Art and Heritage Law: Contested Heritage – Details, episodes & analysis

What does a Chief Curator do, and what goes on behind the scenes at an art gallery?

Richard Harwood KC and Clarissa Levi are joined by Imogen Gibbon of National Galleries of Scotland to discuss making art work for everyone, whether it's on display or not; with detours via Scottish fisheries, silver bands, curling and the dangers of dressing neatly.

We often talk of the historic interest in buildings, but what does that mean to the historian? How does art help understand our past? Richard Harwood KC and Clarissa Levi from BHL Art Group talk to Dr Elizabeth Norton, a historian specialising in the Queens of England and the Tudor period, and the author of a number of highly readable books, including ‘The Lives of Tudor Women’ and ‘The Temptation of Elizabeth Tudor’. We discuss walking the ground, Jane Seymour’s necklaces, what television dramas and films get right, and why archaeological consultants should be punching the air in delight.

Dr Anna Keay, Director of The Landmark Trust, joins Richard and Clarissa to discuss the origins of Landmark, how its buildings are saved, what they mean to us to us, and to describe two exciting current projects to rescue and restore historic buildings.

Donate and help save RAF Ibsley Watch Office Appeal: HERE.

In her book 'Caring for Cultural Heritage', Dr Charlotte Woodhead explores the legal and ethical initiatives in the UK for caring for cultural heritage. Richard and Clarissa discuss ethics of care and the appropriate care for our heritage with Charlotte.

The historic buildings charity SAVE Britain’s Heritage is 50 years old in 2025. Richard Harwood KC and Clarissa Levi talk to Henrietta Billings, the Director of SAVE, talks about its work and how to save and revitalise heritage buildings. From fishing docks to country houses, and the birthplace of one of The Beatles, Henrietta discusses SAVE’s rescues and climate change, retrofitting and Marks & Spencer.

SAVE Britain’s Heritage’s work and details of its 50th anniversary programme are available here.

How does Artificial Intelligence affect art and cultural institutions? Richard and Clarissa talk to Emily Gould, Assistant Director of the Institute of Art and Law, to discuss the use of creative works for training generative AI; who owns rights to AI produced works; and the use of AI in art attribution. They try their hands at AI-produced art themselves, with slightly worrying results.

What are gasholders and how do we mark engineering heritage when technology moves on? Professor Russell Thomas, Technical Director of WSP, and Timur Tatlioglu, Partner and Head of Montagu Evans’ Historic Environment and Townscape Team, discuss the past, present and future of these iconic structures. Russell and Timur are the editors of a new book, Gasholders: A History in Pictures, with the assistance of National Grid and Historic England.

The Acceptance in Lieu scheme allows Inheritance Tax to be paid with art. Richard and Clarissa talk to Professor Frances Fowle of the University of Edinburgh and Scottish National Galleries. They discuss an important collection of paintings, heritage strategy and an unusual application of the AiL Scheme.

How does Ireland deal with treasure? What does a Stratocaster guitar tell us about tax? What does the Irish experience teach us about the legacies of Empire?

Richard and Clarissa chat to Martin Bradley is a barrister in Ireland and qualified archivist with over 25 years’ experience working in the art and cultural heritage sector. He is the author of a new book Art & Cultural Heritage Law: A Practical Guide. It focuses on the law in Ireland, but brings in International law and cases in other jurisdictions, including England and the United States of America.

What was it to be a pilgrim? How has pilgrimage continued over the centuries and how authentic are our modern pilgrim ways? Richard Harwood KC of 39 Essex Chambers and Clarissa Levi of BHL Art Group chat to Dr Emma Wells. Emma is a heritage consultant in the private sector. Her book 'Pilgrim Routes of the British Isles' has just been published in paperback.