Heritage Network Conference 2026

There is nothing quite like the Heritage Network Conference. In recent years it has grown into the most lively, informative and fun event in the heritage sector calendar. The emphasis is on the impact of community-led heritage on people and places, explored through the experience of heritage regeneration in our host towns and cities and beyond.

Thank you so much for organising such a wonderful conference... It was a great itinerary with fabulous venues for us to visit and interesting and relevant talks to listen to. Not to mention the excellent food! As a newbie, it could have been a slightly intimidating event to attend but your team was incredibly welcoming and friendly; thank you so much for making introductions and ensuring that everything ran so smoothly.

We explore the vital topics of funding and business planning, community engagement, access and inclusion, governance and succession, regeneration and place-making and so much more. These are serious topics, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. This is the friendly conference, and we go out of our way to make everyone feel welcome, safe and included. We have a perfect mix of delegates; community heritage leaders, major heritage agencies and funders, local authorities, heritage businesses and early-career professionals, meaning you can Network and make the connections you need whatever your role.

What an amazing conference experience you all created - it was incredibly useful to me, at a pivotal and at times overwhelming stage in the project, to hear from such a range of projects, experts and experience. Thanks so much for ... putting on such a brilliant event.

As well as a day of compelling presentations, lively discussions and networking, Conference includes tours and visits to fascinating historic sites and ground-breaking projects. We seek out stunning locations for our main Conference day, dinner, drinks reception and farewell lunch.

Hands on can say it was one of the best conferences I have been to anywhere!

We are developing the programme for Belfast and Armagh 2026, in partnership with local heritage leaders, but here is the outline:

An afternoon spent exploring fascinating sites and projects around Belfast.

Welcome drinks reception at an unusual historic location.

Our main Conference day of presentations, workshops, discussions, conference expo and networking in the Assembly Building, Belfast.

Conference Dinner – in a prestigious historic building.

We are off to the historic City of Armagh and the towns and villages in the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon district to explore historic buildings streets and parks and see community-led heritage regeneration in action. We will come together at lunchtime in special location to hear from local leaders in this designated National Lottery Heritage Fund ‘Heritage Place’.

Visit Belfast has put together a selection of exclusive offers and discounts for conference delegates attending events in the city. This link is continually updated.

If you are quick off the mark you can save £55 on the full ticket price with a Super Earlybird ticket. There are a very limited number of these tickets available so act quickly and snap one up. When they are gone, they are gone.
Network, Partner and Supporter members can save an additonal £50 and there is a special low rate for our Student Members. If your membership is in any of those categories you should have received an email with a code to access the discounted tickets. Click the red 'Get tickets' button and enter your code in the box that says 'Promo Code'. The discounted ticket options will be revealed.

If you did not get the code please email [email protected].

Why not join us today to get your Conference discount, free or discounted entry to lots more Network events and loads of other benefits. Visit our 'join us' page for details.

We aim for all of our events to be inclusive, safe spaces where everyone's views and experiences are respected. Please read our code of conduct for more information.

We'll be handing out prizes to any delegate that travel over land and sea by public transport. It's easy and you can get lots of work done on the way. Check out Man at Seat 61's Northern Ireland page for tips and information.

We will be setting up a mechanism to enable delegates who want to drive to share petrol and ferry costs.

You can fly to from nearly all GB regional airports to either Belfast International or Belfast City Airports. We will be looking into providing coaches to get you back from Armagh to your chosen airport on Tuesday afternoon.

Here is Visit Belfast's 'Getting Here' page.

We recommend delegates stay in Belfast and we will be sorting out hotel deals with the help of our partners in Visit Belfast

Northern Ireland is a great place to visit. Here are some ideas from Visit Belfast if you want to extend your stay:

• (continually updated)

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Host or Publisher Heritage Trust Network