HeritageJam 2021 is go! http://www.heritagejam.org/

How the past is conceptualised – how it is presented graphically, acoustically, haptically, olfactorily, vocally, and in other performative capacities – has a significant impact upon people’s understanding of themselves and the world around them. It is fundamental to influencing the degree of importance that individuals and communities assign to their environment, and how they care for that environment in the present and build upon it in the future. The artistry and enquiry that are invested into this creative work have known effects not only on public perception but on the whole trajectory of heritage study and practice – from research to policy-making to protection and conservation. The Heritage Jam is about showcasing the presentation of the past, and drawing together the many people invested in such presentation.

The Heritage Jam begun in 2014 at the University of York in the UK as a way to bring people together to design and create forward-thinking pieces of heritage visualisation in a short space of time. This year, it’s hosted by Shawn Graham at Carleton U, Katherine Cook at the Universite de Montreal, and Stuart Eve of L-P Archaeology plc.

The Heritage Jam is open to anyone interested in the way heritage is visualised: we call to artists, animators, game designers, programmers, archaeologists, historians, conservators, museum professionals, heritage practitioners, and any interested members of the public to join forces and collaborate. The outcomes of the Jam are hugely varied – ranging from fine art pieces, 3D models and games through to stories, sketches and videos. The only limits on creation are the theme, time and your imagination!

The Jam will take place entirely online over the month of April, 2021. Submissions will be due at Midnight (eastern), on April 30th.

We will host a kick-off event on March 31st at 1 pm eastern. Make sure to register your intent to participate in the jam via the sign-up form. We will also host a Discord server where you can casually drop in to have some company while you jam. Registered participants will be sent the invitation links for the kick-off event and the discord.

The theme for this year is ‘sensation’. We’ve all had to endure multiple lockdowns and isolation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the snow melts here in Ottawa, and we begin to feel the sun again on our faces, our senses perhaps are overwhelmed… what does ‘sensation’ mean to you in terms of heritage, history, and archaeology, as we approach another summer? (Some resources are available here https://dhmuse.netlify.app/building/technotes-toc/ to help you get started; for inspiration, see past HeritageJam entries!)

Entries are welcome in either English or French; there will be separate awards in both languages. Winning entries and Runners-Up will be invited to publish their work in Epoiesen: A Journal for Creative Engagement in History and Archaeology. A submission page for your entries will be made available on this site towards the end of April.

Even if you intend to create something as part of a team, please complete the sign-up sheet as an individual (so that we can send invitation links and so on to you); when you submit your entry, you will be able to indicate whether or not it’s part of a team entry (and who the team members are!) then. Even if you don’t sign up for the kick-off you can still participate in the jam – just submit your entry on April 30th! Make sure to also tweet about it using the #thj2021 tag.