Heritage is never neutral. The Scottish Civic Trust has a national remit to support people of colour to become more involved and represented in our heritage. We see encouraging diversity and inclusivity as a key part of our role. It is a strategic priority for the organisation and we employ a Diverse Heritage Officer to make sure we do as much as we can to help our culture be more representative of all of Scotland’s history.
We are currently working with marginalised people and European heritage partners to create resources with specific, practical recommendations for how to make the heritage sector inclusive and accessible. We are also undergoing internal training to educate ourselves about anti-racism and how we as an organisation can work to address racial inequity in the Scottish heritage sector.
We know we can do better – through the heritage we promote, the organisations that we work with and support and by ensuring that the Trust is a space for critical conversations about race, discrimination and their connections to heritage. We are preparing strategies to be in greater service of our Black and minority ethnic partners and audiences. We will be sharing those initiatives in the coming months through our social media channels.