Heritage Day with The Heritage Alliance – March 2026

We joined members of the heritage sector for a full day of interesting sessions at stunning One Great George Street, a building steeped in history. The conference theme was #HeritageConnects, so the discussions emphasised the value (and need!) to position heritage as relevant and compelling spaces that connect with its immediate community, as well as younger potential visitors who often have an untapped desire for civic pride.

Aligned to this quest were linked topics like encouraging school visits, apprenticeships for endangered crafts and engaging with both local government and Whitehall. Unsurprisingly, fireside chats included politicians from the House of Lords, the government and opposition – for once, happily united regarding safeguarding heritage. All agreed that landscapes and features like national parks, trails and waterways are integral to heritage in the same way as buildings and collections. In a similar vein, delegates were called to consider modifying our relationship with heritage from the observational to the more personal and philosophical – essentially a shift to heritage as an element of identity and belonging.

There were also reminders that heritage is a social and economic connector on both national and global scales, not least by way of the launch of the ‘From Local to Global’ report and a rousing keynote address by Historic England co-CEOs.

Special congratulations to the Ecclesiastical Heritage Heroes Award recipients, Dry Stone Wallers and especially the Young Heritage Heroes Award winners, Destine Pinzi and Samuel Jones, who both impressed with speeches that were both poised and stimulating – even challenging the entire conference to trust and include young voices in decision-making.

Thank you to The Heritage Alliance for a fascinating and enriching day, that included plenty of opportunities to network and even a lunchtime guided tour about the history of St James’s Park, courtesy of The Royal Parks.

#JGartsandculture | #HeritageDay2026 | #HeritageDay