What if our local history was co-written by the digital generation?

HUP Hackathon is a 24-month effort designed to bridge the gap between young people and our cultural heritage. In a world where digital natives often feel disconnected from traditional museums, this initiative turns cultural sites into creative laboratories where teenagers become authors, not just visitors.

The Challenge

Across Europe, and particularly in rural areas, youth participation in monuments and museums is declining. Research reveals that digital-native teenagers often perceive these sites as unwelcoming or irrelevant to their lives. This cultural participation gap is a missed opportunity to foster creativity and belonging among Generation Alpha (ages 10-16). The challenge lies in shifting from simply providing information to co-creating emotional meaning with the younger generation.

Our Response

The HUP Hackathon addresses this gap by blending child-led design thinking with value-based heritage interpretation. In Naoussa, EduQuest implements this initiative by bringing local teens and heritage experts together for intense “design sprints”. Whether exploring the natural landscape of the School of Aristotle or the industrial legacy of the Industrial Heritage Centre, participants map the emotional values of our local stories and use generative AI and low-code tools to build tangible prototypes. This process moves beyond the classroom, giving youth real authorship and the digital-creative skills needed for the future.

Expected Impact in Numbers

• 60 youngsters directly engaged in heritage co-creation across the five pilot sites.
• 16 cultural professionals are upskilled in facilitation, participatory design, and AI prototyping.
• 5 innovative prototypes (such as digital campaigns, games, or art pieces) developed to rewrite the museum experience for the digital age.