PORTOLANO – a competence portfolio approach for arts and culture professionals

The lack of clear definitions and acknowledgement of existing skills in the arts and culture sector makes it difficult for professionals in that field to evolve, to envisage a career change or to enjoy geographical mobility.

The Portolano project aims to address the need, amongst professionals working in arts and culture, to have their skills identified and acknowledged, by introducing and adapting the “Competence Portfolio” approach inspired by Canadian methods for validating acquired skills.

About the Competence Portfolio

The Competence Portfolio approach is a constructive and creative way of highlighting achievements and abilities. In this way a holistic picture of professional competencies and generic skills can be produced that enables individuals to present themselves for employment, appraisal, assessment, promotion or career conversion.

Today’s technology – the ‘e’ in ePortfolio – enables a rich and dynamic representation of individual competencies, particularly adapted to the worlds of arts and culture. Tools available allow the expression of a unique artistic identity.

Project results

The Competence Portfolio User’s Guide, to promote one’s competences from professional experiences in the art and culture sector : this publication is a handbook for arts and culture professionals to support them in the analysis of their path and experiences, the identification and valorisation of their competences.

The ePortfolio guide : this publication focuses on the benefits one can get from the use of electronic tools to publish an ePortfolio.