Heritage North Workshop Presentations

This presentation set AHRC support for community heritage and cultural engagement in the context of AHRC's broader Strategy, and also highlights the links to AHRC research themes such as Care for the Future and Connected Communities.

Ian Lyne's presentation‌

The University of Liverpool opened the Victoria Gallery & Museum as its contribution to Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture year in 2008. The VG&M has worked successfully in partnership with many organisations, two different examples are presented here. ¬An exhibition by contemporary artist Paul Rooney (part of Liverpool Biennial) had a positive impact on the development of the VG&M collection, facilities and profile. An HLF-funded exhibition on the Hittites incorporated collaborative research, a British Museum partnership loan, an AHRC Collaborative PhD (with National Museums Liverpool), collection digitisation and a learning programme. Exhibitions are a valuable engagement tool but involve considerable work. The Hittites project might be useful example for academics considering working with a museum.

Moira Lindsay and Leonie Sedman's Presentation

This paper outlined the link between academic research related to Durham World Heritage Site, site management and day to day use, and public engagement. It focused specifically on presenting an approach to interpreting the World Heritage Site at Durham by creatively engaging the local student body. The premise of this presentation was that heritage sites need to draw upon their specific human assets, and to think of engagement as an all encompassing endeavour which could make scholarship and academic knowledge accessible to a broad public. It also touched on how the actual presentation of information was an essential factor determining how effectively it was received by the public.

Seif Al-Rashidi's presentation

This paper explores the intangibility of music compared with ‘tangible’ forms of heritage. Music can be packaged in physical forms, but the knowledge of production and interpretation is held in thoughts – much as for an architect or sculptor. Preserving the artefact is not enough, so working with three community partners we ask how knowledge about music is transmitted, from both performer to audience and performer to performer. Working through a process of collaborative ethnography, this co-produced research places the musical groups at the heart of the investigation.

Fay Hield's presentation‌

This talk provided an overview of work currently being undertaken at the University of Sheffield on the relationship between heritage and performance. It featured case studies of recent projects, such as the co-production of plays with a local theatre company, Point Blank, based on archaeological and historical research, and a White Rose Collaboration Fund project with Leeds and York called ‘Performing the Past: Exploring the Heritage of Working-Class Communities in Yorkshire’. The talk also considered some of the benefits of combining heritage and performance, as well as some of the challenges that can arise.

Vicky Crewe's Summary‌

The archaeological project at the Roman fort at Binchester brings together members of Durham University with members of the Architectural and Archaeological Society for Durham and Northumberland to explore the excellently preserved remains of this important site. Community involvement was incorporated from the very beginning of the project in 2009 and over the project life, many members of the local community joining the Archaeological society specifically to get a chance to work at Binchester. Crucially, we have encouraged involvement not just during the summer excavation season, but also during the all important post-excavation work that is carried out throughout the year. Local volunteers have attended training courses in environmental archaeology alongside our 1st year undergraduate students. Using funding available via the AHRC Connected Communities scheme we were able to establish a 'spin-off' series of training events in community heritage, and we look forward to developing further ways in which we can work together over the forthcoming life of the project.

David Petts's Presentation‌

Academic staff in the School of Architecture at the University of Liverpool, and colleagues in cognate disciplines, are involved in a wide range of research and outreach activities, ranging from actively campaigning for the saving of buildings at risk, such as the Preston Bus Station, to investigating buildings of local interest such as the Pilkington Factory at St Helens.  Through its community involvement, public lectures, research output and academic programmes, the School seeks to promote the understanding of architecture and urbanism across the north of England and to place it in its national and international context.