The National Lottery Heritage Fund is undertaking new research to explore how we can accelerate the emerging ideas needed to support heritage in the future.  

We want to hear your insights on the key innovation opportunities and challenges heritage is facing in the longer term.

Together with the Young Foundation we want to hear your insights on the key innovation opportunities and challenges heritage is facing in the longer term.    

What we are doing

We are bringing together people working in different areas of heritage across the UK to explore:

• What are the priority challenges facing heritage now and in the longer term?
• What works within and outside different areas of heritage in relation to these challenges?
• Where are the gaps, and what are the actions needed to address these?

Why are we doing this?

The pandemic has caused significant disruption to heritage organisations. It has highlighted the need for accelerating innovation in areas such as skills and workforce development, income generation and visitor experience.

We recognise that we have a unique role to play in this space, in line with the vision set out in our Strategic Funding Framework of inspiring, leading and resourcing the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future.  

This is a critical point to ensure opportunities to accelerate the innovation needed to tackle longer term challenges are not lost. 

We need your help

Your insights are vital to this work. We want to add value to work already underway across the heritage sector and beyond, rather than duplicating it.

There are three key ways to get involved at this time:  

Receive updates and attend our workshops

On 19 and 20 April we’re running a series of workshops. These will provide an opportunity for us to explore different challenges together and for you to contribute your own perspectives. 

We’ll look to share early insights from the project as it progresses. On 5 May, we will host an early ‘show and tell’ from this discovery phase where you can feedback on early findings. 

Register your interest for these workshops and events.

Tell us about your insights

We recognise the challenge of engaging with new initiatives right now. If you want to take part but you’re short of time, please send us one key piece of reading around:

• a future or anticipated challenge for heritage
• an emerging area of promise  
• transferrable innovations from other sectors

Submit your insights.

Share our call out

We want to provide the opportunity for different people to participate in the research process. This is fundamental to our work partnering with The Young Foundation.

We will proactively reach out to a diverse range of voices beyond existing networks. We will offer support and resources to help people take part.

Please help us by sharing this with your colleagues, contacts and networks.    

About the Young Foundation

The Young Foundation works with people and communities to understand and take action on the issues they care about.

They have a 60-year legacy of innovation within the social sphere. As a UK Research and Innovation accredited research organisation, social incubator and charity, they bring communities, businesses, innovators, entrepreneurs and policymakers together to help build stronger communities and solve the most pressing issues in society.

For any queries about this work, contact: research@youngfoundation.org.