The Council for British Archaeology (CBA), in partnership with Photoworks, is thrilled to share updates on our innovative project that reimagines archaeology for contemporary audiences through photography.
Since 2021, the CBA and Photoworks have collaborated to champion innovative ways of engaging new audiences with archaeology and heritage. With My Heritage, we’re exploring how young people interpret and reimagine archaeology in their own lives and communities.
This project is made possible with the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players. It is part of the CBA's Reconnecting Archaeology Project.
We’re excited to announce that the project is now in full swing! Eight talented young photographers, aged 16-25, are working alongside award-winning artist and photographer Laura El-Tantawy to challenge traditional notions of heritage through their photography.
Participants have started engaging in a series of online sessions, which include group workshops and one-on-one mentoring with Laura. These sessions, running from October 2024 to February 2025, serve as a creative launchpad for the participants to develop new bodies of work.
Their photography will reflect personal perspectives on archaeology and heritage, exploring how these concepts are relevant in their own lives and places.
Photography and Heritage: A Contemporary Lens
As newcomers to archaeology, they will use their unique perspectives to explore:
The places, objects, and spaces that are significant to them.
Themes of identity, community, and representation.
Questions about relevance, interpretation, and curation: What makes something ‘heritage,’ and who decides?
Photography, as a medium, provides a fresh perspective to explore these themes, offering participants the freedom to reinterpret heritage in ways that speak directly to their own experiences.
Through their work, participants are challenging what constitutes heritage, exploring how we see ourselves reflected in archaeology and how we can foster a sense of belonging, ownership, and relevance for everyone.
In October 2024, with support from members of the CBA’s Youth Advisory Board, we recruited eight young people to participate in the project. Our young photographers have a variety of lived experiences and perspectives, huge enthusiasm for the project and are eager to explore their practice through the theme of archaeology and heritage.
Laura El-Tantawy
Laura El-Tantawy is an award winning British/Egyptian documentary photographer, book maker & educator. She is a Canon Ambassador, representing the global camera giant’s vision and passion for visual storytelling. Born in Worcestershire, UK, Laura studied in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the US & UK. Living between East and West for much of her life inspires her work. Her projects investigate notions of home and belonging, routinely approaching her work from a social and environmental perspectives.
Photoworks - champions photography for everyone.
Global in reach, we have been providing opportunities for artists and audiences since 1995. We don’t have a physical venue, but our online channels are always open. Our programme, which includes the Photoworks Festival – one of the UK’s longest-running photography festivals, brings new experiences to audiences and opens new ways to encounter photography. Photoworks is committed to supporting young people, helping to develop practice and support career progression.
The Council for British Archaeology is an educational charity working throughout the UK to champion archaeology and to help people experience and participate in archaeology. As the voice of grassroots archaeology in the UK, we bring together community groups, commercial units, academics and heritage organisations to create and share opportunities to discover, take part in and be inspired by archaeology. We are committed to promoting inclusion and diversity within the sector.