The Panel included:
- Sita Ramamurthy (Chair)
- Maria Adebowale, Director, Capacity Global
- Liz Roberts, Regional Director, The National Trust Network Midlands
- Josie Appleton, Journalist and convener of the Manifesto Club
- Ken Robinson, Independent Tourism Advisor and Chair of The National Visitor Attractions Forum
Historic buildings are in desperate need of conservation, but should the heritage sector prioritise tackling social issues and targeting new audiences, with so little cash to spare?
Is this a way to build communities and prosperity, or is it just social engineering?
Adebowale doesn’t see an ‘either/or’ situation. She outlines moral and economic arguments to make the case, such as the need to understand that everyone has equal access to our heritage.
Click to download a short statement from Maria Adebowale or press play below:
Appleton questions the obsession with targeting hard-to-reach visitors – you have to accept that some people just aren’t interested. The buildings come first, without them there’s nothing for those who want to see them. Let people choose to visit.
Roberts suggests that if not operating without a sense of social responsibility, we are not doing our jobs. If heritage isn’t pushed, why will people continue to support it? We need to remove barriers.
Click to download a short statement from Liz Roberts or press play below:
Robinson feels that while recognising that heritage projects have social impact, it 
doesn’t mean those managing them should be social engineers. Social awareness and social responsibility are two different things. Heritage is a social responsibility.
Questions from the audience included:
- “I wasn’t interested in heritage as a child yet but my parents were patient with me and I am now, My foster children aren’t interested, should I not bother taking them to historical sites?”
Appleton says childhood is a time when you often do things you don’t want to do.
Click to download a short statement from Josie Appleton or press play below:
Adebowale’s response is that it would be stupid to force people to enter heritage sites against their will, arguing that removing barriers is the fundamental point.
Working in heritage IS a social and moral responsibility. I don’t understand why there was even a debate. After all, most of us don’t do it for the money? Also I agree with the question from an audience member around not being interested in heritage as a child necessarily. I didn’t take an interest until much later in life. Should we force our children to at least experience as many aspects of our culture as possible, including heritage? Yes.
That is an inspiring remark Margaret. I wish all teachers felt that way too
I agree with Margaret in that working in heritage, and indeed working in the arts, comes with a social and moral responsibility. It isn’t enough to ensure that our buildings, venues, programmes and exhibitions are physically “acessible to all.” Many barriers preventing people from attending aren’t physical at all.
The real responsibility lies with encouraging, helping and supporting people who feel as though “it’s not for me” or “i couldn’t possibly get involved”. It’s at this point in any audience development strategy that it becomes frighteningly obvious that those who are “hard to reach” are often not the groups and individuals we aim to reach. Too often it is the venues and buildings we work in.
Unlike Margaret I do feel as though this debate was vital; in fact it was one of the most interesting and exciting parts of the conference for me. It made me reassess the work I am involved with and the career path I have chosen (in fact two weeks on I am still thinking about it) and it has reinforced for me the belief that audience development is as integral to any heritage or arts campaign as funding, marketing and education are.