Thursday, December 5

Zeitgeist

How to Reconnect with your Members post Covid-19
How To's, The Basics, Zeitgeist

How to Reconnect with your Members post Covid-19

As an industry that is based largely on interactions with physical sites or events, Covid-19 has hit the heritage sector hard. And while efforts have been made to provide financial support during the crisis, one aspect has suffered particularly: the direct connection to our visitors and members. The digital communication chasm Having to close sites and cancel events naturally has a direct impact on finances, and a third of third-sector organisations and community groups are concerned about surviving the summer. But the loss goes beyond the immediate numbers. Many heritage organisations, unused to doing a significant amount of their outreach online, have not stayed in touch with those audiences they rely on so heavily for support. And I'm not talking about a solitary email sayi...
Controversial Heritage should unite, not divide us
Opinion, Zeitgeist

Controversial Heritage should unite, not divide us

Heritage is never simple. It is the product of extraordinary human activity and powerful human emotion. This means by definition that there is never just one side to the coin. I was born and raised in Austria but moved to the UK at the age of 21. I'm constantly surrounded by reminders of just how differently the events of, say, WWII are remembered. In the UK, a celebration of the righteous and selfless defeat of evil; in Austria, a matter of institutionalised shame and guilt. Neither side is wrong, but neither side tells the whole story, either. And of course, some aspects of history are more controversial than others. But while we rarely get to change history, it is important to remember that heritage does go with the times. Societies change, we gain new insights and our worl...