9:30 Registration and coffee

9:45 Welcome – Paul Hartley, Stockport Council and IHBC NW Branch Chair
Chair for the day: Dr. Virginia Tandy OBE, Independent Arts & Heritage Consultant

Keynote: ‘It’s our Heritage – why Engage?’ Understanding the Barriers - Nathan Lee, National Lottery Heritage Fund

10:15 Chester: Access for all in a historic city – Tony Barton, Donald Insall Associates

10:40 Navigating conflict in presenting the history of segregated Derry – Dr. Gehan Selim

11:05 Coffee

11:30 Look, touch and feel; the future of the National Trust – Amy Carney and Caroline Schofield, National Trust

11:55 Opening the doors of perception – the key to digital heritage – Matthew Faber, Historic England

12:20 Galkoff’s – Increasing Access to Built and Intangible Heritage – Liz Stewart, Museums Liverpool

12:45 Discussion and summary

13:00 Lunch

14:15 Tour 1: Victoria Gallery & Museum – access for all
The Victoria Gallery & Museum (VG&M) is an art gallery and museum run by the University of Liverpool in Liverpool. VG&M is located in the redbrick 1892 Victoria Building. The building was designed by the Victorian architect Alfred Waterhouse and is Grade II listed. After a £8.6million restoration the museum opened on 28 May 2008. It houses the University of Liverpool's art and museum collections, donated to and created by the University. This tour will explore how the Victoria Museum is improving access physically and psychologically to the Victoria Building and the Museum’s collections.

Tour 2: Liverpool Waterfront – physical access
Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and Planit-IE will take us on a tour of Liverpool Waterfront exploring how they are improving access to this significant waterfront through their 10-year masterplan work focussing on National Museums Liverpool’s holdings. Some of the land and buildings around the museum are currently under-utilised, and the masterplan will look at development and public realm to improve visitor experience and engagement, wayfinding, educational and curational requirements, commercial activities, and sustainability.

Tour 3: Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral – access for maintenance
Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral was designed by Sir Frederick Gibberd and opened in 1967. Concrete framed with Portland stone cladding and an aluminium roof, the Cathedral is recognisable by its pinnacle-crowned stained glass lantern tower. Purcell are providing a range of architectural and heritage services to enable the Cathedral to manage the conservation of this iconic Grade II* building. This tour will focus on the permanent works required to allow access for surveying and maintenance of the lantern tower, and how these were planned to meet current health and safety requirements.

13:00 Tea

15:50 Presentation of RTPI NW – IHBC Conservation Award 2019

15:55 Moving from inaction to action: creating and implementing equality action plans – Thanh Sinden, Museum Detox Programme

16:20 Using Virtual Reality Experiences to Stimulate Engagement – Simon Mabey, 3D/VR specialist

16:45 Discussion and Summary

17:00 Close