The Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in England: A Comparative Exploration Suzy Harrison A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of Nottingham Trent University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy March 2019 This work is the intellectual property of the author. You may copy up to 5% of this work for private study, or personal, non-commercial research. Any re-use of the information contained within this document should be fully referenced, quoting the author, title, university, degree level and pagination. Queries or requests for any other use, or if a more substantial copy is required, should be directed in the owner(s) of the Intellectual Property Rights. ABSTRACT This study explores intangible cultural heritage policy in the UK, and more specifically England, looking at national and international positions, as well as a view at community level, and focusing on the domain of traditional craftsmanship as expounded by UNESCO in the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). The Convention attempted to show that UNESCO accepts that cultural heritage does not end at monuments. It also includes “living expressions ... such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts” (UNESCO 2003). However, since the UK is one of seventeen countries to have not ratified the Convention, research in this country has not had a high profile. This research has sought to address this lacuna by analysing the current heritage policy of the UK government, and the devolved institutions and NGOs, in order to assess options for the future of safeguarding ICH in England. This national ‘top down’ perspective is balanced with a practical understanding of the experiences of traditional craftspeople in the Midlands of England, as part of a qualitative research strategy, where in depth interviews revealed the real concerns of people involved in an ICH domain within the wider issues of safeguarding. With those concerns in mind, the question was asked whether it is desirable for the UK to ratify the Convention. A case study analysis was conducted in two countries that have differing experiences of ICH and traditional craftsmanship safeguarding, one which has ratified the Convention, and one which has not. An examination of the ratification of the Convention in the Netherlands looked to see if it created the optimal conditions for safeguarding ICH practices. However, there has also been criticism of the UNESCO safeguarding paradigm and the perceived institutionalisation of culture. Therefore, the study also focused on a possible alternative course of action for the UK in the practices of one of the other States that have not ratified the Convention, namely Canada, with the provincial ICH safeguarding model in Newfoundland and Labrador. This study identified a number of complexities for the safeguarding of intangible heritage in the UK, such as the continued authorised heritage discourse of the major heritage institutions and government bodies in England, compared to the rest of the nation, especially in Scotland, where intangible heritage is more readily embraced. The focus on the traditional craftspeople in the Midlands of England revealed a set of practical considerations which sometimes differ from the other ICH domains. Issues including awareness, transmission, training and skills and i business issues were examined thro0uygh an analysis of the strategies of cultural brokers involved in safeguarding; the Heritage Crafts Association in the UK, Dutch Centre for Intangible Heritage and the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador. The UNESCO paradigm has broadened the international discourse around the meaning of cultural heritage, increased awareness of ICH and prestige for practitioners. Whilst the increased role of community involvement is significant, the predominance of state control over the listing system and subsequent safeguarding measures continues to be an unresolved issue. Although the study demonstrates that models of safeguarding outside of the UNESCO paradigm have been successful, especially the public folklore model of North America, it is postulated that it may be prudent for the United Kingdom to ratify the Convention. It would align the heritage policy in Scotland with the rest of the United Kingdom and elevate intangible heritage to be considered equal to the built environment. The addition of intangible heritage to the remit of a national heritage body could lead to a more holistic strategy in the future. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Firstly, I would like to thank my supervisory team, who have supported me through the whole of this amazing process. The opportunity to do a PhD has been a privilege and the most wonderful experience, and I could not have completed these four years without their advice and encouragement. My first Director of Studies, Dr Stuart Birch, initially encouraged me to pursue a PhD, helped me through the application stage and navigated me through the first three critical years of study. For that, I will be forever grateful. I would like to thank Professor Christopher Loveluck of the University of Nottingham for his experience and insight. I always felt invigorated and full of confidence after our supervision meetings. Dr Katharina Massing joined the team late on, but her subject knowledge and continued friendship were invaluable. I could not have completed the challenging process without the incredible support of Dr Natalie Braber, who became my Director of Studies in my final, crucial year. Her knowledge of the Netherlands and the Dutch language gave me the confidence to include the country in my study. But more importantly, she has calmly guided and encouraged me. I’m honoured to call her a friend. I am incredibly grateful to the AHRC Midlands3Cities Doctoral Training Programme, which funded the thesis. This opened up opportunities to pursue ambitious research parameters by funding trips to Newfoundland in Canada, Washington D.C, and to Utrecht and Amsterdam in the Netherlands. It also funded a conference trip to the 3rd International Conference on Intangible Heritage in Lagos, Portugal, where I presented a paper. The case studies in Newfoundland and the Netherlands would not have been possible without the generous support of Dale Jarvis and Albert van der Zeijden. They were gracious hosts, giving their time and knowledge, and offering advice which was always gratefully received. I also have a debt of gratitude for all the interviewees, those in Newfoundland and the Netherlands whose expertise and subject knowledge contributed so much to this study, and especially the traditional craftspeople in the Midlands of England who gave up their precious time to be interviewed. Their passion for their craft was inspiring. On a personal level, my time at Nottingham Trent University would have been immeasurably less enjoyable without the fabulous cohort of fellow PhD students in the department. I would like to thank Dr Helen Drew, Stacey Griffiths, Eddie Cheetham, Siân Liddle, Amy Williams iii and Tara Coltman-Patel for their support and friendship. You have made this experience much less stressful and lonely, and at times, hilariously fun. My PhD research coincided with unexpected personal adversity. A core group of old friends have continued to be a tower of strength - Holth, Ali, Si, Chloe, Mike, Catherine, Dan, Celeste, Dave, Billy, Rachel, Tim, and Chris Clarke, thank you for your amazing friendship. A special mention is required for two of my best friends, Annie and Simon, who, along with their three wonderful children, Thomas, Matthew and Emma, made me a part of their family. They went above and beyond in providing me with a home in my write up year. It is not an exaggeration to say that without their unmitigated support during such a difficult time, this thesis may not have been completed. They truly are special people. Finally, to my incredibly supportive family for their constant encouragement, my sister Sarah, brother-in-law Tim, who have led the way with their own doctorates. I would like to thank my mum Sandra Harrison, who has removed all the stress by taking such amazing care of me in the final months of the write up, and my dad, Bill Harrison, who has meticulously proofread all my work. Thank you for always being there for me, and encouraging me to follow my ambitions. I would like to dedicate this work to two people. My husband Ian Brunyee, sadly died three months after I started this PhD. He was an amazing support during the initial stages and despite his trademark Yorkshire restraint, I know he would have been very proud of my achievement. I miss him every day. My other dedication has a decidedly more positive feel. My niece Esme was only a few weeks old when I started, and through the toil and frustrations of this research, she has brought me much happiness as I have watched her grow into a wonderful little human being. iv GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS ACE Arts Council England ACOA Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency AHD Authorised Heritage Discourse AHRC Arts and Humanities Research Council DAI Digital Archives Initiative DCAL Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure DCMS The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Enrich Edinburgh Napier University Research in Cultural Heritage EU European Union FARO Flemish Interface Center for Cultural Heritage HC House of Commons HCA Heritage Crafts