dr. M.L. (Marline Lisette) Wilders

2015-2018

CHIME: Cultural Heritage and Improvised Music in European Festivals

Wilders is a post-doctoral researcher within the Dutch team of CHIME. The project is funded under the JPI Cultural Heritage program by the European Community.

Project partners: Birmingham City University, University of Amsterdam, University of East Anglia, University of Gothenburg, University of Groningen, University of Sheffield.

CHIME explores the uses and re-uses of different types of heritage through the study of jazz and improvised music festivals, and examines how changing relationships between music, festivals and cultural heritage sites renegotiate established understandings and uses of heritage. Our core focus on festivals reflects the important – if undervalued – position that festivals occupy in Europe’s cultural ecology, with their dynamic and synergetic relationship to spaces and cultural sites. We use jazz and improvised music as a lens through which to explore key issues in heritage research, drawing on the music’s unique and complex relationship to concepts of high and low culture, tradition, innovation, authenticity and (non)-European identity. 

Wilders was a Member of the Conference committee for the CHIME conference Music, Festivals, Heritage. Siena Jazz Archive, Italy. 25-28 May 2017.

2014-2016

From working space to theatre space; the user perspective

Wilders received a personal grant from the NWO financed Rubicon programme to execute this project as a visiting post-doctoral researcher at the Interuniversitary Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning of the Polytechnic University of Turin between 2014-2016.

Project partners: University of Amsterdam, Polytechnic University of Turin, Balletto Teatro di Torino, Teatro Stabile di Torino. 

Goal of the project was to look into the effects of adaptive reuse of industrial heritage sites for the functioning of both the performing arts and built industrial heritage in society. 

The project considered in what ways the conversion of abandoned industrial sites into permanent theater spaces can re-signify the various values and meanings connected to these sites. It did so by investigating how the conversion process affects the perception of industrial heritage sites and conversely, how industrial heritage sites impact the theatre experience. Empirical data on the relationship between this particular form of theatre architecture (found space at industrial sites) and theatre experience were gathered by means of audience and reception research. Additionally, the project investigated how insights into this relationship could best be implemented by the architectural field to develop successful design strategies by means of ‘research by design’. The results on this last aspect ware presented in the book [RE]FRAME.