Contemporary Art in Heritage Practice: Mapping Its Intentions, Claims, and Complexities

Abstract

Since the 1990s, contemporary art projects have appeared in an increasing variety of heritage sites across the UK, from grand palaces and country houses, to industrial museums and historic waterways. In England, the country's two leading national heritage organizations, The National Trust and English Heritage, have vigorously engaged with contemporary art and artists, generating exhibitions and temporary commissions that significantly extend traditional approaches to heritage presentation. Drawing on interviews with art curators and program managers working in this field and grounded analysis of project documentation and grey literature, this article maps the territory of contemporary artists’ recent engagement with the heritage sector and the institutional claims made for the benefits of this new type of heritage practice. Artistic engagement focuses on four significant aspects of heritage sites: object collections; built architecture; designed landscapes; and intangible narratives of people and place. Disparate and sometimes conflicting claims are made for the value of this activity, ranging from audience development and diversification, increased visitor numbers, heritage site reanimation, to the generation of opportunities for artists’ creative and professional development. Despite this growth and the strong level of advocacy advanced for contemporary art in heritage practice, a more critical understanding of this field is required.