Black Environment Network
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HHA and the Black Environment Network - a unique organisation working for ethnic participation within the built and natural environment - are working together to link together historic houses and their local ethnic communities. In a series of groundbreaking pilot schemes, BEN and the HHA have partnered houses and their nearby black and minority ethnic communities in order to encourage wider enjoyment and understanding of these special places, many of which are not equally accessible to all communities in Britain. People and Historic Places has:
- identified new audiences for the historic environment by encouraging ethnic communities to become more involved with their nearby historic places;
- opened up understanding of what historic houses, gardens, collections and estates have to offer and to gain;
- laid down the basis for active involvement and participation of ethnic communities in historic places.
Eight houses - 3 in Scotland, 2 in Wales and 3 in England - have explored opportunities for community involvement and are facilitating visits and events. As part of the project, the HHA and BEN have organised a number of workshops around the country to discuss the issues surrounding ethnic community involvement and participation with historic places.
The project has challenged perceptions and strengthened understanding on both sides and helped to identify and remove barriers, either real or perceived, to visiting historic places. A key consideration was how places could be presented in culturally relevant ways and participants have been involved in managing and designing new activities.