This semester, students of the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC) will have the opportunity to study with internationally experienced museum and cultural heritage expert Linda Norris, whose professional work is connected with museums, libraries, archives, cultural institutions and communities in various countries around the world. Linda will teach the course “Intangible Cultural Heritage and Community Engagement: A Global Perspective” (Intangible Heritage and Community Engagement: A Global Perspective) to students of the LAC master’s programme “Cultural Heritage Management and Communication”, as well as participate in other academic and professional activities in Latvia.
At the centre of Linda Norris’s professional work is the question of how museums and other cultural heritage institutions can tell stories in a more inclusive way, in a way that is more relevant to society and has greater impact. She currently leads Creative Futures LLC – an informal collective of professionals that helps cultural organisations create dynamic interpretations of cultural heritage, develop their internal organisational capacity and strengthen creative, community-based approaches to working with heritage. An important part of Linda’s professional work is also sharing knowledge and experience with the museum sector. She is the co-author of the book “Creativity in Museum Practice” and for many years maintained the professional blog “The Uncataloged Museum” (https://uncatalogedmuseum.blogspot.com/), as well as publishing on the changing role of museums in civic and public life.
From 2017 to 2025, Linda worked at the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC), where she led initiatives related to memory, justice and cultural resilience. Her professional experience also includes cooperation with museums and cultural heritage sites of very different scales – from the National Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of Ukraine to small local history organisations in the United States. Linda has consulted organisations, led strategic planning processes, developed exhibition projects and trained professionals in the cultural and tourism sectors.
During her stay at the Latvian Academy of Culture, Linda Norris will also join the research team led by LAC researcher Elīna Vikmane, which is implementing the project “The Role of Master’s-Level Cultural Heritage Education in Career Development: Vertical and Horizontal Trajectories”. The project analyses the relationship between cultural heritage education and graduates’ professional career development and different career trajectories. The LAC-funded research project is being implemented from 1 June 2026 to 31 May 2027.
During her stay in Latvia, Linda will cooperate not only with LAC students and academic staff. In cooperation with ICOM Latvia, she plans to lead several workshops on the new museum code of ethics, and also hopes to meet and share experiences with museum and cultural heritage professionals throughout Latvia.
Linda has also complemented her stay at the Latvian Academy of Culture with a significant donation to the LAC library, expanding the collection of professional literature in museology and cultural heritage available to students, academic staff and researchers.
