Nicola Bell

New Questions for New Times

Before the end of March, "being on furlough" was an expression hardly ever heard in the UK.  In order to preserve jobs during the Covid-19 lockdown, more than a quarter of UK workers are now on furlough and not at work, with their wages being paid by the Government.  So this required a new question in a survey which I carried out recently.  Museums and other heritage organisations are making much more available online - exhibitions, talks, family activities - so we evaluators and visitor researchers are busy developing effective ways to evaluate online activities.

Canny Chanters Chopwell Arts

As a result of the Covid-19 restrictions, some of the Canny Chanters Chopwell Arts activities have had to be postponed until further notice, but I had the chance, as the project evaluator, to go along to the Woodland Wool felt making workshop run by Emz Galdo. CCCA is a pilot programme of music and other activities taking place in Chopwell, to provide creative opportunities for children, young people and adults to have fun, make new friends, learn new skills and find new talents.

Read more: Canny Chanters Chopwell Arts

Heritage Schools evaluation report 2018/19 launched

Since Heritage Schools began in 2012, I have worked with Qa Research to evaluate the programme to show the impact it has on children and young people learning about their local heritage, linking their local history to national history, and gaining pride and understanding in the place where they live.

Read more: Heritage Schools evaluation report 2018/19 launched

Kings Seat hill fort

A site visit to Kings Seat hill fort near Dunkeld, and this is a hearth where bones and charcoal have dated it to 570AD. The hill fort is on top of a prominent hill, but it was completely overgrown by rhododendrons until local people, with the Perth & Kinross Heritage Trust and AOC Archaeology started to excavate in 2017. They have found many hearths on the site, indicating that the hillfort was a centre for working bronze, silver and gold. The number of pieces of c.600AD pottery (E ware) also shows that this was a high-status site as only wealthy people could afford this type of tableware. School groups have taken part in the dig too and been archaeologists for a day - perhaps a future career for some?

  1. Heritage Centre Bellingham
  2. Who are our visitors?
  3. Places of Worship for Community Wellbeing
  4. Snapping the Stiletto
  5. Dementia Friendly Heritage
  6. Martin Luther King in Newcastle
  7. Art up your tab
  8. Museums Change Lives
  9. Charred timber cladding for the Kielder wildlife hide
  10. New wildlife hide for Kielder
  11. Martin Luther King - Freedom City Launch
  12. On tenterhooks
  13. Heritage Schools wins Europa Nostra award
  14. Glass Beats
  15. Leeches and Stories of Glass
  16. Selma - the right to vote
  17. Kinder Transport Memorial, Liverpool Street Station
  18. Goulash Cannon and Tin Helmet
  19. Remembrance
  20. Making glass at the National Glass Centre
  21. The Canary Girls
  22. Recycling from the First World War
  23. The Talented and Colossal Mademoiselle D'Jeck
  24. Visitor Studies in Split, Croatia
  25. On the border of Slovenia and Hungary
  26. Culture Matters
  27. Slovenia
  28. Repositories of technology
  29. A piece of Hungarian social history
  30. Museum + Heritage Show; Arts Professional
  31. Evaluation training in Slovenia and Croatia
  32. Iron Applause in Central Europe
  33. Escaped Circus Elephant!
  34. Gold from Afghanistan and Foundling fabrics
  35. The Old Herring Factory, Djúpavík
  36. Contemporary art from North Korea
  37. Nicola appointed to Board: Kuratórium
  38. Workshop in Hungary
  39. Evaluation Training in Hungary
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