LOCALFest-
Curated Conversations
Community run Museums and Heritage Centres
WHAT?
Join SCOTO, Dunkeld Archive and four Scottish museums and heritage centres for a day of facilitated talks and exchanges on community led tourism, revenue generation, technology and innovation.
WHERE & WHEN?
Curated Conversations takes place at Birnam Arts. A short walk from the Dunkeld Train Station.
10 am - 4pm in-person and 1 pm - 4pm online, on Wed 11 February 2026
WHO?
Curated Conversations is for anyone working in museum heritage centres, especially community run locaitons. We'll be joined by representatives from - Trimontium Museum, Abernethy Museum, Scottish Crannog Centre and our hosts Dunkeld Archive and SCOTO.
Ruth Brown, Dunkeld Archives
"Curated Conversation gives us the opportunity to ask the questions needed to a much wider audience than our local area alone. Experiences, gained through successes and failures, from other communities will help us shape our future.
We are not alone, as other museums across Scotland and the UK are facing similar problems. This event will give many other organisations within the heritage sector the opportunity to learn and enagage without geographical barriers."
Thanks to the Scottish Community Alliance and Museums Galleries Scotland for generously supporting this event.
Thanks to the Scottish Community Alliance and Museums Galleries Scotland for generously supporting this event.
BOOK NOW:
Bookings for in-person participation is now closed but please join us online!
Conversations
Peer-to-peer learning is invaluable especially for community-led organisations who don't have the money to spend on consultation experts and courses. You are the experts.
Share your experiences, insights, and practical solutions with others facing similar challenges and in return they might have solutions to your questions.
Revenue Generation
Discover innovative ways museums and heritage centres are generating income to support their work.
Learn practical strategies for fundraising, grants, and partnerships.
Hear case studies of sustainable business models from other community-led organisations.
Technology & Innovation
Explore how digital tools can enhance visitor experiences and engagement.
Learn about new approaches to storytelling, virtual tours, and online outreach.
Share ideas on how you started to adopting innovative technology- from ticket sales to storytelling.
Community Led Tourism
Learn how organisations are shaping tourism experiences that reflect their culture, heritage, and identity.
Explore successful models of community engagement, collaboration and marketing.
Share challenges and solutions for balancing visitor numbers with community wellbeing.
PROGRAMME
Join us online or in person, with in-person attendees invited to the unveiling of a specially commissioned Birnam Wood sculpture marking the launch of a new community heritage trail linking Birnam Arts and the Dunkeld Community Archive.
Curated Conversations Programme - Wed 11 FEB 2026
10:00 – 12:15 THE SHAKESPEARE SCULPTURE UNVEILING
10:00 Meet in the foyer at Birnam Arts and walk to the Birnam Oak
UNVEILING AT THE BIRNAM OAK (Weather dependent)
10:30 Unveiling, Brief Speeches and Photographs
11:00 Walk back to Birnam Arts
11:15 Coffees and Teas
A CONVERSATION ABOUT SHAKESPEARE & BIRNAM
11:25 Welcome – Fiona Ritchie
The Academic Context – Toria Johnson
Engaging the Community – Lewis and Toria
The Sculpture – Lewis Morrison
12:15 LUNCH
13:00 - 16:00 CURATED CONVERSATION - MUSEUMS
13:00 PANEL
13:00 Welcome Carron
13:05 Introducing the Dunkeld project.
13:20 Introducing the panel and their stories.
● Ullapool Museum - Siobhan Beatson
● Abernethy Museum – Irene Haliburton
● Trimontium Museum – Rob Longworth
● Scottish Crannog Centre – Mike Benson
Insights and pointers from MGS - Markus Offer
14:00 Panel discussion hosted by Carron Tobin, SCOTO
14:30 COFFEE/TEAS
14:45 WORKSHOP TOPICS 2 X 20 mins
1. Revenue generation - small investments for big returns
2.Off the Beaten Track - boosting awareness and revenue
15:45 Thank you & Wrap Up
16:00 - CLOSE
Our co-host Ruth Brown from Dunkeld Archive sums up perfectly why this event matters:
“— Ruth Brown, Dunkeld ArchiveChapter 1 - The Chapter House Museum Trust was established in 1994 by a group of volunteer enthusiasts from the local Historical Society, Friends of Dunkeld Cathedral and the Kirk Session. An unmanned museum was created within the Chapter House of Dunkeld Cathedral telling the story of the local history, and the archive followed in the rooms above the Chapter House (42 stone spiral steps up!).
Chapter 2 - The cold, damp and very inaccessible rooms above the Chapter House were replaced in 2013 with a purpose built building at 12 The Cross, Dunkeld, a short distance away from the Cathedral. This new home gave the archive a safe environmentally controlled store along with a dedicated accessible public research space.
In 2020 amidst the horror of Covid, the decision was made through a funding opportunity, to employ the Trusts first member of staff. Five years on the museum and archive has gained a 2nd full-time member of staff, an exhibition space, a Young Archaeologist Club, an Adult Archaeologist Club, a Memories Club, and run a series of Living History events throughout the year.
Chapter 3 - The title of our National Heritage Lottery/Museum Galleries Scotland/Gannochy Trust funded project starting in 2026. Plans for a redevelopment and bigger premises have been talked about for some time now. This funding has enabled us to secure a Development Officer and begin to change our dreams into reality.
Funding is becoming harder to obtain and so we must look at ways to create a financially sustainable model for our new museum. Visitors are also changing, with some wanting more of an immersive experience rather than the traditional museum exhibition.
The Curated Conversation gives us the opportunity to ask the questions needed to a much wider audience than our local area alone. Experiences, gained through successes and failures, from other communities will help us shape our future.
We are not alone, as other museums across Scotland and the UK are facing similar problems. This event will give many other organisations within the heritage sector the opportunity to learn and enagage without geographical barriers.
”