The many millions interested in the heritage of the Highlands and Islands will have a new bookmark in their browsers in the shape of the Heritage North (www.heritagenorth.org.uk ) – a website that will show off the best that the sector has to offer. Funded by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Scottish Museums Council, and developed by HI~Arts the project has already attracted attention from round the world.

The website is built around a searchable database, which will eventually contain all sites of interpreted heritage in the HIE area. Web development officer Gordon Urquhart explains, “A web visitor who has an interest in Jacobitism will be able to search on that word and get an output of all museums and heritage centres that have Jacobite holdings. This will serve to stimulate contacts and real visits to the venues. We will have much to interest enthusiasts, such as featured museums and objects, articles and research, but we will also be saying a big “thank you” to the volunteers who participate so fully in the service of the heritage sector. We hope to make their work easier and more interesting, by offering them resources to help in their tasks.”

“A real coup has been to get an interview with Headlands Archaeology, who have been developing the Iron Age industrial dig in Culduthel, in Inverness, that has attracted so much interest. We have got some great photos and video footage too. Other exclusives have been promised, so keep us bookmarked.”

“However we want to keep in touch with all developments, big and small, of interest to participants, as well as the general public, and hope that folk will see the site as a platform for the many facetted thing that is the heritage of the Highlands and Islands.”

“We have worked with Sitekit of Skye to get the site operational and Redpath, the graphic design company, contributed to the look. We have special commissioned artwork from Hilke MacIntyre - a series of icons which represent Highlands and Islands heritage. They give the site a very unique feel.”

The project has been administered by HI~Arts, an organisation which has a pedigree in delivering arts development projects. This is their first foray into heritage. Says Director Robert Livingston, “This website will offer a chance for the sector to share information and resources, develop skills and networks, in the same way that HI~Arts has been doing for the arts sector for a number of years. Communities will benefit, and hopefully it will become a major tourism resource too.”

Fiona Daschofsky, Culture and Heritage Manager for HIE’s Strengthening Communities Group, explains the background: “The heritage sector in the Highlands and Islands is extensive, taking in a diverse range of attractions from heritage societies and museums to visitor centres, Historic Scotland sites and National Trust for Scotland properties. It was identified that there was scope for a comprehensive and professionally co-ordinated heritage web resource providing listings and information for volunteers and staff working in the heritage sector as well as heritage enthusiasts and visitors to the area. We anticipate that the heritage sector will benefit from this new resource and its myriad services in the same way that the arts sector has benefited from the HI~Arts website.”

Other features include downloadable audio files, on-line exhibitions, an heritage events guide and the chance to sign up for email bulletins.