BRITISH ACADEMY REPORT URGES GOVERNMENT NOT TO GAMBLE WITH PROTECTING CULTURAL HISTORY

Published on 6 June 2011

Author(s): History Times/Jonny Mardling

Type:  Report Published 24 May 2011

History for the taking? Perspetives on material heritage, report from the British Academy

Government spending cuts and rushed legislation within the cultural heritage sector are leading to a “devastating” loss of vital expertise, and to human activity that has the potential to “destroy” heritage irreparably, a new report by the British Academy has revealed.

History for the Taking? Perspectives on Material Heritage focuses on archaeology and built heritage as the areas most at risk, with experts John Curtis (British Museum), Fiona Reynolds (National Trust), Michael Fulford and Anthony Harding (archaeologists) exposing particular elements of concern.

The report reveals:

  • the threat to the historic environment posed by the coalition government’s desire to liberate the economy from “red tape” and extend planning powers to neighbourhood level
  • the loss of essential heritage expertise following extensive cuts in the number of conservation officers employed in local government
  • the growing threats to UK archaeology with 90% of all investigations carried out in England since 1990 now being undertaken by commercial organisations (and less than 10% of those reaching final publication)
  • the well-documented but under-addressed risks to cultural heritage in war zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan
  • the ethical dilemmas and issues for scholars handling antiquities of dubious provenance

Recommendations are made by the authors to address each area of concern, including the development of a formal framework for localism, a ratification of the Hague Convention and the setting up of an effective system for ensuring the completion and publication of archaeological projects undertaken during the planning process.

Professor Sir Barry Cunliffe CBE FBA, Chair of the History for the Taking Working Group said:

“Heritage tourism generates over £20 billion of GDP annually and makes a bigger contribution to the UK economy than car manufacturing and advertising, and yet is always the easy option for cost saving in national and local governments.

“Britain has an extraordinary cultural heritage to be proud of and needs to set an example of best practice in protecting it for future generations. This is far too important an issue to be left in the care of busy politicians unaided by sound academic advice.”

The British Academy, established by Royal Charter in 1902, champions and supports the humanities and social sciences. It aims to inspire, recognise and support excellence and high achievement across the UK and internationally. For more information, please visit www.britac.ac.uk

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