Conferences

CIC logo Conference

Heritage at War: Plan and Prepare (2023)

In February 2023, The Victoria and Albert Museum’s Culture in Crisis Programme, in partnership with the School of Museum Studies at the University of Leicester staged an international conference exploring the past and present risks of military conflict to heritage.
'Heritage at War: Plan and Prepare' brought together voices from Europe, the US, Africa, and Asia to explore how lessons learned from past experiences of conflict can inform our approaches to the safeguarding of cultural heritage today. Presentations explored how the heritage sector, the military and other stakeholders collaborate to protect cultural heritage under attack, navigating the specific risks of direct military conflict on the ground.

This conference is generously supported by the University of Leicester’s ESRC Impact Acceleration Award.

INTO Heritage Conference

INTO Dundee – Heritage Now: Relevance & Community (2022)

In October 2022, the Culture in Crisis Programme in partnership with the International National Trusts Organisation, the National Trust for Scotland and V&A Dundee convened a major international conference, in Dundee, Scotland.

INTO Dundee: Heritage Now: Relevance & Community highlighted the importance of both people and purpose within heritage preservation, taking an encompassing look at tangible and intangible heritage, as well as the preservation of landscapes where nature and heritage co-exist. The conference explored key ideas such as how relevance is perceived, shaped and adapted within heritage, and how organisations can engage communities and (re)present narratives.

As the heritage sector faces ongoing evolving challenges, now more than ever organisations are recognising the importance of future-focused strategies. The conference provided an important forum for sharing experiences and developing best practices, with specific consideration to work relating to communities and the relevance heritage holds for them.

The event drew together a global audience of heritage professionals and those working in associated sectors, providing a rich opportunity for sharing international experiences and case studies.