On Saturday, April 13, and Sunday, April 14, 2024, the historic halls of Palazzo Pica Alfieri in L’Aquila hosted the first edition of CulturalHack. This hackathon, born from the collaboration between Be-Boost, TEDx L’Aquila, and USRC (Special Office for the Reconstruction of Crater Municipalities), brought together young people, students, and professionals to tackle an ambitious challenge: redesigning the Cultural Events Calendar of Crater Municipalities (CEC) and enhancing the cultural identity of the region through innovative solutions.
The initiative was driven by a desire to highlight the cultural and social heritage of the Crater Municipalities, areas deeply affected by the 2009 earthquake. At the heart of the event was the Cultural Events Calendar (CEC), a tool that consolidates and promotes cultural initiatives in these communities. The CEC serves as a critical starting point for regional development, networking local resources, and transforming them into drivers of cultural and economic growth.
Two Days of Collaboration and Innovation
Over the two intensive days, 21 participants divided into four teams worked on innovative projects to transform the CEC into a tool for integrated and sustainable cultural promotion. Workshops, mentoring sessions, and brainstorming moments guided the teams in formulating concrete ideas, culminating in pitch presentations before a panel of local experts and initiative partners.
The hackathon fostered a dynamic environment where participants contributed their skills to develop solutions tailored to the needs of the region. Collaborating closely with those who experience the reality of the Crater Municipalities daily allowed participants to better understand local challenges, turning citizens into active agents and promoters of change.
The Proposals
Gamification (Team BE-X): Implementing a gamification system to incentivize interaction with the CEC platform by rewarding users with offers and discounts from local municipalities and businesses, making the platform more engaging and interactive.
Artificial Intelligence (Team CHECK): Adopting AI technology to simplify and enhance the user experience for both municipalities and end users, improving consistency and uniformity.
User Experience and Stakeholder Engagement (Team ING+1): Optimizing user experience by organizing events based on user preferences and enabling municipalities to increase event visibility through digital content and digital ambassadors.
Open Data Integration (Team CRATERE): Integrating the CEC with permanent content and predefined itineraries based on open data to provide a comprehensive experience of both events and the local area.
Results and the Victory of Team ING+1
At the conclusion of the competition, Team ING+1 emerged victorious with a proposal focused on optimizing user experience and communication. Their solution aimed to turn participants into active promoters of the region, ensuring broader engagement and widespread promotion of the CEC.
The jury, composed of representatives from local administrations, USRC, the University of L’Aquila, and Be-Boost, awarded the project for its technical feasibility, innovation, impact, and scalability. This achievement underscores the importance of placing people and their experiences at the center of technological solutions.
A Promise for the Future
The success of these two days demonstrates how collaboration can generate tangible and sustainable value. For Be-Boost, this event marks a step forward in its commitment to social responsibility and cultural promotion.
We are proud to have contributed to creating an initiative that goes beyond organizing an event—a concrete example of how innovation and responsibility can go hand in hand. This is just the beginning of a journey we will continue with passion and determination.
Thank you to all the participants and partners who made CulturalHack possible. The future is built together, one step at a time!