Are you interested in creating a heritage project but not sure where to start? Five of Newham Heritage Month 2022’s brilliant project creators share their hard-earned tips and best pieces of advice for someone starting a new heritage project. From finding your passion to putting people at the heart of heritage, read on to discover the secrets of their success.
“My advice to someone starting a new heritage project is to put individuals’ and communities’ stories at the heart of your work, and share them with as many people as possible, whether that’s through an exhibition, a book, a piece of theatre, or a podcast!”
Laura Owen, East End Women’s Museum, ‘Newham Women in Sport’
“I always think of a heritage project as a story I want to tell to lots of people. So it should be about something I find interesting and want to learn more about. I would say start really early with your research: recording voices, setting up interviews, researching in the archive and save it all into a folder on your computer. You can even do this before you apply for funding, to help you come up with the idea it will make your idea stronger and more likely to win funding!”
Rosie Murdoch, ‘Run Ranelagh Run!’
“Try to think of something that will interest people for your project (of course I don’t mean this is easy, though).”
Tom Lam, ‘Our Olympic Dream Lives On’
“Check what knowledge and expertise already exists and connect with those people and information sources – don’t duplicate but capacity build. In the run-up to 2012, our local history group got very fed up with artists being parachuted into the borough to do things that residents were already doing, or indeed had already done.”
Ju Gosling, Together! 2012 CIC, ‘Ten Years and Over 2012 Activities Later’
“If you are starting a new project make good use of social media as well as leafleting and the local press and use local shops to put up posters and such like. And never turn away offers of help! There are so many people who have a passion for our history and heritage in our manor. Get them on board!”
Colin Grainger, ‘London 2012 Memories: Editor’s Choice’
Find out more about applying to be part of next year’s festival, including up to £8000 funding and free training, at https://www.newhamheritagemonth.org/blog/newham-heritage-month-2023-launch/
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