AHI Conference, York, October 2011.

‘Interpretation in heritage sites and museums is a discipline with professional standards. In order to survive in these difficult economic times, we need to think creatively – not just look for ways to do it ‘on the cheap’’.

This was the view of heritage interpretation consultant James Carter in his summary speech at the annual conference of the Association for Heritage Interpretation (AHI).  The conference, which took place near York in October, was a gathering of over 90 delegates, exploring creative strategies for producing exhibitions, panels, trails, and printed or electronic guides.

James said: ‘Facing painful cuts in budgets, it is inevitable that people are looking for ways to get work done cheaply. It’s true that working with limited resources can lead to creative solutions. But as we’ve seen in all the conference presentations, we shouldn’t underestimate the value that skilled and experienced practitioners can add to a project.’

Save money or save the world?

The conference was sponsored by York based heritage and design consultancy, PLB. Projects director, Sarah Oswald, opened the proceedings with a talk about sustainable design. She said that sustainability should be at the heart of all projects at museums and heritage sites, particularly when considering raw materials, labour and opportunities for recycling.

Sarah also pointed out that this isn’t always the cheapest option. ‘But we should be asking ourselves what’s most important – saving money or saving the earth’s resources?’

Small budget? Think big

Keynote speakers included Sarah Maltby, Director of Attractions at Jorvik in York. She said that museums and attractions need to remember that even small, low budget activities can have a big impact on visitors.

‘Interpretation on a budget need not be a constraint it can include the smallest hands-on activity that promotes excitement, or an event that brings what you already do alive.’

Jorvik’s popular family events include making up Viking songs and a children’s ‘best beard’ competition.

Don’t reinvent the wheel

Dr Sarah Tatham, interpretation officer at English Heritage, explained their strategy for providing interpretation panels at their 272 free access sites. With only a tiny budget, they have come up with design guidelines for all their panels, so minimising design time and costs. They have also built up a database of trusted reconstruction artists who can work efficiently at a set budget.

‘It is about streamlining the process,’ said Sarah. ‘We don’t have the finances to keep reinventing the wheel. But at the same time, we want to produce inspiring and informative interpretation’.

Be loyal to suppliers

Conference site visits included York Minster, where collections manager Vicky Harrison offered her top tips for interpretation on a budget. These included choosing flexible display systems which can be re used, approaching universities to involve students in projects, and never being afraid to ask around for funding.

Vicky also stressed the importance of being loyal to suppliers: ‘Building up a good relationship with your suppliers is essential. We’ll keep going back to trusted suppliers, and in return, they are prepared to help us meet our often limited budgets. It benefits us all, especially in these difficult times.’

The power of a good story

At Castle Howard, curator Chris Ridgway said their interpretation is centred on free guided tours of the house and grounds. But he emphasised that each guide has to have the right interpersonal skills. ‘We need people who like people, guides who can tell the stories of the place in ways that engage the audience.’

Castle Howard’s room guides are equipped not just with information about the paintings and objects, but with the fascinating stories behind each one. ‘There are tales of love, tragedy, adventure or mystery,’ added Chris. ‘These are the stories that visitors relate to and remember. And it doesn’t cost much to tell them.’

Conference papers

All the speakers’ presentations will be available on the AHI website www.ahi.org.uk. You can see a short video on http://vimeo.com/32224627.