Inverness conference aims to find a positive future for heritage
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Museum and heritage representatives will gather in Inverness for the first Highland Heritage Conference.
Sealladh will take place at Inverness Creative Academy on April 20 and 21.
The conference will focus on issues impacting our heritage sector. Alongside presentations by delegates from across the Highlands, speakers from national organisations Museums and Galleries Scotland, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Museums Association will share invaluable insights into resourcing our heritage and empowering our workforce.
Anyone who works or volunteers in the heritage sector is welcome to attend.
The event is organised by Museums and Heritage Highland, a charity formed in 2019 to promote collaborative working and provide a supportive voice for the Highland heritage sector. It is supported through the Museums Galleries Scotland Forums Fund project and is made possible with the National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players. The event is also supported by Smartify, the world’s most downloaded museum app, and Highland Tourism CIC, who are working with the sector to create a world-leading sustainable destination and premium environmental tourism brand.
Museums and Heritage Highland's digital innovation and network manager Nicola Henderson said: "The conference schedule is packed with sessions focusing on innovation and digital skills, managing capital projects, caring for collections and fundraising. There are also discussions around tourism in the Highlands underpinned by rich heritage as well as wellbeing in museums.
“The first session will be a fun ice breaker, where we will learn more about the diversity of skills in the sector, the professional needs of our heritage colleagues and how we bring those two together. We are planning to invite delegates to present a project and discuss how they have responded to the demands of the last few years. We will also discuss complex issues such as the decolonisation of museums and how we ensure our collections are accessible and representative of all society today.
“The event is an opportunity to discuss and develop plans for the future of our heritage sector. That is where the event name came from, Sealladh, meaning perspective or view in Gaelic.”
Helen Avenell, Museums and Heritage Highland's projects and partnerships manager, said: “Our network of museums, galleries and heritage organisations reaches from Strathnaver on the north coast to Gairloch, Grantown and Glencoe. Over the past few years, we have held regular online meet-ups, this is the first conference we have organised. We are excited to see our colleagues from across the Highlands in person and looking forward to meeting new members. I encourage anyone working or volunteering in museums or heritage organisations to come along.
“Although we are a Highland-based organisation, many topics we will focus on are relevant to every heritage organisation. We hope to attract heritage delegates from beyond the Highland region to Inverness for this event.”
