ERIH Annual Conference 2010 - a great event in Terrassa, Spain

The conference was held in co-operation with the TICCIH Tourism Section and at the kind invitation of the Museu de la Ciencia i de la Tecnica de Catalunya (mNACTEC), the Catalan Museum of Science and Technology, which is made up of different industrial museums across Catalonia. The central site of the museum where presentations were given on the first day of the conference is the Vapor Aymerich Amat i Jover textile mill in Terrassa, an outstanding conversion of a 1909 Modernista building. The 12 presentations on the theme of “Industrial Heritage Tourism – Examples of Best Practice” provided details of the wide range of activity and good practice that is taking place in this area across Europe, and one example from the United States.

Collectively they demonstrated a number of recurring themes in the ways in which industrial heritage sites are taking constructive action including:

• Recognising that in areas which have suffered decline there is considerable importance and benefit to be derived from developing and promoting industrial heritage sites.
• Seeing the value of establishing routes modelled on the Ruhr Route of Industrialkultur with Anchor Points and creating themed routes linking sites in order to increase visitor numbers.
• Embracing the arts and organising open days and special cultural events in order to bring a wider audience to industrial heritage sites.
• Adopting a planning approach to direct development, attract regional and European grant support and reach new markets.
• Having a co-ordinated programme for the provision of good quality information, route signing and tourism publications designed to generate visitor interest.
• The value of having good quality volunteers and of establishing training programmes to further develop the skills of the volunteers who are vital to the successful running of many sites.

While all of the speakers were pleased to tell of the success that they have had in these areas at their respective sites they also highlighted the difficulties experienced in marketing industrial heritage sites and recognised the potential that being a member of ERIH offered.

ERIH General Assembly
Following the presentations there was a meeting of the ERIH General Assembly.  Members heard that during the year ERIH had grown with 14 new Anchor Points, 2 new regional routes, and 10 new individual site members raising membership to more than 150 sites in 16 European Countries.  Actions included a bid for funding under the European Culture programme in September 2010, signs delivered to new Anchor Points, improvements to the ERIH website and the drafting of a 5 Year Strategy (circulated to members before the meeting).  In respect of the finances it was confirmed that the financial audit for 2009-10 had been accepted by the auditors and issues relating to membership fees and the 2010-11 budget were discussed and agreed.

Evening Programme
In the evening a guided tour enabled delegates to see some of the attractive Modernista buildings in Terrassa.  These are a legacy of the important role that the town played in the production of textiles in the 19th century and include former warehouses/sales rooms, the town market hall and various civic buildings. A fabulous dinner in the Museum’s roof-garden restaurant at the invitation of the City Hall of Terrassa was a wonderful opportunity for the delegates to exchange experiences and discuss ideas.  

Excursion
On the second day of the conference there was a tour to visit two other outstanding industrial heritage sites of mNACTEC.  The industrial complex of Colonia Vidal at Puig-reig survives intact with the original textile mill, the dam which supplied water for the turbine which drove the machinery and the houses, shops and public buildings of the company town.  In this scenic setting high up in the foothills of the Pyrennes the second site, the lignite coal mining museum of Cerys provided an atmospheric setting for a mining experience deep within the mountain side.

Thanks to the quality of the speakers and the generous hospitality provided by the City Hall of Terrassa and mNACTEC the conference was a great success.  Eusebi Casanelles I Rahola, his mNACTEC colleagues and the ERIH administration were congratulated by delegates on the quality of the organisation. 
Planning is already underway for the 2011 ERIH conference and all members are urged to consider attending and even offer to give a paper.
Speakers summaries and presentations are available here.