By KLTV Newsdesk –

The annual Community Archives and Heritage Group (CAHG) Conference was hosted at the University College London (UCL) earlier this month, gathering professionals and enthusiasts to discuss the pivotal role of communities in preserving local and national heritage.

This year’s conference, themed “Community Archives: Keeping Community at the Heart of Archives and Heritage,” featured a lineup of speakers emphasising the integral role of community involvement in heritage preservation.

As a member of CAHG and a previous CAHG award-winner, KLTV was invited to attend this year’s conference.

Keynote: Rethinking Best Practices

Karyn Williamson of the Digital Preservation Coalition delivered an impassioned keynote address, highlighting the sector’s evolving nature and the vulnerability of digital records.

She challenged the audience to move beyond the traditional concept of “best practice” and adopt more thoughtful, community-focused approaches to archiving and preservation.

Local Authority Archives and Community Collaboration

Julie Melrose from the Haringey Archive and Museum Service echoed Williamson’s sentiments, stressing the importance of collaboration between institutional archives and community groups.

She emphasised that communities should be empowered to tell their own stories, with archives serving as facilitators rather than instructors.

Digital Archives: Planning for the Future

Stevan Lockhart presented on the Assynt Community Digital Archive, underscoring the need for early planning in digital preservation.

He advocated for viewing archiving as an ongoing initiative rather than a finite project, stressing the significance of connecting communities to their digital archives through events and practical applications.

Sean Rippington of St Andrews University shared insights on supporting community archives from an institutional perspective, focusing on practical, individualized approaches.

Embracing Traditional Gathering Spaces

Catherine MacPhee from the Skye and Lochlash Archive Centre encouraged attendees to embrace the cèilidh, transforming archives into gathering spaces where communities can share and preserve their histories in engaging and unconventional ways.

Long-Term Community Engagement

Marcus Belben and Manon Evans from Friction Arts and the People’s Heritage Co-operative in Birmingham emphasized the importance of sustained relationships with communities.

Their assertion, “we don’t do drive-by archives,” encapsulated the conference’s core message: fostering long-term, meaningful engagement with community members to strengthen their connection to their archives.

Commemorating Untold Histories

Clare Wichbold presented on the Rotherwas Together project, which honours the workers, particularly the often-overlooked “canary girls,” of the Royal Ordnance Factory Rotherwas during World Wars I and II.

Her talk highlighted the intersection of feminist and military history in commemorative projects.

Closing Remarks and Awards

The conference concluded with the CAHG Resource Working Group promoting their website and directory, encouraging attendees to utilize the available resources for collaboration and knowledge sharing.

The session underscored the mutual benefits of collaboration between community and institutional archives.

The event also introduced the CAHG Community Archive of the Month awards, with the inaugural award going to the Pope’s Grotto Preservation Trust.

Trustee Professor Judith Hawley accepted the award and delivered a presentation on the Trust’s innovative outreach programs.

The midday poster competition also saw winners from Glasgow Zine Library, Transport for All, and the Liverpool Black History Research Group.

The 2024 CAHG Conference successfully highlighted the indispensable role of communities in preserving heritage, inspiring future generations to continue fostering strong, collaborative relationships in the archival sector.