When:

28th November 2008, 10:30AM

Where:

The Banqueting House, Whitehall, London SW1A 2ER

John Holden, Chair, Demos Associate and co-author
Michael Day, Chief Executive of the Historic Royal Palaces
Yinnon Ezra, Director of Recreation and Heritage Services at Hampshire County Council, Board Member of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and Trustee of the Heritage Lottery Fund

Launch of a new Demos pamphlet, It’s a Material World, by Samuel Jones and John Holden, in Whitehall's Banqueting House.

Download audio from the event:

Lord Douro (18mb, mp3)
Sam Jones (35mb, mp3)
Q&A (16MB, mp3)
Simon Cane (22mb)

It's a Material World demonstrates the social value of caring for the material world, and highlights the importance of conservation as being integral not only to the culture and heritage sector but also social well-being.

In choosing what things to care for, and how to conserve them, we reflect and create social value. Conservation therefore not only sustains and refreshes the values of the past – giving us an understanding of where we have come from – but also reflects values for the present and the future.  We need to sustain the conservation profession so that it can play a central role in a new agenda – caring for the material world.

In addition to providing recommendations for conservators this pamphlet calls for action from policy-makers, cultural professionals and the public as well.  All of these groups have an interest caring for the material world, and they all have a part to play in connecting conservation to some of the major challenges we face as a society, both in the UK and internationally.

The event will consist of a project presentation by Samuel Jones, co-author of It's a Material World and followed by a panel discussion and Q&A.
Refreshments will be served.

Register here if you'd like to attend this event. For additional information please contact Amarjit Lahel on amarjit.lahel@demos.co.uk or call 020 7367 4200.