We programme events and online talks throughout the year to showcase heritage and museums work across the Southwest, explore issues and share learning from across our sector. Events and online talks, with the exception of our AGM, can be attended by both members and non-members.
Each in-person session is hosted by a different organisation in the Southwest and includes a site visit plus exclusive behind-the-scenes insights. Our online talks take place on Zoom and feature speakers from both within and beyond the region. These sessions focus on a specific topic, project, or experience designed to inspire our work, share learning, challenge current practice, and ultimately support a heritage sector that is rich, diverse, and welcoming.
All events include time for Q&A so participants can explore the subject in more depth. Please note that in-person sessions have limited capacity, so early booking is recommended to avoid disappointment.
Heritage, Holograms and Hidden Spaces
Tue 1 Dec 2026 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM St Mary Redcliffe Church, BS1 6RA
Join us for a special festive gathering at St Mary Redcliffe, exploring how one of Bristol’s most remarkable historic buildings is using creative programming to attract new audiences, generate income and bring its 800-year history to life.
From candlelit concerts and Bristol Light Festival to spectacular holographic displays, discover how the church balances innovative cultural events with conservation, heritage interpretation and its continuing role as a place of worship and community support.
We’ll hear from the church’s heritage and events teams about their successes and challenges, before enjoying behind-the-scenes tours of normally hidden spaces, including the roof (weather permitting).
There’ll also be time to explore the church’s current exhibition, Opening Up St Mary Redcliffe: Chatterton, Heritage & Decolonisation, discover its new Bloomberg Connects digital guide, and catch up with friends and colleagues over mulled wine and mince pies.
We’d love you to join us for an afternoon of fresh ideas, shared experiences and festive cheer as we round off the SW Fed year together!
Communicating Climate Change: Insights from Crab Museum & Climate Museum UK
How do museums communicate climate change – and actually influence how people think, feel and act?
This event brings together voices from Crab Museum and Climate Museum UK, two organisations taking bold, unconventional approaches to engaging visitors with complex global issues.
At Crab Museum, communication starts with humour, play and radical honesty, using unexpected storytelling to challenge assumptions and provoke new ways of thinking about the natural world.
Climate Museum UK, by contrast, focuses on creating participatory, reflective spaces where people can process the climate crisis, imagine alternatives, and consider their own role in change.
All event tickets can be booked through Ticket Tailor and are open to both members and non-members. Members receive discounted tickets, and concession rates are available for students and those who are unemployed.
Joining SWFed is free and members receive a monthly e-newsletter with sector updates, jobs and information about upcoming events.
Where sponsorship allows, some events will be free to attend, while others may require a higher ticket price.