The Scottish Council on Archives is delighted to share that submissions for the digital poster session at this year’s Scotland’s Community Heritage Conversations hybrid event are now open! The  event will take place Thursday 26 November 2026 at the Engine Shed, Stirling and Microsoft Teams.

Digital Poster/Video Session (2026) 

This year’s event will feature a digital poster/video session, designed to let community heritage groups and organisations show off their projects, work and initiatives. This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your organisation or project to a diverse group of delegates. We will be displaying posters/video clips based on the conference theme Sharing our Strengths, in a constant loop throughout the day on large screens situated in the Open Hall at the Engine Shed. This is the space where delegates will be networking and enjoying refreshments and lunch. You could also use your poster/video as a background slide for your one-minute mayhem talk, a 60-second ‘soap-box’ opportunity to share your news and views on any aspect of Scotland’s community heritage. It’s a great way for people to know about your work and it’s easy to submit a poster by following these simple instructions: 

 To submit a poster:  

• Create a bold and informative poster that tells the story of your organisation using our Poster-Template-2026. Get inspiration from from last year’s posters. 
• Include your group’s name and any other important details, such as a website or social media page – where you want people to reach out to you.  
• Make sure the submission is on a single widescreen PowerPoint slide and is accessible (see below). 
• Send it as an email attachment to Marissa Trimble, m.trimble@scottisharchives.org.uk with the subject line POSTER SCHC CONFERENCE 2026 by Monday 9 November. Text within the email must include: 1. Group name; 2. Name of contact person in the group; 3. Email address of contact person.  

Make your poster accessible:   

• Font size minimum of 24pt   
• Use contrasting colours, e.g. Black text on a light background. Avoid light fonts on light backgrounds, or dark on dark which are hard to read.   
• Make images or graphics large and clear    
• Use a sans serif font which is readable  

To submit a video: 

• Videos must be no longer than 20 seconds 
• We cannot play sound when showing these videos so if someone is speaking you will need to have captions 

We’d love to see you at the conference in person, but if you can’t attend, please still send your poster/video so attendees can learn more about your group!  

If you have any questions or want your poster checked for accessibility, feel free to contact m.trimble@scottisharchives.org.uk  

Deadline for submissions: 9 November 2026 

ARCHIVES AND RECORDS AT THE HEART OF SOCIETY

Date: Tuesday, 3^rd November 2026
Venue: Meeting Rooms, Tynecastle Park, Heart of Midlothian FC, McLeod St, Edinburgh EH11 2NL

Deadline for papers: Monday 21^st September

The Scottish Council on Archives (SCA) is pleased to invite proposals for papers for its 2026 annual conference with the broad theme of ‘Archives and Records at the Heart of Society’. This year, we want to explore the essential role that archives and records play in underpinning democracy and accountability as well as inspiring creativity, wellbeing and community building.

The conference is an opportunity to highlight how archives and records management services underpin and support every almost aspect of society. Archives and records provide us with the evidence to challenge decisions and hold authorities to account. Archives and records contribute to vibrant and cohesive communities by telling the stories of places and the people who have lived there; to health and wellbeing, through use of archival material to help with a variety of conditions, including dementia; and to economic impact, by supporting the growing ancestral tourism market.

Whether you work in archives, records management, conservation, community archives, research, education or policy, we want to hear how your work is contributing to a more transparent, accountable, vibrant and healthier society.

We welcome proposals that may include (but are not limited to):

• Archives and records as infrastructure for democracy, justice, and governance — case studies, advocacy work, or reflections on the importance and impact of the sector
• Records management and accountability — examples of how good records practice has supported transparency, efficiency and/or public trust in institutions
• Supporting the case for a future national strategy for archives and records
• Inspiring and engaging with communities and/or promoting wellbeing
• Responding to contemporary challenges and inquiries — engagement with public inquiries, emerging crises, or rapidly changing societal and technological issues such as AI
• Demonstrating how archives and records support local and/or national economies
• Case studies on any aspect of recordkeeping that speaks to the conference theme

Format:

• 20-minute individual papers/presentations (in-person is preferred but a pre-recorded presentation will be considered)

Submission Details:

To submit your proposal, please email Marissa Trimble at m.trimble@scottisharchives.org.uk by the deadline of 21^st September 2025. Your submission (maximum five hundred words) should include:

• Presentation title and description
• Name of your organisation (if applicable)
• Your preference for presenting in person or prerecorded

Speakers will have their conference attendance fee and reasonable travel expenses covered. Please note that as a small charity, SCA is unable to offer speaker fees.

If you would like to discuss the event before submitting, please contact SCA Director, John Pelan at j.pelan@scottisharchives.org.uk

Deadline for papers: 21^st September

Other Key Dates:

Bookings open: w/b 17^th August

Programme decision made: 25^th September

Full programme published: w/b 28^th September

Conference: 3^rd November