History and Archives in Practice 2026

Archives are both shaped by and shape the communities and societies in which they exist and serve. For History and Archives in Practice 2026 (HAP26), we’re exploring the relationship between collections, researchers, practice and locality to consider how archives have the potential to challenge the status quo and initiate change through collaboration and co-production.

An outline of the programme is available in the Agenda section below. The full programme will be sent to registered attendees.

HAP26 is a free in person event and organisers are committed to making the day as accessible and inclusive as possible. A limited number of bursaries are available to support travel (for attendees based outside of London), or to help with other costs (such as childcare) to enable attendance. If you wish to be considered for a bursary, then please register for your ticket and then complete the by 6 March 2026. Applicants for bursaries will be notified as soon as possible.

HAP26 is a space in which colleagues at any career stage and from diverse specialisms can share, learn and network, embracing new ways to exchange knowledge and exploring unique and varied ways of working with collections. We are dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of sex, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, or religion (or lack thereof). If you have any questions about the bursary scheme, please email [email protected].

History and Archives in Practice is an annual event, building on its partners’ long experience of bringing archivists and historians into close conversation. Please note that this event is in person only.

Central to HAP is a focus on archival and research ‘practice’: creating opportunities to demonstrate and discuss how we work with historical collections, and what historians and archivists can achieve collectively. By making ‘practice’ central to HAP, we’ll also make more of collections – with time to learn about selected archives and how historians and archivists work better together.

A partnership of The National Archives, Royal Historical Society, and the Institute of Historical Research, History and Archives in Practice is where historians and archivists come together to consider shared interests in archive collections, their interpretation and use. Every other year we endeavour to partner with a UK archive or institution who similarly specialise in the bringing together of archivists and researchers. For HAP26 we are partnering with the University of Sheffield Library.

Info: Registration can be found outside of Firth Hall, with refreshments and networking taking place inside Firth Hall.

Info: Panel 1: Recovering Feminist Histories: Collaborative Approaches to Women’s Archives in Wales and the Midlands | Panel 2: Navigating the Politics of/within the Archive

Info: Panel 3: Co-creating and Sustaining Archives: History, Identity and Community in an Institutional Setting | Panel 4: Reflections on Participatory and Creative Archival and Historical Research Practices on/with Migrant and Refugee Background Communities in the UK, Belgium and Jordan

Info: Be escorted by HAP colleagues, and take a scenic walk from Firth Court to Western Bank Library and visit the HAP26 Showcase, an exhibition which showcases a diverse array of some of the services and projects in the region. Or, take part in the ‘Digital Techniques and Workflows, an Interactive Demonstration‘. The session demonstrates techniques including automated handwriting transcription and named entity recognition, and the opportunity for participants to try the technology for themselves.

Info: Panel 5: Working Together to Drive Change: From Collaboration to Co-Production | Panel 6: Building a People’s History: From Collections to Classrooms

Info: Panel 7: Participatory Approaches: Meaningful Engagement and Lived Experience | Panel 8: Class identities, community histories and collaborative practices | Workshop 1: Detective Sheldons and the Case of the Queer Archive: Performing, Building, and Belonging at the Margate Queer Library & Archive

Info: Panel 9: Mobilising Partnerships for Civic Good: Equity, Collaboration and Co-Design | Panel 10: Voices for Change: Archives as Activism | Workshop 2: Is This an Archive? A Participatory Workshop on the Limits and Possibilities of the Archive

Info: We invite you to join HAP organisers after the day’s event, at the University Arms . Food and drink can be purchased here.

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