Independent Heritage and the Saturday Heritage Fair
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
The latest Spotlight on Heritage podcast features Rob Watson in conversation with John Coster about the upcoming Saturday Heritage Fair in Leicester. They discuss the importance of independent heritage, where family stories and personal artefacts are valued alongside official narratives. The fair offers a space for intergenerational learning, storytelling, and authentic community connection. With live broadcasts from Soar Sound and contributions from Radio Lear, the event highlights how lived experience shapes understanding of the past, present, and future.
This edition of Spotlight on Heritage turns the tables, with Rob Watson interviewing John Coster about the upcoming Saturday Heritage Fair. The conversation explores what it means to think about heritage in an independent way, outside of the official frameworks of museums and institutions.
At the heart of the discussion is the idea that heritage is not just about artefacts locked behind glass or grand narratives promoted by cultural authorities. Instead, it is about the stories people carry with them—family objects, photographs, and memories that capture the lived experience of migration, work, conflict, and everyday life. John argues that these stories deserve equal value, and that events such as the Saturday Heritage Fair provide an open space for them to be shared and respected.
The fair, held at the Leicester Adult Education Centre, is designed as an anchor point where people can connect with others who are exploring their heritage. Exhibitors and visitors alike have the chance to exchange knowledge, ask questions, and discover unexpected connections. Rather than being measured by how many people attend, the value lies in the conversations that take place and the opportunities for intergenerational learning.
The discussion also touches on the broader cultural context. John highlights the risks of allowing official narratives to dominate, whether through the celebration of figures such as Richard III or the prioritisation of certain historical periods. He calls for a more democratic approach that makes space for overlooked stories—whether from families who arrived in Leicester from Ireland, Uganda, or the Caribbean, or from those whose experience has been shaped by war and displacement.
By framing heritage as lived and independent, the conversation challenges the nostalgia that often dominates public memory. Instead of looking back through rose-tinted glasses, the aim is to understand how the past shapes the present and to use that understanding to shape the future. Storytelling, in this sense, becomes a tool of empowerment, enabling people to reclaim their narratives and resist cultural exclusion.
The Saturday Heritage Fair will take place on Saturday 11 October at the Leicester Adult Education Centre, 54 Belvoir Street, from 10am to 3pm. Soar Sound will be broadcasting live on the day, capturing stories and playing recordings from the East Midlands oral history archive. Visitors are encouraged to bring along items that mean something to them, join in the conversations, or simply wander through and listen.
As John puts it, heritage is not about collecting things, but about collecting stories. This podcast episode is an invitation to think about what stories matter to you, and how they can be shared in ways that enrich our collective understanding of the world.
Listen to the full conversation on the Spotlight on Heritage podcast.
