Socio-economic impact measurement, impact drivers and strategies for change
University of Brighton, Grand Parade, Brighton, UKApril 22-23, 2010
Call for papers
Heritage Impact 2010 is the fifth international symposium on the socio-economic impact of heritage organised by the University of Brighton Business School, the CUBIST Research Group and the Cultural Informatics Research Group. The symposium aims to bring together speakers from across Europe to consider the impact of heritage sites on society and the economy.
Heritage sites are facing an unprecedented threat. The long-term erosion of funding sources coupled with the current economic climate has the potential to change the heritage landscape. Heritage sites are coming under increasing pressure from funders to measure their benefit to society, to add value to their offerings and to increase self-sustainability. But, as ever, there is little evidence for the impact of heritage on society. One of the aims of Heritage Impact 2010 is to bring all this information together coherently in one place.
The symposium will explore the processes that influence impact at heritage sites. Assessing the value of cultural heritage and determining its impact on society and the economy is crucial for the future of the heritage sector. As the heritage community begins to understand the processes that influence impact, the sector will be in a better position to influence positive future outcomes. Furthermore, if the heritage community can provide evidence of why certain strategies are successful, this information can be put to direct use by heritage sites to exploit their assets most effectively and influence decisions at a policy level.
The organising committee invites both practitioners and academics to submit papers that explore the following complementary themes:
· Measuring impact: measuring and evaluating impact is fundamental for heritage sites. Papers that analyse the various techniques and methodologies for impact assessment and measurement are invited. Furthermore, case studies that evaluate the impact of heritage sites are sought.
· Changing impacts through strategy, marketing and policy: in these harsh economic times it is necessary to use the information gained from impact measurement to drive strategy. Abstracts are invited that look at strategies that can lead to positive impacts and outcomes for heritage sites.
· Heritage as a regeneration tool: This stream will consider heritage-led economic and community development, tourism and policy impacts.
· Sustainability issues for heritage: What social, economic and environmental sustainability issues exist for heritage?
· The impact and use of ICT: Heritage Impact seeks to assess the impact of ICT at heritage sites. This can range from the use of ICT in acquiring impact data, to the impact of ICT deployments at heritage sites including the impact on the visitor experience. This year special emphasis will be placed on the role of 3D technology at heritage sites.
Heritage Impact 2010 will provide an opportunity for key stakeholders – practitioners, academics policy makers, heritage strategists, heritage technologists and marketing professionals – to share and shape the latest thinking on the direction of research and on strategies for improving and evaluating impact in the cultural heritage sector. The measurement of impact is seen therefore not as an academic or political exercise, but as the cornerstone of future heritage strategy.
Please send a 300 word abstract to: c.r.matthews@brighton.ac.uk
Important dates
Abstract: 22 January
Review comments: 29 JanuaryFull paper to organisers: 8 March