The French culture secretary Rachida Dati explored how the UK National Trust could be a model for heritage management in France—creating a so-called National Trust à la française—during the state visit of the French President Emmanuel Macron to Britain last week.
On 9 July, two cultural cooperation agreements linked to the film industry and heritage sectors were signed by Dati and the UK culture minister, Chris Bryant.
On the same day, Marie Lavandier, the president of the Centre des Monuments Nationaux (CMN), France’s national heritage agency, signed a declaration of intent at Kenwood House in London with three British heritage institutions: the National Trust, the National Trust for Scotland, and English Heritage. Lavandier also met senior leaders from the three UK organisations in April to discuss partnership issues.
The declaration of intent outlines an exchange of expertise in several areas including “charitable and conservation principles”, “sustainable business, enterprise and philanthropic models and practices” and "public engagement and learning programmes”. The final area focuses on “environmental and tourism sustainability practices in the interests of protecting the heritage, increasing its enjoyment and addressing the effects of the climate and biodiversity crises”.
The participating bodies say that “further discussion will be needed to shape the structure, scope and resourcing of this partnership”. A biennial forum sharing insights on heritage policy and practice will take place as part of the new partnership.
John Orna-Ornstein, the director of access and conservation at the National Trust, tells The Art Newspaper: “There are more than 100 national trusts around the world, an important network of like-minded organisations working hard for the protection of cultural and natural heritage. Whether sharing expertise on approaches to conservation or exploring connected histories, we have much to learn from our friends in France and across the globe.”
The France-UK initiative follows the report A French National Trust, a community committed to a living heritage, which was presented on 3 July by Lavandier to Dati. The “French National Trust” idea was nonetheless mooted as far back as 1996 when the French Culture ministry proposed a new heritage institution—the Fondation du Patrimoine—funded by public membership.
Guillaume Poitrinal, the president of the Fondation du Patrimoine, recently told Le Monde: “The 'French National Trust' already exists, it's us! The simplest way [forward] is to help us develop.” The foundation website states that it helps safeguard French heritage through public and private funding.
Meanwhile the loss of up to 550 jobs at the National Trust could pose a risk to the UK charity’s ability to act as custodian of the country’s cultural, historic and natural heritage, the union which represents workers at the trust said last week.
