Recordings of archive sector training and events
Watch recordings of our past events and training courses for archive professionals.
Archive sector training and events
We offer a range of online and in-person events and training courses for anyone working in an archive. Our training sessions are relevant from both an organisational and individual perspective.
Event recordings and sector guidance
Looking for something particular? You might find exactly what you need in our collection of recorded training events or our online guidance covering collections management, running an organisation and audience engagement.
Guidance for running an archive
Read guidance on running your archive, managing collections and engaging audiences.
Making and cancelling bookings
Most of our training sessions are free, and bookings are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. We have a limited number of spaces available at each session, so please only book if you are able to attend.
If you would like more information about any of our sessions, or you are unable to cover the cost of travelling to one of our events, please email us, and we will be happy to discuss.
If you are no longer able to attend a session, please inform us at the earliest opportunity.
Upcoming training and events
Digital peer mentoring programme
Applications are now open to apply as a mentee to our digital peer mentoring programme. Run as part of our digital-capacity-building strategy for the archive sector, we match UK-based archive professionals with an experienced digital professional to work on a digital project for a period of six months. The programme is fully remote so meetings between mentors and mentees take place online.
About the digital peer mentoring programme
Find out more about our digital peer mentoring programme, and apply to become a mentor or mentee.
Impact seminar: involving students in archival practice
- Date and time
3 November 2026, 13:30 to 15:00
- Location
Online
Join this impact seminar to hear how different archives have collaborated with students and alumni on a variety of projects.
Falmouth Exeter Plus will discuss the Nick Darke: Life, Work and Legacy celebration, highlighting how archives can be used creatively to connect students with literary heritage.
Liverpool John Moores University Special Collections & Archives will present on forming and maintaining stronger partnerships with student and alumni groups. They will talk about how they have done this through their exhibitions Legacy in Motion and Back to the Drawing Board.
University of Worcester will discuss their ongoing History of Basketball project. This focuses on getting students with no experience of archives involved in archival practice with the National Basketball Heritage Collection.
Find out more and register to attend this seminar.
Tools for understanding your communities
- Date and time
11 November 2026, 10:00 to 16:00
- Location
The London Archives, London
This practical, hands-on workshop, delivered by heritage consultant Claire Adler, will explore different approaches to audience consultation and community engagement. It is designed to help archive professionals build the confidence and skills to better understand the needs, interests and motivations of current and potential users.
Through expert-led presentations, case studies and interactive activities, participants will learn how to:
- Develop a consultation framework
- Select appropriate engagement methods
- Gather and analyse feedback
- Design effective surveys
You will hear case studies from Iniva, Marx Memorial Library and The Mixed Museum.
Refreshments and lunch will be included, and a limited number of travel bursaries are available.
Find out more and register to attend this workshop.
National Loans Programme webinars
Using national collection loans to connect and engage with communities
- Date and time
12 November 2026, 12:00 to 13:00
- Location
Online
An archival loan is not just an object on display. It can be a starting point for relationships, conversations and new ways of engaging communities.
The National Archives Community and Transport Record Specialist, Jessamy Carlson, will join us on this webinar. She will discuss how archives across the UK can connect and engage their community through connections with our national collection and their own collections.
There will be a short introduction to the National Loans Programme by Michelle Jones, Loans Programme Coordinator, followed by a 25-minute presentation by Jessamy Carlson, with 10-15 minutes set aside for a Q&A session.
This webinar is for archives across the UK who want to develop their skills and knowledge in connecting and engaging their communities. The webinars are open to all, and no prior knowledge is required.
Find out more and register to attend this webinar.
Government Indemnity Scheme (GIS) and security for national loans with Arts Council England
- Date and time
25 November 2026, 12:00 to 13:00
- Location
Online
Join us for a practical introduction to the Government Indemnity Scheme (GIS) and the key security considerations for archives borrowing material from national collections.
This session is aimed at archive and collections staff who are new to borrowing, or who would like to build their confidence and understanding of the requirements involved in borrowing from national collections. We’ll cover the context of borrowing, potential risks, security obligations and procedures, as well as providing a general overview of the Government Indemnity Scheme.
The webinar will include a short introduction from Hazel Lee, Government Indemnity Scheme Manager, and a 20-minute presentation by Valentina Sabucco, Security and Protection Manager at Arts Council England. This will be followed by an opportunity to ask questions and discuss the topics covered.
Whether you are considering submitting an expression of interest to The National Archives National Loans Programme, or looking to learn more about GIS and archive loans, this session will provide a useful introduction to the practical considerations involved.
Find out more and register to attend this webinar.
Impact seminar: collaborating with creatives
- Date and time
18 November 2026, 13:30 to 15:00
- Location
Online
Join this impact seminar to hear how different archives have collaborated with creatives to engage different communities.
Angele David-Guillo, Assistant Archivist, will present Archives in Absentia. This is a collaborative project between The London School of Economics and Political Science's LSE Library, Arts & Homelessness International, and artists with lived experience of homelessness.
Mark Bateson, Archive Engagement Officer at Kent Archives and Local History Service, will discuss the archive’s involvement in the Hope Project, conceived by inclusive arts practitioner, Elaine Foster-Gandy.
Lisa Greenhalgh, Senior Archivist, will share a creative engagement project that invited four community-led arts collectives to reimagine historic recipes held in Cheshire Archives’ collections.
Find out more and register to attend this seminar.
Carbon Literacy training for archives
- Dates and times
24 and 26 November 2026, 10:00 to 13:30
26 and 28 January 2027, 10:00 to 13:30
22 and 24 February 2027, 10:00 to 13:30
- Location
Online
Only book to attend one pair of dates, each pair is a repeat of the same course.
This Carbon Literacy training is a free two-part online course designed to build attendees awareness of the carbon emissions relating to their roles in archives, records management and special collections.
We will explore the science of climate change, how this can affect archives, and provide examples of actions that archives have taken to lower their carbon emissions.
By completing the training and associated work, you can earn ‘Carbon Literate’ status, which is awarded by the Carbon Literacy Project. The course is open to all colleagues working within the UK recordkeeping profession, with priority given to those based in England.
Find out more and register to attend this training.
Engaging diverse communities through heritage, identity, and storytelling
- Date and time
26 November 2026, 10:30 to 16:00
- Location
Kirklees Local Television – The Media Centre, Huddersfield
This in-person workshop explores how archives can engage more effectively with diverse communities. Through film screenings, case studies, discussion and practical exercises, participants will examine:
- Identity
- Trust-building
- Representation
- Inclusive communication
The workshop is designed to be experiential, drawing upon the attendees’ own challenges and goals within their organisations. Using real-life stories from a range of communities and experiences, the workshop will challenge assumptions, encourage reflection and equip participants with practical tools to improve engagement with underrepresented groups.
Find out more and register to attend this workshop
Strategic advocacy for archive managers
- Date and time
3 December 2026, 10:45 to 16:00
- Location
The Box, Plymouth
It has never been more crucial to demonstrate the value of your archive to stakeholders and funders. You will leave this free, in-person course with the outline for a strategic advocacy plan, fresh insights from sector experts and an expanded network of industry colleagues.
This one-day course will be delivered by consultant and senior leader, Kate Farmery, and is aimed at Heads of Service or those responsible for managing an archive. There will also be an opportunity to explore exhibitions at The Box, winner of Art Fund Museum of the Year 2026.
A limited number of travel bursaries are available for delegates.
It was an excellent day. Facilitators were knowledgeable and excellent communicators.'
'Excellent speakers. Really informative.'
'I have improved my understanding of how to go about getting support for a variety of issues and projects.
Previous attendees
Find out more and register to attend this course.
Leadership Skills Programme
About the Leadership Skills Programme
The National Archives and the Archives and Records Association (ARA) have partnered to develop a programme to support recordkeepers (archivists, conservators, and records managers) to develop their leadership skills and pursue continuing professional development (CPD).
Both organisations are committed to finding solutions to workforce development challenges and this programme responds to an acknowledged issues related to career mobility within the archive sector. The programme complements wider support already provided by The National Archives and ARA.
This programme feeds directly into the action plan for The Government’s vision for archives in England, which officially launched on 17 April 2026. It will directly address one of the vision’s three key aims – to ensure the sustainability of the sector by strengthening workforce capabilities and advocating for archives at the highest level.
The programme is aimed at recordkeepers of all career stages (early, mid, and senior). It includes an annual summit, leadership training for different career-stages, peer-to-peer support, and other online and in-person events and networking opportunities. We encourage recordkeepers to sign up to various aspects of the programme, to support their own CPD. Future events will be announced in due course.
If you have any questions about the above programme or identifying your career stage, please feel free to contact us.
Career stage definitions
We define the three career stages within the recordkeeping sector as the following:
Early career: Perhaps you have one to ten years experience in the sector. Examples might include those who have recently completed a professional qualification (or are working towards it) or are thinking about working towards ARA professional registration. You might be in more junior roles, focused on developing more technical skills with limited management responsibility.
Mid-career: You may have more than ten years experience. You may have responsibility for managing staff, budgets or other resources. You actively continue with your professional development, and you might be working towards or have gained Registered Membership of the ARA.
Senior: You may have responsibility for a recordkeeping service or may be in a role with a wider portfolio that includes responsibility for a recordkeeping service. You will have responsibility for leading the strategic direction of the service or you may be working with a range of organisations to provide strategic support around recordkeeping. You might be working towards or have gained ARA Fellowship.
Leadership skills training course – early-career professionals
- Dates and times
12 January 2027, 13:00 to 16:00
27 January 2027, 13:00 to 16:00
9 February 2027, 13:00 to 16:00
- Location
Online
This early-career course will help participants build confidence, influence and career direction. Through three interactive workshops, attendees will explore how to lead from their current position, communicate with greater confidence and effectiveness, and make intentional choices about their professional development.
Focusing on leadership identity, effective communication, relationship-building, resilience and career growth, the course encourages participants to recognise their existing strengths and develop practical skills for succeeding and progressing in the workplace. The course will include self-led tasks outside of the workshop and post-course action learning sets.
Find out more and register to attend this course.
Leadership peer support programme (one-year commitment)
- Start and end
January 2027 to January 2028
- Location
Online
The leadership peer support programme aims to support professional development through mentoring and knowledge exchange. The system will be peer led, and there will be an online introductory call and check-in points facilitated by The National Archives and ARA.
You can apply to be either a mentor or a mentee, at any career stage. You will commit to a minimum of a one-hour self-led mentoring meeting each quarter, in addition to:
- A one-hour online introductory webinar for both mentors and mentees introducing the process and meeting the peer you have been matched with
- A drop-in surgery session at the six-month stage (one for mentors, and one for mentees)
- An online one-hour wash-up session to reflect on the process (one for mentors, and one for mentees)
Find out more and express your interest to be a mentee or mentor on the programme.
This programme will officially launch in January 2027, and you will have an opportunity to express an interest in being either a mentee or mentor until 23:59 on 30 November 2026.
Sustainability action planning workshop
- Date and time
14 January 2027, 10:00 to 12:00
- Location
Online
This practical and engaging workshop, led by Lorraine Finch, will guide you step-by-step through the process of creating a sustainability action plan, from generating ideas to producing a finished plan tailored to your organisation. By the end of the workshop, you will have the knowledge, tools and skills to create a plan.
This workshop is aimed at professionals working within an archive, whether you’re starting out or looking to refine your existing approach.
Find out more and register to attend the workshop.
E-learning courses
Data Protection Toolkit for Archives
This toolkit is for archive service staff involved in providing access to personal data found within an archive service’s collections.
The toolkit is hosted on Moodle, an e-learning service that The National Archives uses to host learning and development content for the archive sector. Following the link provided below, please fill out the New Account form with your details. Please enter your email address as your username and use the enrolment key: ‘Data Protection Toolkit’. Once you have registered, you will receive an automatic confirmation email from Moodle.
Or, if you already have an account:
Archive Service Accreditation e-learning course
This e-learning course is for anyone working with archive collections who wishes to find out about Archive Service Accreditation. It provides a general introduction to the scheme and will help participants take the first steps towards making an application.
To get started, request access on our Eventbrite page (linked below). New user profiles are created every week using your Eventbrite registration.
Once we have created your profile, we will email you your e-learning log-in details. You can learn at your own pace and re-visit the course as many times as you’d like.