research has focused on ethnography of the small town in post-socialist contexts, ethnicity and anti-Roma exclusionary practices, the mapping of rural shrinkage tendencies, and the lived experiences of demographic crises.

Nina Denisova

Nina Denisova recently hold a PhD in the field of Sociology of consumption at Sofia University ‘St.Kliment Ohridski’. Her interests are in the field of morality and politics of consumption, culture and identities in consumption practices, consumption innovation. Nina is an experienced researcher across a range of methodologies and instruments such as ethnography, semiotics and cross-cultural analysis.