Beyond the rhetoric: negotiating the politics and realising the potential of community‐driven heritage engagement

This paper explores the development of community engagement work in the heritage sector and the danger of such projects conforming to a top‐down model. An alternative community‐driven approach is explored. The ongoing Bendigo heritage engagement project is used as a basis for discussing the benefits, limitations and potential pitfalls of such an approach. The role of the project manager in negotiating the politics and issues arising in community‐driven approaches is crucial and a range of skills and techniques, which may assist those in this role, are highlighted. Identifying and addressing potential problem areas is essential to ensure the success of such projects. This is imperative if museums, galleries or other organisations wish to move beyond rhetorical strategies for community engagement towards successful implementation of sustainable and relevant projects that positively contribute to local communities.