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Heritage and Culture

The UK's heritage and culture sector is a vibrant and diverse sector encompassing a wide economy of organisations ranging from individual historic houses, museums, theatres, art galleries, to charities and associations. The sector comprises of public funded, third sector and private sector organisations acting as custodians of places, artefacts and stories, preserving and articulating narratives of history, art, collective memory and culture. Most organisations in this sector are reliant on commercial revenues through fundraising and/or paying visitors. Storytelling sits at the heart of this sector which in places intersects with the sectors of tourism and education. 

This sector is significantly smaller than other sectors of the economy such as retail, health and education though opportunities continue to exist despite challenging economic circumstances. The workforce is projected to grow by 2.4% over the period to 2027, creating only 400 new jobs. Yet, in the same period, 54.3% of the workforce is projected to retire, creating 9,100 job openings. As a benchmark this compares, for example, with secondary school teaching where by 2027 there is a projected estimate of 292,700 openings. Invariably, high levels of competition for places abound characterised by early career pathways entailing voluntary work experience, fixed-term contracts before progression materialises into permanent graduate roles.  

Acknowledging the competition for roles, it is important to note, latest data suggest growth in the sector despite reductions in disposable income. The Centre for Economics and Business Research, in a study for Historic England, a public body which advocates for the sector, using the most recent census data of 2021 assessed in 2022 the sector added a total estimated gross value added (GVA) contribution to the UK’s GDP of £15.4 billion in 2021, which equivalent to 0.87% of England’s total GVA. The heritage sector grew by 22.1% between 2020 and 2021. Growth replicated beyond the UK; in 2023, there were 7.8 million people in cultural employment across the EU, 3.8% of the total employment, with growth of 0.4% from 2022. 

Sector overview and areas of work

Areas of Work in the Heritage and Culture Sector 

The UK's heritage and culture sector is characterised by a broad field of organisations, reflective of the diversity agendas cut across chronological time points whereby some organisations primarily focus on past heritage and others that concentrate on the present. Thus, naturally there is a wide array of career paths that range from roles emphasising practical manual dexterity to roles involving high levels of academic research. Here's a breakdown of some key cluster areas of work in this sector: 

Core Heritage and Culture Roles 

  • Curatorship: managing and interpreting collections, researching and writing exhibition content. Due to working with specialised knowledge requiring a DPhil/PhD. 
  • Heritage Management: overseeing the operation and development of heritage sites, including financial planning, fundraising, and visitor management. 
  • Conservation and Restoration: practical preservation and restoration of artefacts, buildings, and historical sites. 
  • Archaeology: investigating and interpreting the past through the study of material remains. 
  • Exhibition Development: creating engaging and informative exhibition spaces, including design, interpretation, and installation. 

Supporting Roles 

  • Education and Interpretation: developing and delivering educational programs, creating engaging visitor experiences. 
  • Marketing and Communications: promoting heritage and cultural organisations, managing public relations, and developing marketing strategies. 
  • Fundraising and Development: securing funding for projects, building relationships with donors and sponsors. 
  • Retail: most heritage and cultural attractions supplement external sources of funding from retail through gifts shops. Roles such as buyers and retail assistants can potentially serve as a foothold into this sector. 
  • Volunteer Management: coordinating and managing volunteer programs. 
  • Digital Heritage: using technology to preserve, interpret, and disseminate cultural heritage. This can intersect with UX design.  

Creative Industries 

  • Film, Television, and Media: production, scriptwriting, directing, editing, and other roles related to the creative industries. 
  • Design: creating visual concepts for exhibitions, marketing materials, and other projects. 
  • Performing Arts: acting, directing, producing, and technical roles in theatre, dance, music, and opera. 
  • Creative Writing: authorship, scriptwriting, and content creation for various platforms. 

Management and Administration 

  • Finance and Administration: managing financial resources, human resources, and administrative tasks. 
  • Event Management: planning and organising events, conferences, and exhibitions. 
  • Project Management: overseeing and delivering heritage and cultural projects. 

Other Specialisms

  • Tourism: developing and promoting heritage and cultural tourism. 
  • Policy and Advocacy: influencing policy decisions and advocating for the sector. 
  • Research: conducting research into heritage and cultural issues. 

Sector careers advice 

For more insight into this sector and further overviews of the main areas of work in heritage and culture, visit the sites below: 

  • University of Exeter Career Zone podcast episode on working in the heritage sector. 

Sector news and insights 

If you want to research this sector further, the following web pages may be helpful.  

Career Zone and University of Exeter resources 

  • Arts & Culture: platform promoting collaborative work by University of Exeter with South-West culture organisations. 
  • Bill Douglas Museum: University of Exeter museum housing over 90,000 items associated with moving images.
  • Careers in Heritage Panel: conversation with alum working respectively for English Heritage, Plymouth City Council and Museum of Cornish Life. 
  • Creative Careers: a variety of videos of alumni broadly talking about their journeys into creative careers by clicking here, here, here, here, here and here. 

External resources 

  • Arts Hub: all encompassing platform outlining global trends and practices in the world of arts. 
  • Art Tactic: Art market research and analysis 
  • Fair Museum Jobs: grassroots collective network reviewing practices in museum jobs and recruitment. 
  • Historic England “Historic Environment Overview 2023-2024” report. 
  • Heritage Futures: careers guide produced by academics Professors Ian Baxter (Heriot-Watt University) & David Gill (Kent/UEA) exploring how to find job opportunities in the sector. 
  • Museum Association campaigns: listings of public campaigns highlighting topical issues of concern to the sector. 
  • ICCROM’s news feed: global topical issues in heritage. 

Information and links from professional bodies 

If you have studied for a related degree, check if your course is accredited by one of the professional bodies. Being a member of a professional body is voluntary. However, it can be valuable for developing networks, continuing your professional development, and generally keeping up with what's happening in the sector. You don’t need to be a member to access lots of helpful information. 

Umbrella Organisations 

  • The Heritage Alliance: overarching body representing over two hundred independent organisations working in the heritage sector. 
  • Creative UK – independent network of creative organisations in the UK 

Professional Bodies 

Academic and Research-Focused Organisations 

Devon and Cornwall stakeholders in heritage and culture 

Making contacts  

Making contacts is particularly essential for success in this sector. Many jobs in this field come through initial volunteering, networking and speculative applications. You could start by speaking with the experts – find out what they did after graduation and contact them for advice using the Career Mentor Scheme or Ask An Alum.  

Find out if any Exeter alumni are working in this sector that you can get in touch with to gain insights and learn more with the LinkedIn Alumni tool.  

Start networking to build contacts.  Attend events, comment on blogs and follow professionals on LinkedIn.  Attend a skills session to develop your networking skills and knowledge.  

Events  

Recruitment fairs, conventions, open days, talks, and social events give insights and opportunities to make contacts. Make the most of the opportunity to meet with employers and experienced sector professionals to learn about job opportunities and industry knowledge and to get inspiration for pathways to pursue.  Some events to consider within the UK to connect with professionals such as at: art fairs, Museums + Heritage Show, and the Creative Industries Conference. Local arts and heritage events such as Exeter’s Customs House’s Heritage Harbour Festival or Falmouth’s FORM Festival or Open Studios in Cornwall or Devon are illustrative examples of local networking opportunities. 

Keep up to date with and register to attend upcoming events on Handshake. If you have not activated your account, select the Single Sign On (SSO) option and follow the instructions onscreen. 

Job roles

Explore roles in the sector by visiting the job profiles below. Each profile covers typical duties and responsibilities, entry requirements and the key skills required for the position. 

Sector-specific vacancies can be found and researched through the links below. Remember to filter job searches with key words such as ‘heritage, ‘cultural heritage, ‘museum’, ‘gallery” if there are particular roles and sites of work that interest you. Remember to search specific job sections of target employers such as illustrated by the British Museum, setting up email bulletins to receive updates of opportunities. If you are undertaking general research and do not have yet a preference on specific jobs, keep the search open and allow yourself to be inspired.  

 

Skills employers look for: 

Employers in the heritage and culture sector often look for a blend of both technical, academic and interpersonal skills. Here are some key skills that are highly valued and as illustrated by the list of core skills can be transferable to other sectors. 

Core Skills 

  • Research and Analysis: the ability to conduct thorough research, analyse information, and draw informed conclusions. 
  • Communication and Presentation: excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex information clearly and engagingly. 
  • Project Management: strong organisational and time management skills to manage projects effectively. 
  • Problem-solving and Decision-making: the ability to identify and resolve challenges, often under pressure. 
  • Digital Literacy: proficiency in using digital tools and technologies for research, communication, and project management. 

Sector-Specific Skills (relevant for only some positions) 

  • Heritage and Cultural Knowledge: a deep understanding of heritage and cultural concepts, theories, and practices. 
  • Conservation and Preservation: knowledge of conservation techniques and principles. 
  • Exhibition Development: ability to create engaging and informative exhibitions. 
  • Interpretation: skill in translating complex information into accessible and engaging formats. 
  • Fundraising and Development: understanding of fundraising strategies and donor relations. 

Interpersonal Skills 

  • Teamwork: ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues from diverse backgrounds. 
  • Interpersonal Skills: strong interpersonal skills for building relationships with stakeholders, volunteers, and the public. 
  • Organisation: planning of events. 
  • Cultural Sensitivity: understanding and appreciation of different cultures and perspectives. 
  • Adaptability: flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and work environments. 
  • Language Skills: proficiency in additional languages can be beneficial, especially in tourism-related roles. 

Work experience and placements

You can develop the skills required to work in these roles and sectors, in and alongside your degree, using online platforms, social media, and discussion groups on LinkedIn. Engage with relevant discussion forums.  Recruiters will be looking for evidence of your interest in the sector. 

Getting a graduate role is competitive. Gaining relevant experience in the workplace will not only make your applications stand out but will also allow you to develop new skills and gain valuable insight into the sector. 

University of Exeter Employability Schemes  

These employability schemes can help you find or enhance your work experience and build valuable network connections. 

  • Career Zone Internship schemes: Internships can be beneficial, allowing you to gain experience so try to get relevant vacation work or placements.   
  • Pathways to Arts, culture and heritage: A sector-specific training programme consisting of courses and a paid week-long internship in June or July each year. 
  • Grand Challenges: A project week where students work in interdisciplinary groups to design solutions to real-world challenges. Develop communication and campaign skills to present ideas creatively.   
  • Ask an Alum: A fuss-free way to connect with University of Exeter alumni to ask career questions.   
  • Career Mentor Scheme: A popular employability scheme which matches a student or graduate with an experienced professional for sector insight and one-to-one career advice and guidance over a 6-month period.  

Finding part-time work  

Many students work part-time during their studies. Part-time jobs are often found in the hospitality or retail sector, where you can gain transferrable interpersonal, communication and teamwork skills. Part-time opportunities in heritage and culture can present entry points into this sector via roles of: gallery / museum experience assistant roles, or visitor services roles, or retail assistant roles, or administrative functionalities, and fundraising roles. 

Search for part-time work here: 

  • Handshake (filter ‘part time’ and by your location). 
  • General job sites such as LinkedIn jobs, Find a Job or Indeed (filter on “part-time” and “Exeter”). 
  • Identify and call local businesses in your local area with your CV to ask about part-time jobs. 
  • Attend the part-time/casual at Streatham Campus and/or Penryn Campus.  

Virtual Work Experience 

Heritage and culture work experiences typically tend to be physical in-person scenarios. At present, this sector has not invested in virtual work experiences though some online MOOCs such as Coursera or Future Learn provide short courses in arts, heritage that can offer a taster to verify interest in this sector 

Virtual work experience from other sectors may lend valuable transferable skills that could leverage subsequent opportunities in heritage and culture. 

  • Forage provides short virtual internships in a range of sectors, with opportunities to connect with employers. 
  • The Bright Network provides virtual internships in various sectors and fast-track opportunities for graduate programmes and internships for virtual-intern alumni. Look out for the Bright Network annual June internship week. 

Speculative applications (finding and approaching companies for opportunities) 

As jobs are not always advertised, developing your networking skills and applying speculatively can be useful.  This means approaching organisations directly for an opportunity. Gaining experience in heritage and culture typically will entail volunteering, though dependent on prior experience and level of academic and technical training a speculative application might still generate a fixed term contract position. 

  • Research and make a shortlist of organisations you would like to gain experience with. 
  • Identify what roles people hold in the organisation.  Are there any exciting campaigns or projects running or coming up that you’d like to be involved in or support?  
  • Create your tailored CV and cover letter, clearly outlining what you are asking of the organisation and highlighting what you can bring.  What’s your unique offer? 

The websites below hold directories which can be a helpful place to start, when researching potential organisations of interest.   

Internships 

Internships in the UK are usually, but not always, designed for undergraduate students, so do read application criteria carefully.  An internship in any sector will help you gain relevant transferrable skills. 

Whilst particularly in heritage and culture opportunities to gain experience through internships and work experience are commonly found through speculative approaches. Some larger scale organisations periodically advertise small numbers of internships or micro-internships such as illustrated by the Natural History Museum’s “visiteering scheme” 

Any of Career Zone's internships could offer an invaluable supply of added experience. 

Further information here on Target Jobs –‘What is an internship and how do I get one?’ and a Career Zone blog explaining the difference between graduate schemes, work placements, internships. 

Volunteering 

Voluntary work is a well-trodden route to gaining work experience in this sector. Voluntary work experience will allow you to develop your communication, organisation and other skills as well gain an insight into the heritage and culture sector. Established stakeholders in the sector such as the National Trust, the Natural History Museum, the V&A can offer formalised volunteering schemes whereas as other organisations may only offer ad hoc volunteering opportunities through informal speculative channels. 

Graduate jobs and schemes

A graduate scheme and a graduate job are both employment opportunities for recent graduates, but differ in structure and purpose.  Competition is strong, especially for entry-level positions. Use the following resources to find advertised vacancies and research employers. 

Graduate schemes 

A graduate scheme is a structured programme providing comprehensive training and development within an organisation, typically involving rotations through different departments or roles within an organisation, allowing graduates to gain a broad understanding of the business and develop diverse skills. Graduate schemes are extremely rare in this sector, though some examples exist such as Christie’s graduate training programme, the sector has seen a growing trend of conversion of what hitherto was a limited number of formalised graduate schemes into school leaver apprenticeships. 

Graduate Job Opportunities  

A graduate job is an entry-level position that requires a degree.  Training will be provided; however, as with any job role, it will be less formal and focused on ‘on-the-job’ learning.  Graduates are typically hired for a specific role within a department with the expectation of being able to contribute to the role immediately, without the rotational experiences that are part of graduate schemes. 

The following links can be useful resources for finding advertised vacancies and researching employers. 

For general information about finding graduate opportunities, please visit our Graduate Jobs page, and for a list of general job search engines please visit our general job sources page. You could also have a look at Handshake, our vacancy database with employers who are targeting University of Exeter students.  

Finding companies for speculative applications 

As jobs are not always advertised, developing your networking skills and applying speculatively can be helpful. You may find the following prompts a useful place to start:  

  • Research and make a shortlist of potential employers leading the way in the field in which you want to work.
  • Identify organisations whose culture, interests and purpose align with your passion and values. 
  • Explore company structure and roles. What opportunities do you see for possible job roles or work experience?
  • Create your tailored CV and covering letter, clearly outlining what you are asking for and why they should consider you. What are your unique selling point(s)? 

Make the most of our comprehensive programme of skills sessions throughout your studies, on topics including networking essentials, communication skills, job hunting, job hunting and writing an effective cover letter, to support your direct approaches.   

Explore further techniques and strategies for identifying and approaching potential employers on our Researching Employers page. 

Further sources of support 

For further advice on finding graduate opportunities, visit our finding a graduate job page. 

If you are an international student, visit our web pages for help finding opportunities both in the UK and globally. 

Further study and professional development

To find opportunities outside the UK use GoinGlobal. Log in using your university email address. The worldwide country guides cover everything from job search resources and CV guidelines to cultural advice and visa information. Watch a short training video on how to get the most from GoinGlobal (4 minutes 20 seconds). 

Some individuals decide to undertake further study to build their skills and knowledge of the sector. Not all roles or employers will require this, so it is important to research entry requirements and employer preferences before committing to additional training or qualifications. You may have the option to gain professional qualifications after graduating which will show your commitment towards the industry. Use the sites below to research your further study options.  

There are many different routes into the sector including postgraduate study, volunteering, internships and more. A postgraduate study programme could enable specialisation, a career change or competitive advantage. Examples postgraduate programme: MA Heritage Studies, MA Museums and Galleries in Education, MA Museum Studies MA Cultural Heritage Management. Note this list is merely an illustrative example of programme in this sector. 

If you would like to pursue postgraduate study before entering your chosen sector, please visit our Postgraduate Study page for more information about choosing further study. If you are unsure whether further study is for you, you may wish to attend our ‘Postgraduate study: is it right for you?’ session which runs termly. Find these advertised on Handshake. 

Further information  

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Many major graduate recruiters have policies and processes that are proactive in recruiting graduates from diverse backgrounds. To find out the policies and attitudes of employers that you are interested in, explore their equality and diversity policies and see if they offer ‘Guaranteed Interview Schemes’ (for disabled applicants) or are recognised for their policy by such indicators as ‘Mindful Employer’ or as a ‘Stonewalls Diversity Champion’. Click here for the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre’s assessment of the level of diversity and inclusion in the sector 

The UK law protects you from discrimination due to your age, gender, race, religion or beliefs, disability or sexual orientation. For further information on the Equality Act and to find out where and how you are protected, as well as information on what you need to do if you feel you have been discriminated against, visit the Government’s webpages on discrimination. 

To learn more about how to share details of a disability with an employer and the support you can receive applying for jobs and work experience visit our equality and diversity page. See below for some sample schemes promoting inclusion, diversity and equality.  

Further information  

  • Black Cultural Archives: charity representing histories of people of African and Caribbean descent in the UK. 
  • Historic England Emerging Talent Placements Programme: series of short term training placements enabling access to heritage. 
  • Creative Access: career-long access, training and support for under-represented communities in the creative industries.  
  • New Curators: supports curatorial training in London for aspiring curators of contemporary art from lower socio-economic backgrounds. 
  • Out shared cultural heritage: charity exploring how museums can work better with young people from the South Asian diaspora in the UK, along with young people from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.