exploring our roots. who do we want to be? portrait of a nation exploring our roots, who do we want...

Exploring our roots. Who do we want to be?

PORTRAIT OF A NATION

Exploring our roots,Who do we want to be?

A conversation with young people, exploring their

Heritage and Identity

Portrait of a Nation


Heritage Lottery Fund

Sara Hilton Head of HLF North West

Roland Smith HLF Communications Account Manager

David Wilson City of Bradford Metropolitan District

Council


Heritage Lottery Fund

The Heritage Lottery Fund is the UK’s leading advocate for the value of heritage to modern life

The Fund sustains and transforms our heritage through innovative investment in projects with a lasting impact on people and places

Our view of heritage is broad, progressive and inclusive.

We believe that understanding, valuing and sharing our diverse histories changes lives, brings people together and provides the foundation of a confident, modern society.


Sustaining and Transforming

The Heritage lottery Fund is the largest dedicated funder of the UK’s heritage

• We fund heritage projects of all sizes, with grants from under £50,000 to over £5 million

• We want to support innovative as well as tried-and-tested approaches, and welcome proposals that are pioneering in concept or delivery


Grant making

Through our grant making we aim to:

• Conserve the UK’s diverse heritage for present and future generations to experience and enjoy;

• Help more people, and a wider range of people, to take an active part in and make decisions about their heritage;

• Help people to learn about their own and other people’s heritage.


HLF and Young People

Young people are the future advocates for heritage

Providing opportunities to learn about heritage, and helping people develop the skills to care for the culture, places and knowledge we have inherited, is at the heart of what we do.


HLF Policy Directions from DCMS

Through our grant making we tasked with:

• Inspiring children and young people, awakening their interest and involvement in the activities;

• Increasing access and participation for those who do not currently benefit from the heritage opportunities in the UK;

• Involving the public and local communities in making policies and setting priorities;

• Encouraging innovation … and helping people to develop skills.


Young Roots Programme

Dedicated Young Roots Programme involving13-25 year-olds in:

•Finding out about their heritage•Developing skills•Building confidence•Promoting community involvement

•Youth-led• Creative and engaging activities

By providing grants of between£3,000 and £25,000

837 Young Roots projects funded across the UK - £18,343,061


To receive a Young Roots grant

Project must relate to the varied heritage of the UK, and:

• Provide new opportunities for a wider range of young people aged 13 to 25 to learn about their own and others’ heritage

• Allow young people to lead and take part in creative and engaging activities

• Develop partnerships between youth organisations and heritage organisations

• Create opportunities to celebrate young people’s achievements in the project and share their learning with the wider community


Young Roots Grants Awarded

• North West• 132 Young Roots projects funded £2,932,730

• UK Wide• 837 Young Roots projects funded £18,343,061


Young Roots evaluation

Young Roots allows young people to define heritage for themselves, gain respect and learn new skills:

“[Heritage is] who you are, where you’re from and what’s important to you.”

“I think the old people see us differently. They see us doing a film about them and they don’t think we’re trouble makers because we talk to them and are interested in their lives.”

“It’s not just about learning to use your hands, but what you learn most is interpersonal skills and social skills, you learn to

bemore tolerant of other people and their opinions.”


Involving young people 2

Youth Participation Strategy

• Designed to help us work with young people in a different way

• Increasing opportunities young people had to be involved in HLF’s day-to-day business

• Encouraging HLF staff to learn from the skills and perspectives that young people bring


HLF leads the Heritage and Identity Debate

HLF has is leading the way in creating debate about our cultural heritage and identity – across the UK and in Northern Ireland

2004 British Museum – Who Do We Think We Are?

2004 DNA of Heritage in Wales

Now in year 4

2005 Scotland – Who Do We Want To Be?

2005/06 Citizens Juries

Glasgow, London and Leicester

2007 Ebb and Flow – Story of the Thames Gateway

Exploring the local heritage of communities in the Thames Gateway

2007 Northern Ireland - Digging Deeper

Sharing our past, Sharing our future



• The year long campaign will work with young people across the UK

• They will showcase their own local, regional and national heritage and identities through a series of events in 18 cities

• Their work will feed into a showcase of cultural identity that will close the Liverpool European Capital of Culture 2008 celebrations.


Portrait of a Nation is…

A partnership between:

• Liverpool Culture Company:– securing a place for heritage and identity in their

celebrations as European Capital of Culture 2008

• The 17 Cities in the Cultural Cities Network (UCN) :– securing a place for heritage and identity in their 2008

cultural agendas


Portrait of a Nation Activities

• Focuses on young people, giving them a voice in the debate about cultural identity

• Provides a high profile platform for heritage in 2008

• Engages with communities and stakeholders

• Celebrates national, local and community heritage and distinctiveness

• A cultural exchange and year long dialogue that takes European City of Culture out of Liverpool and brings it back


Example city activities

• Preview of Highlands & Islands contribution– a newly commissioned piece of contemporary music performed in

Gaelic and traditional costume during the Highlands January celebrations, in front of the First Minster. Work will be shown in Glasgow in Sept 08.

‘We make Manchester’– 6 Manchester youth groups identified 6 words to describe their city

and its heritage. These will be explored through debates, tours and interviewing Mancunians

Six words: Influential Misunderstood UniqueUnited Multicultural Understated


The year ahead…

January Highlands PreviewBristol Great Reading Adventure launch

February Oxford Youth Festival March Liverpool Preview and Manchester Debates April Workshop activity in all cities May Norwich Cultural Manifesto

Cardiff virtual preview June Midsummer awakening of Canterbury’s giant

NewcastleGateshead previewJuly Leeds and Bradford – youth festivals August Brighton festivalSeptember Leeds Town Hall event; London and Scotland showcase

Events in Derby and Leicester October Oxford & Birmingham showcase eventsNovember Cardiff St David’s exhibition

NewcastleGateshead film festivalDecember Liverpool Portrait of a Nation festival


The Conversation with Young People

Who Do We Want To Be?

Throughout the year, young people will be leading the debate about their identity, their community and their aspirations for the future.

These draw out the idea of“Exploring our roots. Who do we want to be?”

Where do you come from?

Where are you now?

Where do you want to be?


Questions of Identity

There are three distinct areas that the questions/conversation will focus on:

• Individual Your heritage and aspirations

•Community Your city, family, friends and

networks

• Nation Where do you think we are going as a nation / collective of nations?


The Toolkit

The main forum for the conversation will be the

Portrait of a Nation website:On-Line Forum:

There will be regular live real-time conversations, involving young people involved in Portrait of a Nation activities and invited guests

On-Line Polls:

Questions that can be answered and commented on by all visitors to the website

Vox Pops/ Films:

Interviews and short films exploring the issues raised through the campaign, culminating in a short film competition for young people


Portrait of a Nation website

A website has been developed in partnership with NOISE Festival, to underpin the campaign

– Enables participants to further develop their ideas through online dialogue and networking,

– Acts as a cultural identity ‘facebook’ – Creates a platform to showcase work throughout 2008.


‘Threads’

Bradford’s

approach to



Bradford

Past Experience of Major Projects

• Urban Cultural Programme• Bradford led the five Yorkshire Cities;

Bradford, Leeds, York, Sheffield & Hull

• Friendship Programme

• Nesta

• Museums Hub


SAY

Strategic Arts for Children & Young People

• Partnership that champions arts and creativity for young people in the Bradford district

• Work reflects hopes and aspirations of young people

• Co-ordinating role between arts groups and those involved with the Children’s and Young People’s agenda


HLF Support

• Initial consultation– Ongoing dialogue

• Your Heritage Grant - application– Ongoing dialogue

• Project Coordinator– Ongoing dialogue

• Project start– Ongoing dialogue


Threads

• SAY

• Steering Group (includes Young People)

• Recruitment of Young People– Ongoing planning of activity– Partner involvement


The Journey

The two halves of the Project

Exhibition / Showcase:

Working with:

SAY partners

Local artists

Creative Director (Liverpool)

Learning:

Workshop activities with:

SAY partners

Industrial Museum

West Yorkshire Archives Museums Service

National Media Museum

Web research


From Baden Powell to Morrissey

Salford Lads & Girls Club

Grant award: £25,000


From Baden Powell to Morrissey


Cherish Our Roots

Gabriel Care, St Helens

Grant award: £49,900


Cherish Our Roots


“Barriers from both generations came down. Distrust, disinterest & fear were replaced by recognition of a common history & heritage. A 92 year old & a 15 year old now greet other at the bus stop – for the first time.”

Margaret Coen, Project Co-ordinator

Cherish Our Roots


Cherish Our Roots

www.hlf.org.uk

exploring our roots. who do we want to be? portrait of a nation exploring our roots, who do we want...

Documents

young peopleyoung people

heritageallow young

heritage opportunities

young roots grantproject

wider range of young

value of heritage

varied heritage

heritagehelp people