The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), in partnership with Royal Society for the Arts (RSA), is bringing together for the first time a range of high profile heritage leaders and thinkers on 14 and 15 July to debate the challenges and opportunities facing the UK’s heritage sector. Taking place at LSO St Luke’s in Islington, an inspiring HLF-funded venue, Heritage Exchange is a major thought-leadership event focusing on new ways of working in a radically changing economic environment.

The event will launch two pieces of new research:

• Matthew Taylor, CEO of the RSA, will reveal a new report demonstrating how the UK’s heritage, though much-loved, is an untapped asset which needs to play a much greater role in helping areas thrive economically, culturally and socially
• Dan Corry, CEO of New Philanthropy Capital (NPC), will launch research commissioned by HLF exploring the extent to which heritage organisations are struggling to access financial opportunities and need to look at ways to better access finance.

Dame Jenny Abramsky, Chair of HLF, said: “This is a pivotal moment for the heritage sector. We continue to live through turbulent times. We urgently need to look to the future, consider heritage’s role in society and explore new ways of working to ensure its resilience.

“HLF has now been in business for 20 years and in that time we’ve helped – thanks to National Lottery players – some 36,000 projects across the UK with £6billion worth of investment. We’ve invigorated places and communities and succeeded in getting people involved in the heritage they care so passionately about. But we cannot be complacent. Heritage Exchange is an important opportunity for us to strive for the relevance, growth and enjoyment of heritage now and in the future.”

Chaired by Matthew Taylor, Heritage Exchange will involve an eclectic mix of speakers and panellists who will draw on both UK and international perspectives to think creatively about how to better shape decision-making, how to stimulate new mindsets and create fresh business models.

Matthew Taylor said, “Heritage Exchange is a timely opportunity for us all to look forward and envisage a more robust future. The sector must also begin to convincingly argue that what it is holding out is not a begging bowl but an untapped asset.”

The full Heritage Exchange programme and a variety of provocations and blogs can be found at Heritage Exchange event programme page. Join the debate on Twitter at #HeritageExchange.

The event is invite-only and oversubscribed but those unable to attend can access the event through live-streaming via the website.

Heritage Exchange conference programme

The event begins at 4.30pm on 14 July with a discussion about the important challenges that the heritage and cultural sectors are actively grappling with, chaired by Matthew Taylor and led by Dame Jenny Abramsky. This will include provocation papers with the session and the discussion will finish with a Q&A session and a networking reception at 8pm.

On the second day, there will be three main sessions:

• Fresh perspectives
  Dan Corry will be releasing new research looking at new mindsets and business/finance models. He is joined by Mike Clarke, CEO of the RSPB, Dr Maria Balshaw, Director of Manchester Museums, and Jonathon Ruffer, Investment Manager and Philanthropist.
• Tale of the cities
  This session will explore the scope for new partnerships and the contribution heritage can make to core local economic and social goals. Matthew Taylor will give a special preview of new RSA research commissioned by HLF. An international perspective will be given by Professor Desmond Hui, Non-Executive Director, Urban Renewal Authority, Hong Kong.
• Re-imagining heritage
  Matthew Taylor will lead a discussion with panelists including George Ferguson, Sir Howard Bernstein and Professor Desmond Hui exploring how heritage plays a vital role in creating and sustaining places and how leaders can shape the debate about the future of spaces and places.

The event will close with a wrap-up discussion – Next steps – and reflections from delegates and heritage leaders such as Dr Loyd Grossman, Sir Laurie Magnus, Sir Peter Bazalgette, Professor Sir John Lawton and Deborah Mattinson. Dame Jenny Abramsky will deliver the closing remarks.

Further information

HLF press office: Katie Owen or Alison Scott, 020 7591 6036/6032, out of hours mobile: 07973 613820

RSA press office: Luke Robinson, 020 7451 6893, mobile 07799 737 970.