April: Shaping Your Event - Interpretation & Audiences

By now you should be ready to register, and it’s time to think how to make the most of the building, garden or other asset you wish to share with the public. You certainly know best how to interpret and present your place in a really interesting way, but maybe the following questions will steer your thoughts in new directions and prompt further ideas:

What makes your building special? Is it its history, its architectural features, or its role within the community? Are there stories and anecdotes that can be used?
Who do you wish to attract to your building? You may know your usual audiences, but are there others you would like to attend, such as young people, different ethnic groups, disabled visitors or families?
Why not widen the scope and think about European Heritage Days or other international connections? As you may well be aware, HODs was established by the Civic Trust in 1994 as England’s contribution to European Heritage Days. The Council of Europe initiated the event in 1991 to bring people closer to their cultural heritage. It is now celebrated in 49 countries from the Baltic to the Balkans, from Iceland to the Iberian Peninsular, highlighting not only the dazzling diversity of Europe’s heritage, but also its intercultural links. So, are there any European links you can create, e.g. working with young people to run a project such as Europe - a Common Heritage? Maybe it’s worth checking out what your twin town is doing for their Journ.es de Patrimoine, Tag des Deutschen Denkmals or Open Monumentendag?
The answers to these questions will help you to decide:

• How will you interpret your building?
• Will you open alone or in conjunction with other buildings?
• Will you have a theme?
• Will you have exhibitions, extra events or tours?
• Will you offer local artists or photo-graphers the opportunity to use your building as a stimuli, so they can exhibit their work?
• Will you invite local music groups and your event?
• Will you be aiming to seek different their audiences? If so, who?
• Will you be aiming to provide extra activities for these different audiences?
• Will you cater for the needs of disabled and explained their links to the 200th visitors who cannot access the site easily?

Linking Your Event With a Theme

Some individual buildings open each year with a different focus or theme. Coventry Multi Faith Centre, in the heart of Coventry, based on the site of the first Cathedral, is a case in point. In 2006, the Centre held an exhibition on the theme of pilgrimages and holy places in different faith traditions. In 2007, it mounted an exhibition of posters leaflets, and artefacts on the theme of faiths caring for our Natural Heritage. Children were entertained with tales from around the globe and activities based on the theme of recycling.

Some organisers link their event to topical anniversaries. In 2007, many of the Methodist churches and chapels linked their involvement in HODs to the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the birth of Charles Wesley. Other builings researched and explained their links to the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery.

1. Children’s activities
2. Accessibility fact file
3. Activities inspired by wheather vanes
4. Activities inspired by tiles
5. Activities inspired by stained glass
6. Reaching new audiences
7. How to write a directory entry (coming soon)

Case Studies

Presentation and Interpretation - Making The Most of Your Building

“We chose to highlight all the things that make our church so special within its community. We provided activities and exhibitions for everyone, for all ages and interests. Stewards were on hand to welcome people and answer questions and all visitors received a copy of the church’s updated guide for 2007- 8.
The church has splendid fittings of the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries, including stained glass, embroideries, mosaics and contemporary paintings and is particularly well known for the ‘Arts and Crafts movement’ carvings created by Arthur Simpson of Kendal. There was an exhibition of traditional and modern priest’s vestments, a display of items from the church archives and special floral arrangements.
The weekend also included a programme of music with a variety of artists performing, from the Church Choir to students from Eccles College and the Students and Praise Band from Bolton’s Victoria Hall. As our press release declared: ‘Aisle bet there’s fun for all at this heritage celebration.’” St Margaret’s Parish Church, Prestwich

Events, Tours, and Extra Resources for Different Audiences

“We try to keep a fascinating exhibition within our building interesting and lively year on year, and we have also considered the needs of visitors who cannot physically access it. Sale Civic Society holds an event in Walkden Gardens, which contains a Grade II listed dovecote building, rescued from another site thanks to a campaign spear headed by our Civic Society.
Inside the building, an exhibition offers visitors the chance to learn about the dovecote’s origins, its rescue from demolition and its rebuilding as an integrated design feature within the gardens. In order to communicate this story to as many people as possible, significant emphasis is on the use of photos, running parallel to the exhibition as a pictorial diary.
The entrance way into the dovecote is not suitable for wheelchair users and some pushchairs, so as an alternative, we have re-produced the exhibition in booklet format to help people understand and enjoy the building, even if they cannot physically access it.
In order to keep the event fresh, each year, although the core display remains the same, other sections change to reflect the ways in which the garden and dovecote continue to be used by the community and to advertise forthcoming events. The booklet’s pages are displayed in a folder made up of poly-pockets so the last few pages can easily be pulled out and replaced with new ones annually.” Pat Coulburn, Sale Civic Society, Greater Manchester

Activities for a Different Audience - Young People

“Mole Valley’s Heritage Open Days attracted huge crowds. Activities for young people proved to be particularly popular, such as the aptly named Rock Festival organised by geologist Professor Richard Selley. The festival provided an opportunity for visitors to understand more about the geology and landscape and there was an identification service for rocks and minerals brought in by the public.” Rod Shaw, Mole Valley District Council, Surrey