Community archives

The stories of ‘local’ areas are changing all the time and we would like to help communities to celebrate their diverse and evolving stories

What are community archives?

Community archives are collections of material that tell the story of a community’s history. They may consist of:

  • photographs
  • documents
  • sound recordings
  • printed material
  • digital media
  • film
  • objects

A community’s very own ‘memory box’. Community archives are created and owned by the community. They are a great way of bringing people together. Anyone can get involved.

We can offer

  • Help on how to collect and record local history
  • Advice on caring for and managing local records
  • Support with designing exhibitions and developing heritage events
  • Access to mainstream archives
  • Guidance on gaining funding advice and training support

Exhibition

An exhibition on community archives is available for loan to groups. Contact us if you are interested on having this on display.

Looking after archives

Documents, photographs and other records can deteriorate over time, leading to loss or damage. Taking good care of your archives will help you to preserve your collections for longer. Follow our advice on looking after documents, photographs, film and sound recordings to help you keep your archives in the best possible condition.