HISTORY experts are invited to join Sunshine Coast Council’s Historian in Residence Program, which is now in its second year.
The invitation follows the success of the inaugural residency which included two historians, University of the Sunshine Coast PhD student Kate Kirby and Dr Ray Kerkhove, who undertook local history research to produce a series of papers that will soon be published.
The Historian in Residence program provides for two, three-month, paid contract positions.
The three months need to be completed within the financial year but not necessarily consecutively. Submissions of interest close Wednesday, August 24, 2022.
Sunshine Coast Council Heritage Portfolio Councillor Rick Baberowski said the program was an excellent way to further develop our collective backstory and further increase our understanding of where we live.
“We are looking for qualified and experienced historians who will immerse themselves in a research project that will reveal, document and showcase aspects of our region’s history and heritage,” Cr Baberowski said.
“This program includes important community days where residents can offer up their knowledge on the historian’s chosen topic that could add depth or possible leads to their research.”
Stories could evolve from existing council collections, an historic event, contemporary topic, or be based on an identified gap in an existing body of historical work.
“We encourage but are not prescribing using council’s diverse collections as a potential starting base (acknowledging, there are plenty in community ownership), which means the historians can really work towards filling in some interpretation gaps in our Sunshine Coast history collection.”
The selected subject could be anything from natural history, early agriculture to the development of civil and social infrastructure, specific industries, or tourism—all historians can submit their own topic preference.
Cr Baberowski further went on to say that they were hoping to receive interest from a diverse range of historians including archaeologists, heritage librarians, museologists, archivists, teachers, heritage architects and Traditional Custodians.
“It is encouraging and important to note that during the consultation process, which informed the Sunshine Coast Heritage Plan 2021-31, the community identified this program as an important outcome.”
Guidelines for submission and further information can be found in ‘What’s On’ at heritage.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au or by contacting culturalheritage@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au