Message from the Head of Communications & Education – The Heritage Council
A Chara,
It’s that time of year again. Time to plan ahead for long summer days during National Heritage Week! Through your involvement each year the week grows bigger and better and with your help the Heritage Council aims to ensure that in 2013 the event continues to go from strength to strength.
Click here to register your event for National Heritage Week 2013.
National Heritage Week offers new ideas, enjoyment and an important educational opportunity. The Week provides opportunities to promote Ireland’s quirky hidden gems and also provides a fantastic chance to showcase the natural and cultural heritage in your area. The week helps to create a sense of pride in our heritage and involves local people in its care.
New in 2013 – Our Heritage in 10 Items: Inspired by the hugely successful ‘A History of Ireland in 100 Objects’ project developed by the Royal Irish Academy and the Irish Times, we would like to introduce a new initiative for National Heritage Week 2013; ‘Our Heritage in 10 Items’. We want to hear what you’ve got to say on the subject! We are asking that communities, organisations and heritage enthusiasts across the country get together to hunt down ten items that tell a story about their local heritage. What items, objects, features of the natural environment, people or practices of the past have shaped the community in which you live today? There are no wrong answers, just a chance to join the conversation! Details of how to nominate your 10 items are on www.heritageweek.ie
Free Training Day: In addition to our usual supports to event organisers, we are hosting a free Heritage Week Event Organisers Training Day on Friday May 24th in the Tullamore Court Hotel and we are delighted to invite you to attend. The training day will run from 10am to 4pm and will take the form of presentations and workshops on such topics as: key messages, online and mainstream marketing and event management tips. If you wish to attend, please register here:https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Heritage_Week_Training_May_24_Registration or contact us on 1850 200 878.
Key Messages: Central to all our communications are the key messages of emphasising the benefits of protecting our Heritage and encouraging ‘doing’ by promoting active participation in Heritage through learning a new skill; taking part in a new activity; volunteering in the community or joining a local heritage society. In particular, this year, we wish to spark a national conversation by highlighting the ways in which our past has shaped who we are today and who we will be in the future.
Types of Events: All types of Heritage events and subjects are welcome during National Heritage Week; from céilís to bat walks, theatre events and archaeological digs. We would especially appreciate it if your events were interactive, involve active participation and ‘doing’ and are appealing to a broad audience.
Free Events: Heritage Week is a non-profit programme and the aim of the week is to open up the heritage of Ireland, enjoy it and make it accessible to everyone. We would greatly appreciate it if all organisers could bear this in mind and we encourage as many National Heritage Week events as possible to be free or to only have a nominal charge.
Insurance: Each individual organiser is responsible for ensuring that the appropriate level of insurance is in place for their event. The Heritage Council is a member of AOIFE (The Association of Irish Festival Events) and together they have made provision for access to the AOIFE members’ discounted insurance package to be offered to registered National Heritage Week event organisers. If you wish to avail of these special premiums or to request a quote, please contact Seán Lawlor slawlor@odon.com or call 01 6395820.
How to Register: We are already being contacted by various media for information so the sooner you register your event at www.heritageweek.ie the sooner we can spread the news! All events must be registered by 31st May for inclusion in the National Event Guide which is distributed throughout Ireland and Europe. We ask that you register your event online but should this not be possible please complete the enclosed registration form for return by post.
Event Guide Advertising Opportunity: Once again we are offering you the chance to gain some additional exposure for your event by availing of the opportunity to advertise in our National Event Guide in addition to the free listings given to all approved events. Demand is always high for the 50,000 copies of the guide which are distributed nationwide annually and which reach an actively engaged audience. For further details contact us on 1850 200 878.
We hope you will join us once again in being a part of National Heritage Week and making 2013 the biggest and most successful Week yet.
Full information can be found on www.heritageweek.ie
Please direct all queries to Katie Shackleton, project manager of National Heritage Week, on 1850 200 878 or by e-mailing heritageweek@heritagecouncil.ie
Yours Sincerely,
Isabell Smyth
Head of Communications & Education
The Heritage Council