Scotland’s Community Heritage Conversations (SCHC) is an event series bringing together volunteers, community groups and heritage professionals. Launched in November 2020 as a digital re-imagining of Scotland’s Community Heritage Conference, it is growing rapidly in popularity and attracting over 100 participants at each event.
The aim is to provide an engaging and approachable forum for sharing experiences and opportunities, discussing emerging policy and practice, and supporting one another through new and innovative solutions as we move through the present emergency towards recovery and renewal. So far, the Conversations have celebrated resilience within community groups, looked at adapting through digital, discussed exciting new ideas in youth empowerment and examined the connections between heritage and wellbeing.
All Conversations are free to attend and comprise a blend of talks followed by a Q&A, informal coffee break rooms, live polls and a lively concluding discussion. Those of you familiar with the Community Heritage Conference will also be pleased to know that the rapid-fire One Minute Mayhem, a 60-second ‘open mike’ soapbox, also has a popular slot on the agenda.
2023 events
We are very excited to announce that on Wednesday 20 September we will be hosting our first ever day-long, hybrid event! Scotland's Community Heritage Conversations 2023: Exploring Potential will be held in person at The Engine Shed in Stirling and online via Microsoft Teams.
The last few years have been difficult for the heritage sector and the aftereffects of the pandemic along with ongoing challenges brought by the cost-of-living crisis and the threat of climate change continue to face us all. We want to use our next Scotland’s Community Heritage Conversation to harness the power of the historic environment and tackle these issues head on. This event will be an opportunity for us all to get together to talk about resilience and celebrate grassroots community heritage.
Find out more and book your free tickets Download the programmeThe conversations are delivered through a partnership of Historic Environment Scotland, Archaeology Scotland, The Chartered Institute for Archaeologists, the Scottish Community Heritage Alliance and the Scottish Council on Archives, who together are coordinating a wide range of contributors from public bodies, third sector organisations and community groups.
BSL signers join the sessions and subtitled recordings will be made available as soon as possible after each event. This approach has been well received and helps to grow a sense of community where everyone is supported on what is a learning journey for all.
Watch SCHC event recordingsYou can follow the events on Twitter using hashtag #CelebrateCHC
Please share these events within your networks as there are many people, many groups, many communities we haven’t yet reached who could have a big positive impact on the Conversation.