The Spring conference of the European Museum Academy (EMA) took place at the JAMTLI Foundation, Östersund, Sweden from 6-8 February 2019.

The conference also hosted the Kenneth Hudson Seminar, a joint PASCAL - EMA initiative. The theme of the seminar was on cultural policy and literacy development and represent a follow on from an earlier seminar held in Aarhus, Denmark in September 2018.

These seminars represent the ongoing cooperation between the European Museum Academy and PASCAL and have contributed to the setting up of a new SIG on the theme of cultural, heritage and literacy development.

Keynote speaker and art historian, Professor Emeritus Claire Giraud-Labalte, France spoke on the theme ‘European Heritage Communities in a European and Regional Perspective.’ She reminded us of the importance of culture and cultural heritage in the Lisbon Treaty. The Council of Europe has set out the value of cultural heritage which is further developed in the Faro Framework (2005). She also outlined the results from a cooperative network consisting of cultural heritage stakeholders at regional level in her own region, Pays de la Loire, France.

Keynote Jocelyn Dodd, Professor of Museum Studies for Social Change and director of the Research Centre for Museums and Galleries at the University of Leicester, UK spoke about using heritage to build community understanding. She explored the underlying values which are critical for this work to happen in heritage organisations, exploring some of the structural elements in society which inhibit the work and understanding their deep-rooted impacts.

Tom Furber, Development Officer at London Metropolitan Archives and specialist in informal adult education discussed ways which the London Metropolitan Archives have worked with the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Communities.

A full report to follow on the PASCAL - EMA Kenneth Hudson Seminar held alongside the conference.

Photo 1 - [Group from left to right] Claire Giraud-Labalte European Network for Cultural Management and Education Policy (ENCATC}, Ambassador for Heritage, President,  pole des acteurs de patrimoine (Cultural heritage) , Pays de la Loire, France; Karl Borromaus Murr, Chairman, European Museum Academy & Director State Textile & Industry Augsburg Museum, Germany; Catherine Lido, PASCAL SIG Co lead, Senior Lecturer, University of Glasgow, Scotland UK; Dirk Houtgraaf, Head of Communications, Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands; Rob Mark, PASCAL Learning Cities Co-ordinator; Henrik Zipsane, Director, European Museum Academy and Director Jamtli Foundation, Ostersund and PASCAL SIG Co lead, Sweden.

Photo 2 - JAMTLI;

Photo 3 - Conference Delegates;

Photo 4 - [Right] Henrik Zipsane, Conference Host;

Photos 5-8 - JAMTLI, Ostersund, Sweden

[Click to enlarge]