CultHeRit Project Successfully Concludes: Final Conference in Budapest Charts the Future of Heritage Employment

The CultHeRit project has officially concluded its activities with the successful delivery of its Final Conference and International Advocacy Event in Budapest. Held on 17–18 June 2026 at the Petőfi Literary Museum, the two-day event gathered leading experts, project partners, and young professionals. Participants focused on improving working conditions and employment accessibility within the Cultural Heritage Institutions and Museums (CHIM) sector across the Danube region.

Key Outputs and Innovative Employment Models

The event was moderated by Sebastian Boniș, CultHeRit project manager, and Dr. Zsombor Jékely, director of collections at the Hungarian National Museum Public Collections Center (MNMKK-IMM).

Participants were greeted by Dr. Zsolt Sári, State Secretary at the Ministry of Social Relations and Culture of Hungary, and Mirjana Vidanović, Programme and Communication Officer of the Interreg-Danube Region Programme. The conference was honored by the presence of His Excellency Dr. sc. Mladen Andrlić, Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to Hungary.

Senka Gavranov presented a comprehensive overview of CultHeRit's insights and major milestones, followed by testimonies from partners detailing the project's regional impact.

The first day highlighted the launch of pivotal strategic frameworks developed during the project:

•             Transnational Aspirational Employment Model: Thomas Philipp outlined the development, testing, and finalization of this model designed specifically for the CHIM sector.

•             Transnational Strategy: Stefan Cibian presented the long-term strategy aimed at enhancing job accessibility and boosting the overall employment situation in the Danube region.

•             Workplace Realities via Film: Filmmaker Mihai Dragolea showcased employment conditions in the CHIM sector through a series of impactful short films.

Empowering Early-Career Professionals and Future-Proofing

Securing youth employment and retaining talent in cultural institutions were the focus of two major panel sessions:

1.           Careers in the CHIM Sector: Moderated by Lucia Leca (National Institute of Heritage Romania), this panel featured early-career professionals who shared firsthand experiences from their involvement in CultHeRit.

2.           Future of Employment in CHIM: Senka Gavranov moderated a visionary discussion with prominent experts including dr. Zsombor Jékely (Museum of Applied Arts), dr. Zsolt Sári (Association of European OpenAir Museums), and Graham Bell (Cultura Trust).

Steering Collaboration and Cultural Exchange

The second day focused on the operational sustainability of the project. While the Steering Committee reviewed financial implementation and prepared the final progress report, members of the Key Stakeholder Group, mentors and mentees participated in an interactive workshop centered on intergenerational cooperation and future-proofing the CHIM workforce.

The event concluded with a guided tour of the Attila exhibition at the Hungarian National Museum, celebrating the successful cross-border collaboration of all participating countries.

CultHeRit leaves behind a legacy of practical tools, models, and networks that will continue to foster fair, accessible, and attractive employment in the cultural heritage sector for years to come.