Future for Religious Heritage

25/06/2026

📣 Registrations for the FRH Biennial Conference 2026 are now open!

Join us in Leuven on 22 and 23 October 2026 for two days of reflection, exchange and dialogue on the future of religious heritage in Europe.

Under the theme "The time is now: How to future-proof religious heritage together", the conference will explore how new holistic and participatory approaches, alongside evolving regulatory frameworks and policy instruments, are helping religious heritage remain meaningful, resilient and sustainable in a rapidly changing world.

The programme will bring together heritage professionals, researchers, policymakers, religious communities and civil society representatives from across Europe, and will feature:
✅ Expert presentations
✅ Interactive study visits
✅ Collaborative workshops
✅ Opportunities for exchange and networking

We look forward to welcoming everyone committed to shaping the future of religious heritage through shared knowledge, experience and cooperation.

🎟️ Early-bird registration is available until 15 July.

🔗 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.be/e/frh-biennial-conference-2026-registration-1991038956115?aff=oddtdtcreator

09/06/2026

How can Europe’s historic places of worship continue to serve communities in the 21st century 🏛️?

Join us for "Connected by Heritage: Reactivating Historic Places of Worship for a More Sustainable, Inclusive and Aesthetic Europe", a satellite event of the 2026 exploring innovative approaches to preserving and revitalising religious heritage across Europe.

The event will feature members of the 'Renovation, transformation and renewal of church buildings and religious heritage in the EU', who will present three inspiring case studies aimed at ensuring that these sites remain useful and meaningful spaces at the heart of towns and villages.

📅 12 June 2026
🕛 12:00–13:30 CET
💻 Online

Register here 👉 https://www.frh-europe.org/connected-by-heritage-reactivating-historic-places-of-worship-for-a-more-sustainable-inclusive-and-aesthetic-europe/

12/05/2026

🕗 Only three days left to submit your paper to the 2026 FRH Biennial Conference!

Under the theme “The Time is Now: How to Future-Proof Religious Heritage”, the conference will explore two themes: 1️⃣ Community-driven and holistic approaches to heritage management and 2️⃣ policy frameworks and tools at different levels.

🗣️Who can apply?🗣️
We welcome contributions from researchers, heritage practitioners, civil society organisations, NGOs, community groups, and early-career professionals working on the stewardship, reuse, and revitalisation of religious heritage.

📄Selection📄
The FRH Scientific Advisory Committee will invite the authors of the 16 best abstracts to produce a poster that will be exhibited at the conference. From these, two will also be invited for a short oral presentation.

📅Deadline: 15 May 2026 at 12:00 CET

📝 Submit your proposal on this page: https://lnkd.in/eWsgCQX5

13/04/2026

📢 The Call for Papers for the FRH Biennial Conference 2026 is now open!

Future for Religious Heritage (FRH) is delighted to invite submissions for its next Biennial Conference, taking place on 22–23 October in Leuven, Belgium.

Under the theme “The Time is Now: How to Future-Proof Religious Heritage”, the conference will explore two themes: 1️⃣ Community-driven and holistic approaches for heritage management and 2️⃣ policy frameworks and tools at different levels.

🗣️Who can participate?🗣️
We welcome contributions from researchers, heritage practitioners, civil society organisations, NGOs, community groups, and early-career professionals working on the stewardship, reuse, and revitalisation of religious heritage.

📄Selection📄
The FRH Scientific Advisory Committee will invite the authors of the 16 best abstracts to produce a poster that will be exhibited at the conference. From these, two will also be invited for a short oral presentation.

📅 The deadline to participate is 15 May 2026 at 12:00 CET.

Learn more about the call and submit your proposal on this page 👉 https://www.frh-europe.org/events/conferences/frh-biennial-conference-2026/call-for-papers/

09/04/2026

How can Europe sustainably adapt its religious heritage to today’s realities?

Our upcoming FRH Talk “Patterns and Paths of Adapting Church Buildings in Poland” (🗓️ 16 April, 12:00 to 13:00 CET) will explore how historical trajectories, post-socialist changes, and evolving social and cultural dynamics are leading to transformations in sacred heritage in this Eastern European country.

The session will be led by Maria Arno, who thoroughly analyses this topic in her latest book, Adaptive Reuse of Roman Catholic Churches: Good Practice and Viable Solutions for Converting Sacred Spaces.

Register now ➡️ https://www.frh-europe.org/frh-talks-patterns-and-paths-of-adapting-church-buildings-in-poland

16/02/2026

📣 Call for Contributions – International Panel 📣

The Centro Studi Cherubino Ghirardacci, a Bologna-based research institution and member of Future for Religious Heritage (FRH), is seeking contributions to complete their accepted open panel for the next conference of the European Academy of Religion (EUARE) in Rome (30 June – 3 July 2026).

🗣️ Open panel 🗣️
The panel 'Christian Communities and the Production of Space: Agency, Power and Purposes' explores how Christian communities, beyond formal hierarchies, are actively involved in shaping public and urban spaces, including processes of reuse and reinterpretation of ecclesiastical heritage. Discussions will address themes like:
🔸 Community, power and urban presence
🔸 Parishes as spaces of proximity and social innovation
🔸 Reuse and re-signification of deconsecrated or re-imagined religious spaces
🔸 Legal, economic and heritage challenges in community-led practices

📝 Contributions 📝
The team is currently seeking 8 original and in-depth paper contributions to complete the panel (12 panellists in total). Each selected presenter will have 15–20 minutes to share their work.

📅 Submission deadline: 13 March 2026
🔗 More details: https://www.frh-europe.org/the-cherubino-ghirardacci-study-centre-calls-for-8-panel-contributions-for-euare-2026/

🔗Submission link: https://www.europeanacademyofreligion.org/it/proposal-submission-2026

22/01/2026

🔍 Call for Inputs: Religious Heritage Education & Training in Europe

Our Young Professionals and Researchers Working Group is currently working on a pan-European study on religious heritage education, looking at how knowledge, skills, and training in this field are structured across three educational levels:
1️⃣ School level – workshops, curricula, outreach, and awareness initiatives
2️⃣ Undergraduate level – degrees and modules related to religious heritage
3️⃣ Postgraduate & professional level – specialised courses, training programmes, and research pathways

While they’ve gathered substantial data, they are still missing information on certain educational courses and training initiatives across Europe, particularly those that may be:
- Less visible internationally
- Organised by NGOs, faith-based organisations, heritage bodies, or local institutions
- Short-term, experimental, or practice-oriented

If you have been involved in, taught, or attended such programmes, or know of courses, workshops, or training initiatives related to religious heritage (at any of the three levels), our YPRWG would be very grateful if you could fill out the Google form below.

This study aims to identify gaps, accessibility issues, and interdisciplinary blind spots in religious heritage education; so every input helps build a more accurate and inclusive picture of what exists on the ground.

Thank you in advance for your time and for helping strengthen the future of religious heritage education in Europe.

➡️https://forms.gle/ET3tmVtrPjWKJwZf8

This form supports an ongoing FRH study on (religious) heritage education across school, undergraduate, and postgraduate levels, specifically in Europe. The information shared will be used for research and mapping purposes only.

16/01/2026

📣 We are delighted to announce the first FRH Talk of 2026⛪✨!

Across Europe, religious buildings are undergoing major transformations as communities rethink how these spaces can continue to serve society in sustainable and meaningful ways.

In this engaging session, researchers Kerstin Menzel and Manuela Klauser from the TRANSARA research group will share insights from their six-year study on how church buildings in Germany are being transformed, paying attention to the social, cultural & institutional factors and challenges that influence these processes.

Join us for a comprehensive overview of the current reuse trends and strategies across the country!
🔗 https://www.frh-europe.org/frh-talks-patterns-and-paths-of-adapting-church-buildings-in-germany/

02/12/2025

💻 Join us for an insightful FRH Talk exploring the innovative heritage management model of the MUDD - Museo Diocesano Diffuso di Napoli, 🏛️ a recent initiative by Fondazione Napoli C'entro to transform the city's artistic and religious heritage into a catalyst for regeneration, youth empowerment and sustainable development.

Our guest speaker, Vincenzo Porzio, director of Fondazione Napoli C’entro, will give us an insight into how the initiative began, what role young people are playing in it, and how other regions and cities can take similar heritage and community-driven actions.

📅 Tuesday, 2 December | 12:00 -13:00 CET
🗣️ Via Zoom

Join us for this inspiring exchange on the transformative power of religious heritage!

More information & registrations➡️: https://lnkd.in/eYedD864