We were delighted to welcome over 300 attendees on Monday afternoon to this year’s Heritage Debate, sponsored by Ecclesiastical Insurance. We use this annual event as a springboard for discussion on topics currently affecting the sector.
It was fitting that as we adapted to new technologies for our first ever virtual Heritage Debate, with the topic: Young People and Heritage: Creating Lifelong Supporters? We explored how young people engage with heritage, and how the sector can support and empower these young people to become advocates for heritage into the future.
Co-Chaired by The Heritage Alliance’s own Daniella Briscoe-Peaple alongside Oxford University’s Alice Purkiss, we welcomed four panellists from across the sector; Alison Bowyer (Executive Director, Kids in Museums), Ana Persinaru, (Youth Engagement Consultant), Anita Kerwin-Nye (Director of Strategy and Engagement, YHA) and Grace Connelly (SPAB Education and Training Officer).
Attendees were treated to a keynote speech from 4 of English Heritage’s Shout Out Loud Young Producers, who offered the panel provocations that kickstarted the Debate, and event sponsors Ecclesiastical offered an insight into their recent youth and heritage research study.
We will release the recordings and links mentioned throughout the Debate itself, and in the lively chat, next week – look out for the next edition of Heritage Update for a link. In the meantime, we encourage anyone interested in the topic and hearing from young people themselves to read the 12 blogs submitted from 16-24 year olds.