Good morning from the @WorldHeritageUK conference at Victoria Hall in WHS Saltaire. I’ll be tweeting some highlights here. We are welcomed by Chair Paul Simons, Councillor Alex Ross & Lazare Assomo of UNESCO.
Lord Wallace of Saltaire outlines some of the history of why Saltaire is so special. Sir Titus Salt’s vision for workers when the child mortality in Bradford was one of the worst in the country & life expectancy of millworkers was 18. bradford.gov.uk/environment/sa…
Unlike most WHS Saltaire is in mixed ownership. Salts Mill preserves this important site & contributes to economy. Salts Foundation cares for public buildings. Shipley College looks after others. Also owners & tenants of homes & shops. Here - from a previous visit
Salts Mill as important art centre & destination @SaltsMill connected to David Hockney
We are also welcomed by @annalouisedixon outlining the exceptional heritage in the area from Brontes & Little Germany in Bradford to exceptional industrial heritage including the jewel in the crown Saltaire - of international importance. But it is a place of play, work, study.
She talks about the Bradford 2025 Culture Programme. Wool industry & heritage had led to sumptuous public buildings & now lots of effort going into restoration & celebration of these buildings. Not only about industrial past but how we can look to the future - arts, film, renewal
Heritage driving creative industries also here at Saltaire with major filming productions bbc.com/news/articles/…
We are hearing from Jonathan Davies MP, Chair of new APPG for World Heritage. He talks about his own constituency with its Derwent Valley Mills & their importance - but also the huge capital repair needs of the site. Opportunity for creation of homes alongside visitor facilities.
He talks about the risks & challenges. Where climate mitigation and education is showcased & surfaced in WHS locations. We have a real opportunity to think about how education builds & supports young people’s understanding of shared heritage & national identity.
Talks about the value of our sites and expertise on the world stage. Will be speaking in Westminster Hall debate about this important role of U.K. heritage internationally in November. Keen to hear from WH sites in Westminster at the group.
Finally in this morning session we are hearing from Lorraine Smyth of @ACTCumbria talking about engagement. - an honest conversation where genuine change can be a consequence. Consultation & info part of a process but need also to have ongoing conversation.
@ACTCumbria It’s always too late to start consultation but do it anyway. It always takes longer than you think.
The @SCDC_Org are a great example of engagement standards says Lorraine scdc.org.uk
We had a lovely walking break exploring some of the public buildings around Saltaire
Next up I spoke for @Heritage_NGOs about advocacy and engaging politicians & decision makers with world heritage. The need for evidence & case studies as well as local engagement using our tools. Some great material on heritage as a public good from WHS…
Rachel Bottomley of Bradford city of Film continues the points I made about heritage as enabler of the creative economy & industries. So many big names filmed here in heritage locations. 2/3 tourists who visit the UK are influenced by screen. New Bradford film heritage app.
This afternoon we are kicking off with Shanaz Gulzar the creative director of @bradford2025 talking about community engagement - it’s not only Bradford but the district around. Significant political & social history - engaging young people with this.
@bradford2025 Next the @nationaltrust team at East Riddlesden Hall, particularly work with the Hindu Council. Encouraging engagement from locals. There was nervousness about the political context too. Engagement officer spending lots of time with local community groups getting to know people.
Have thought about language & signs created in a range of local languages. Involvement in Diwali celebrations. Victory of light over darkness - commonality of theme. Promoting similarities. Bringing in food suppliers from the community. Working with schools. Focus on volunteering
The NT has learned so much through these incredibly generous volunteering relationships created as part of Hinduism. The engagement officer spends a couple of days a week out with community groups. Now focusing on Muslim community, neurodiversity needs…
Work on poverty proofing & provision of community visits for those facing financial barriers.
Pay it forward system for coffee/tea/ice cream for when refugee visitors come to the property. Hardcastle Crags - gathered a library of waterproof clothing for all ages & stages. Tips on being curious & really understanding. Being open to the new. Developing teams of champions.
Some great quotes from the community.
Good to hear next from another @Heritage_NGOs member @UNESCOUK Liam Smyth £151m added financial value through UNESCO sites (2019 fig). New programme local to global. NLHF project. Hybrid network offer. unesco.org.uk/projects/disco…
V positive upswing in engagement with commission and between sites. Map is a key new product. New research will also look at the multi partner value in these sites. Community grants - shared problems & collaborative solutions.
Mention also of @UNESCOUK role as holder of the inventory of the Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Importance of collaboration, knowledge exchange & human and financial resource capabilities.
Great to chat in the break with Jonathan Davies MP @Jonathan4MD about the new APPG for World Heritage parallelparliament.co.uk/APPG/unesco-wo…
This afternoon final session is kicking off with Steve Messam about engagement via art and installations. Here Penistone, Patterdale & Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal
Fountains & Studley Royal, N Pennines. Interesting interplay between these temporary installations, pick up on social media, visits & how they become part of collective memory. Some in remote places - walking part of experience. Some so memorable they were included in video games
5500 Walkers where people other than farmers don’t usually go
Also international work. Again focus on industrial heritage.
Artwork in places like The Hague led to actual debates in parliament - raising profile of the heritage it is created around.
Penultimate presentation of the day. Kate Lapping of New Lanark WHS speaking about engagement with schools.
Emphasis on social ideals, welfare, cleanliness & education. Programme of restoration from 1970s
Scottish children come & learn about the industrial history of Scotland at the site. But also learning about hydropower too. Thousands visit each year. Whole modules can be covered. lanarkpowertrail.wordpress.com
Work also with ASN & SEND & early years, higher education. Internships & students from Edinburgh & Glasgow Strathclyde - students creating online resources for schools, a sensory gate, also important to keep the classics & fund educational activities as well as focus on nature.
Results show the work is having an impact. Next steps AR - there is a 3D scan of the site (great for records) but also for a virtual classroom to tackle the issues with cost of school visits & international stakeholders.
Finally this afternoon is Rubina Khalid co-CEO of WomenZone, a community centre in Bradford East, on engagement with South Asian Communities. Invited to be part of a workshop on the heritage of Saltaire - funded. Women v interested in these kinds of activities she notes.
Pete Chambers on engagement with disabled communities. Lived in Saltaire for a while and chaired the local society. Disability underrepresented in decision-making. Looked at Craven Museum - award for accessibility. Also options appraisal for Saltaire collection.
Involved in consultation for accessibility of website, and physical design of the exhibition space. Engagement can be cheap and easy if thought out. Meaningful consultation led to tangible results:
Final treat of the day was a quick look at @SaltsMill - an important arts centre and home to some of the Hockney collections as well as businesses, exhibition space, cafe & shops.
Hockney works pepper the walls
Alongside some larger scale pieces
Finally today an inspiring dinner talk from Zulfiqar Ali Karim DL
about the importance of intangible cultural heritage - he’s founding Director of UNESCO City of Film Bradford & led the successful UK bid in 2007 to host the Bollywood Film Awards IIFA in Yorkshire.
And that’s a wrap from Day One of @WorldHeritageUK conference in Saltaire
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