Get Involved

Resources to help you delve deeper into the issues of cultural restitution

We Give Talks to Art Groups, Museums & Societies

Illustrated Talk

REPATRIATION OR RETENTION?

Should We Return Colonial Loot?

In this illustrated talk you will hear the case both for and against the return of ceremonial, spiritual and domestic objects in Britain's national and regional museums, acquired by force, theft or against the will of their owners.

Then you have the chance to vote on whether a selection of these objects - all currently the subject of appeals for repatriation - should be returned to their country or community of origin.

"There was total agreement your talk had been excellent and thought-provoking. Some people actually said their opinion had been changed as a result."

Art Friends Warwickshire

Is your mind made up or will you change your mind? This talk is a unique opportunity to engage with a topical issue of legal, moral and ethical significance and is given by Returning Heritage's managing editor, Lewis McNaught.

ENQUIRIES

To enquire about how we can share our knowledge and insights with your group

or email info@returningheritage.com

From Past Audiences

"His engaging manner of sharing his knowledge - making the audience consider and debate complex cultural questions - was a modern, immersive and refreshing way of delivering a talk."

Brook Arts Hub, Stratford upon Avon

Media Enquiries

Returning Heritage is used extensively by media channels around the world as a reliable source for information and opinion on cultural restitution issues. As well as providing an invaluable online archive of restitution news, we are not afraid to campaign and express a considered opinion on current restitution issues.

Returning Heritage's managing editor, Lewis McNaught, delivers interviews and commentaries on cultural restitution for major TV and radio channels, including the BBC, ABC and others. He helps make sense of this sensitive and complex debate.

Lewis McNaught on BBC News Verified Live

FOR PRESS & MEDIA INTERVIEWS

Email for Media Enquiries

Contact Lewis at info@returningheritage.com

Organisations that provide information on issues of cultural restitution

The Institute of Art & Law (IAL)

UK educational organisation, founded in 1995, providing knowledge and perspective on the law relating to cultural heritage

ial.uk.com/

Lootedart.com

The Central Registry and archive focussing on Nazi-looted cultural property 1933-1945, set up to research and resolve outstanding issues following the 1998 Washington Conference

lootedart.com/

Cultural Property News

US website providing opinion, analysis and commentary on US and global restitution issues, with a special focus on how US government and museum policies impact scholarship, trade and public access to art

culturalpropertynews.org/

Routes to Return

Routes to Return is a growing resource that aims to open up global networks, share information and enable international repatriation.

routestoreturn.com

Museum of Looted Antiquities (MOLA)

A US collaborative effort to preserve, display and study information about the thousands of looted antiquities returned to their countries of origin, in a virtual museum. Its goal is to collect data on all antiquities repatriated globally since 1950.

https://mola.omeka.net/

Trafficking Culture

A research consortium that produces evidence-based research into the contemporary global trade in looted cultural objects

traffickingculture.org/

"Now is a critical moment for the restitution debate. Governments across Europe are leaning in the direction of full repatriation for objects stolen during the colonial era. In the absence of any legally-binding international legislation, will Britain's government follow their lead? Are Britain's museums prepared for a new moral and ethical approach to returning contested objects in their collections? There's a huge amount at stake."

Lewis McNaught

Editor, ReturningHeritage.com