2020 Heritage Futures Forum

In February 2020, the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) hosted the Heritage Futures Forum in partnership with Business Models Inc.

The simple intention of convening a discussion around ‘heritage’ and to explore potential future ‘worlds’ in which heritage plays a key role in unlocking economic, environmental and social benefit.

Supported by Jones Lang LaSalle and Liveability Victoria International, the Heritage Futures Forum provoked thoughtful conversation and stimulated imagination.

What emerged from this discussion was a rich collection of pictures – stories that convey perceptions of the future – for us to read, explore and consider in how we approach the challenges we see today.

This comes with profound timing and the opportunity to prepare for how we all navigate uncertainty and exercise our ability to re-imagine.

It has never been more important to remain focussed for the future and celebrate what ‘heritage’ means to each and every one of us.

This event would not have been possible without the help of Liveability Victoria International, JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle), and The Big Group, for hosting us at Myer Mural Hall.

Call to action section

Heritage Futures Forum Report

A storybook of insights from leaders, disruptors and creators across the heritage sector and beyond. Bridging the gap between the past and the future.

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Our Speakers

Food for Thought

Background Reading for Future Visioning

The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse – This landmark 2011 report by the Preservation Green Lab for the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides comprehensive analysis of the potential environmental impact reductions associated with building reuse. The report found that “building reuse almost always yields fewer environmental impacts than new construction when comparing buildings of similar size and functionality.”

Culture: urban future; global report on culture for sustainable urban development – Through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the international community has recognized the essential role of culture as an enabler of development. Among the 2030 Agenda’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, SDG 11 on sustainable cities makes it clear that culture has an essential role to play in realizing sustainable urban development, particularly through strengthened efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage. This groundbreaking report, published by UNESCO in 2016, explores the role of culture for sustainable urban development, looking at a range of international case studies.

2050 Scenarios: Four Plausible Futures – What will the world look like in 2050? This report by Arup explores four plausible future scenarios based on the intersection between our planet’s health and societal conditions. By envisioning different futures, we can identify and visualise what is worth striving for, and what to avoid.

Transformative: Impacts of Culture and Creativity – The evidence is clear: when people have opportunities to engage in some form of cultural or creative activity, they generally have better educational outcomes, are less lonely, are healthier both physically and mentally, and enjoy a happier and healthier life in old age. This report by A New Approach, an independent think tank championing effective investment and return in Australian arts and culture, provides a snapshot of current research and findings about the positive impacts of artistic, creative and cultural activity on seven different parts of our lives.

Valuing Victoria’s Heritage – This report by SGS Economics, for Heritage Victoria, in partnership with the Heritage Council of Victoria, looks at the scale and nature of the value that Victorians place on heritage. It found that Victorians place a high value on our heritage places, and that there is strong support amongst Victorians for heritage protection. It also found that there is significant scope for improving community engagement with this field of public policy through better promotion and education, and that there is a strong case for further investment in heritage identification and protection, on cost benefit grounds. The accompanying Literature Review provides an overview of heritage and its cultural and economic values.