The final words came from Maria Adebowale, Director of Capacity Global.
She highlighted conference threads; that the heritage sector does have a social responsibility and engaging wider audiences is going to be difficult, but the more strands existent within English heritage, the richer it becomes.
The work required is about “our place” and addressing diversity, which is gender, race, disability, accent, region, how people define themselves and many other things. Additionally it includes mutuality and the removal of associated barriers.
Thanks were given to all those who have participated in making the conference work.
Thanks for running this blog. really great to see whats going on, even if i couldn’t make it. will you be carrying this on? this is a subject that needs an ongoing dialogue.
If we’re serious about engaging wider audiences, it needs to be on their terms. I don’t know what the practical approach should be. The best we can hope for is to instigate some change. If it is to work, that has to come from society at large.
I’ve really enjoyed being editor of the blog during the conference. One thing that struck me about those participants I spoke to was a real sense of purpose and wanting to contribute towards a better society. As the event progressed, I found myself thinking ‘Where does the line between heritage and pop culture divide’? If we take a contemporary music group like ‘Razorlight’. They’re well known and considered to be of the moment. At what point do they become part of our heritage? The dictionary definition of heritage states it is ‘Something that is passed down from preceding generations; a tradition.’. In the context of conversations I had at the conference with people, i’m just not sure the definition is sufficiently encompassing.
I’d like to give special thanks to Pippa, Andrea, Phil, Gareth, David, Miriam (you know who you are), and all the speakers / participants who helped out, giving interviews and allowing us to take their photographs.
I am a history teacher working in Peak District. The children I work with are often very switched onto their local area. Many of their grandparents have taught them about the industrial revolution and its impact on the area. It’s surprising how much they think of it as ‘their place’ without needing to be force fed because a scheme tells them they should know. From what I see, young people are usually curious anyway. Their personal experiences are what shape them.