The virtual conference at Connecting Culture promises to bring together museum and heritage professionals from around the world for two days of unmissable, thought-provoking content. The free to attend event will tackle subjects from technological developments, to future operating procedures, in an effort to rebuild and respond to the COVID-19 crisis.
We have gathered thought leaders and influencers from the world of museums, heritage and culture, from institutions and companies around the globe. We are now delighted to announce the first set of speakers at the Connecting Culture Virtual Conference.
Richard Parry, Head of the Experience Economy team, Department for International Trade
After working as a freelance writer, Richard decided to spend a year working in Government. That was in 1976. Subsequent roles included political risk analysis in the Far East, project finance, working with the railway industry, the education sector, a decade in and around the Gulf and finally (saving the best for last) the Experience Economy.
How the Department for International Trade works with the museum and cultural sector.
Richard has been working with the museums and attractions industry for over a decade and was one of the creators of Experienceuk. In his presentation, Richard will seek to brief delegates on the role of the Department for International Trade (DIT) and how it works to connect people and companies in the museums and heritage sector to opportunities overseas.
After an introduction to the structure of the Department, Richard will describe the various activities which, in pre-COVID-19 times, were part of the DIT arsenal of support: trade shows, trade missions and conferences. He will offer some thoughts on the markets which have historically been targets for the DIT’s creative industries team – China, Hong Kong, the USA and the Gulf before briefing delegates on plans to do much more in Europe over coming years.
Clearly, all of this is overshadowed by C-19 and the vast uncertainty which the pandemic has fostered. Richard will look at the world of virtual events and take a cautious look at where global opportunities may lie in the years to come.
Andrew McIntyre, Co-founder, Morris Hargreaves McIntyre
Completely fascinated by what makes audiences tick, Andrew has become a leading authority on audience needs, motivations, behaviour, responses and outcomes; pioneering new ways to explore, track, profile, monitor, evaluate and understand the engagement between audiences and our institutions and measure its outcomes. His work helps cultural organisations build genuine, deep, rich, rewarding and intimate human relationships.
Rebuilding for resilience – the 7 Pillars of Audience-focus
Speaking on his upcoming session at Connecting Culture, Andrew said “Culture is hurting. Jobs are in the balance and organisations face uncertain futures. What we do now will shape the sector for the next decade. Rather than emulate the way we were, this crisis presents us with a unique opportunity to take a leap forwards, to move towards becoming truly Audience-focused.”
“Why? The benefits are legion: it attracts new people, builds community, earns brand equity, generates income, increases resilience and ensures we deliver our mission. How? There are 7 Pillars of Audience-focus that set forward-thinking organisations apart. These pillars aren’t rocket science or particularly hard to implement. If you believe in what you do, the 7 Pillars can – and should – be at the heart of your survival strategy.”
Callum Lumsden, Founder and Creative Director, Lumsden Design
Callum is recognised as a leading retail design expert for cultural and entertainment destinations. His design agency specialises in creating memorable stores that generate revenue and reputation for major visitor attractions around the world. Callum and his design team are best known for the award-winning (and magical) Harry Potter stores as well as their recent retail and F&B design projects for MoMA (NYC), V&A Dundee and M (Hong Kong).
What is the future for visitor attraction retail post-COVID?
When discussing his upcoming session at Connecting Culture, Callum said “What has happened to mainstream retail during lockdown? What clues can we take for the future of visitor attraction retailing from the shops we have now been allowed into? Every attraction, whether large or small, now needs to raise income more than ever. Retail will be a vital component of the new normal for visitor attractions so how will that influence your retail formats?”
If you would like to attend the above sessions, and view more unmissable content from the museum, heritage and cultural sectors, register now for your FREE ticket to Connecting Culture at experienceuk.org/connectingculture.
Each session will be live on the Connecting Culture website for 12 months post-event, meaning you, and your team, can rewatch the sessions you loved, and catch up on the ones you missed. For more information, please contact hello@experience-uk.org.
