The Andalusian Institute of Historical Heritage (IAPH), part of the Ministry of Culture, Historical Heritage and Sport, has signed an agreement with the General Council of Brotherhoods and Cofradías of Sevilla to establish a framework for collaboration aimed at promoting specialised training in the conservation and protection of brotherhood heritage.
The agreement includes the joint organisation of a course titled 'Conservation of heritage in brotherhoods and cofradías', which will take place at the Council's headquarters from 16 to 19 November 2026. Patricia del Pozo, the Minister of Culture, Historical Heritage and Sport, attended the signing, which was also endorsed by José Roda Peña, President of the General Council of Brotherhoods and Cofradías of Sevilla, and Juan José Primo Jurado, Director General of the IAPH.
"With this agreement, the Council and the IAPH strengthen their cooperation in the field of training and cultural heritage protection, promoting specialised knowledge and best conservation practices within the brotherhoods and cofradías," stated Del Pozo.
Del Pozo highlighted the significant role of brotherhoods and cofradías in safeguarding and conserving Andalusian devotional heritage, noting that the IAPH is an international scientific reference in this area. She emphasised that collaboration between the two institutions is essential to ensure the utmost protection, scientific rigor, and care for the cultural, artistic, and documentary heritage held by religious corporations.
José Roda Peña remarked that the upcoming course would help foster heritage awareness among the Penitential, Glory, and Sacramental corporations. He explained that the presentations will assist in identifying the material and immaterial cultural values of the brotherhoods' heritage, aiming to enhance the knowledge of those responsible for its management and handling, particularly the members of governing boards.
This initiative seeks to promote heritage awareness within brotherhoods and cofradías, facilitate the identification of their cultural values, and expand the knowledge of those responsible for managing and handling this heritage, especially governing board members. The course will be delivered by specialised technical staff from the IAPH's Intervention Centre, who will share their expertise in conservation, restoration, and preventive conservation.
Details regarding the registration process for the course will be announced by the Council of Brotherhoods and Cofradías in the near future. This training aims to provide professional tools and criteria that contribute to responsible management of this heritage, ensuring its preservation and transmission to future generations.
The course will address the training needs of individuals involved in managing brotherhood heritage, focusing on recognising its cultural values and applying appropriate strategies and techniques for its conservation.
The training for the conservation and protection of this historical, artistic, and documentary heritage began in 2021 with the course 'Management of documentary heritage in brotherhoods and cofradías', held in Sevilla. This was followed by a similar course in Málaga in 2022, in collaboration with the Association of Archivists of Andalucía (AAA) and the Brotherhoods Group of Málaga. In 2023, the initiative reached Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz), with participation from the aforementioned association and the Brotherhood Union of Jerez. The fourth edition took place in Huelva in 2024, organised alongside the Association of Archivists of Andalucía, the Council of Brotherhoods and Cofradías of Huelva, and the Diocesan Delegation of Brotherhoods and Cofradías of the Huelva Diocese.
Promoted by the Brotherhoods and Cofradías Group of Córdoba, the IAPH conducted specialisation courses in 2023 and 2024 titled 'The Andalusian Institute of Historical Heritage and the conservation of brotherhood heritage' and 'Challenges for the conservation of brotherhoods and cofradías heritage'. Following the editions held in Sevilla, Málaga, Jerez de la Frontera, Huelva, and Córdoba, Granada hosted a technical day in 2025 on managing documentary heritage, organised with the Association of Archivists of Andalucía and the Royal Federation of Brotherhoods and Cofradías of Holy Week in the City of Granada.
Additionally, in 2024, the IAPH published the 'Guide for managing documentary heritage in brotherhoods and cofradías', a practical tool designed to assist these entities in assessing the condition of their archives, identifying their needs, and establishing guidelines for the appropriate conservation of essential documentary collections that reflect their memory and history, as well as their role in the religious, cultural, and social life of Andalucía. This guide is available in both printed and digital formats through the Cultural Shops of Andalucía.
