The Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology (ICAC) participated in a meeting at the Tarragona Provincial Council to review the first call for research grants and present the new edition. The gathering took place at the Palau de la Diputació.
The overall funding of €600,000 for this support line remains unchanged. This year's call specifically emphasizes knowledge transfer, the practical application of research findings, and their impact on the region. It also aims to foster collaborative projects among the various research centers in the province.
“"Thanks to the support of the Tarragona Provincial Council, we can continue working to strengthen excellent research and enhance the social and cultural impact generated by archaeological work in the territory."
The event was attended by the first vice-president of the Tarragona Provincial Council, Rubén Viñuales, and representatives from centers that benefited from the first call, including the ICAC. The initiative seeks to establish research as a driver of territorial development and strengthen ties between scientific knowledge, public administrations, the economic sector, and citizens.
ICAC administrator, Maria Gradillas, highlighted the importance of institutional support for pursuing excellent research and expanding its social and cultural impact. She pointed to ICAC projects related to the archaeological heritage in the Conca de Barberà, the Gaià river basin, the Tarragona Cathedral, and other areas within the province, which contribute to the preservation, study, and dissemination of heritage.
This grant program continues the Provincial Council's strategic commitment, initiated last year, to bolster research conducted within the territory. The first call funded projects in diverse fields such as health, chemistry, agri-food, biotechnology, human evolution, wine innovation, and archaeological heritage.
Within this framework, the ICAC's AgerICAC project received a €100,000 grant in 2025 for the conservation, protection, and valorization of archaeological sites and cultural landscapes. The project focuses on archaeological areas in the Francolí and Gaià river basins, as well as in the city of Tarragona, exemplifying the institute's commitment to combining scientific excellence with direct territorial impact.
Interested research centers can submit their applications for the new call until September 30, 2026.
