Graham Bell BA(Hons), BArch(Hons) FRSA is Director of Cultura Trust, a UK NGO with a European cultural heritage agenda. He founded the Hungarian Renaissance Foundation (Magyar Reneszánsz Alapítvány az Épített Környezetért; MRA) in 2007 and has been associated with iASK since 2010 as researcher, course tutor and conference contributor. In 2010 he worked with the British Embassy to host a visit by HRH Prince Charles for a heritage summit at the Ráday kastély at Pécel chaired by HE Katalin Bogyay. He is a regular lecturer and conference contributor in Hungary for various universities and cultural associations and has published in academic journals on subjects ranging from national identity in historic places to museum policy. MRA has been the Hungarian partner in a succession of European consortia projects, providing training in cultural heritage management, climate adaptation for historic buildings, the community of experience in tangible/intangible cultural heritage (especially Zsolnay) and digital cultural heritage. Graham is a member of ICOMOS Hungary; MRA is a member of Europa Nostra.
His various roles in European cultural heritage led to him being the UK national coordinator for 2018 European Year of Cultural Heritage, participating in initiatives as part of the European Framework for Action on Cultural Heritage, European Commission policies such as Voices of Culture on emerging skills, The Council of Europe’s Strategy 21, UNESCO’s Ruritage network, the Europeana Network Association, the UNESCO Chair for Digital Cultural Heritage and as a member of BIM4Heritage.
Graham holds a range of governance roles across Europe. He is on the board of Europa Nostra and a member of the advisory panel on Europe’s 7 Most Endangered, leading mission visits with the European Investment Bank Institute. He also is a member of the advisory panel for the joint initiative between Europa Nostra and ICOMOS in response to the European Green Deal, and on the New European Bauhaus, and is a representative on the Climate Heritage Network. He is on the executive committee of the European Federation for Architectural Heritage Skills, is chair of UK-based Bakelite Design Trust, and is an advisor to the National Trust, Future for Religious Heritage and Foundation for Jewish Heritage. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.
