Public-Private Partnership in the Management of Cultural Heritage Assets – a European Challenge

Seminar

At the international seminar in Berlin, experts and decision-makers will come together to discuss the current state and future perspectives of Public-Private Partnerships in the management of cultural heritage assets in Europe. The focus will be on the privatisation of conservation, which has a number of implications at the level of Governments responsibilities towards heritage conservation, with respect to the professional training and employment of conservators and regarding fundamental issues such as documentation and maintenance work.

The following topics will be addressed:

- Analysis of the current situation: successful models of Public-Private Partnership in Conservation and Site Management (case studies)

- Discussion on issues raised in both Public and Private Conservation and Site Management ( Economic Aspects, Technology Transfer, Tourism and Private Sector Involvement, Quality control of outsourced works, Conservation and Conservation
Science as assets for European competitiveness )

- Implications of Private-Public Partnerships ( Legal, ethical, professional implications of privatization in conservation and cultural heritage management, Aspects of training and teaching - employment prospects for conservators )

On 16 June, round table discussions focusing on the above topics will provide opportunities for exchange between lecturers and workshop participants. Papers are accepted. Some of them will be selected for oral presentation; the remaining ones may be presented as posters. Papers and outcome of the Seminar are supposed to be subject to publication.

Background

While the attention given to cultural heritage by Government and media has never been greater than at present, paradoxically, there are strong indications of declining direct Government support for those public institutions responsible for conservation practice and teaching.

In the field of cultural heritage management, Public-Private Partnerships (PPP ) appear a promising perspective to balance increasing pressure of market forces on the one hand and governments responsibilities in protecting public values on the other hand.

The international trend of privatizing public services also concerns the conservation of cultural heritage as a public value. It has become obvious that the States capacities as a safeguarder and provider of public services are, at least in financial terms, limited. This new situation is reflected in reduced funding support for conservation institutions.

In some cases, to cope with the rising costs of managing the increasing number of museums, heritage monuments, sites and the like, private investments and sponsorship are evidently providing necessary support. So far, the tendency of privatizing state-owned cultural heritage has resulted in an increase in the contracting out (outsourcing) of conservation projects to the private sector.

At all these levels, despite the high quality of individual project work that can result and the opportunities for the development of Public-Private-Partnership in this field, there are still some concerns about policies to be adopted.

Details: http://www.smb.spk-berlin.de