Championing Archaeological Businesses

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Author: Doug Rocks-Macqueen

  • The Association’s Role in Industry

    A presentation from Amanda Stratton, CEO ACRA, at the 2025 FAME Forum.

  • Offsite Biodiversity Net Gain and the Historic Environment

    A presentation from Nick Overton (Oxford Archaeology) at the 2025 FAME Forum.

  • Trowels and Cressida: a love story set in a period of conflict

    A presentation by Peter Hinton (Independent) at the 2025 FAME Forum.

  • ACRA 2025 Meeting Report from FAME’s CEO

    ACRA 2025 Meeting Report from FAME’s CEO

    Following the attendance and contribution of Amanda Stratton, the American Cultural Resources Association (ACRA)’s Chief Executive to our AGM and FAME Forum in June, Kenneth Aitchison, FAME’s CEO, returned the favour (favor) in September by attending and reporting to their Board meeting, and contributing to their annual conference which was held in Raleigh, North Carolina. A brief report from Kenneth on the experience:

    “I informed the ACRA board about FAME activities in the last year (a tailored version of the report I gave to the FAME AGM in June), and discussed opportunities for cooperation between FAME and ACRA, and between our members. ACRA Board were particularly interested in learning about the FAME Carbon Calculator for Development-led Archaeology.

    At that time ACRA had c110 members to FAME’s 73, with an overlap of three companies that are members of both. FAME and ACRA are now making plans for joint online events, presenting information, advice and guidance that will be of use to archaeological managers and employers on both sides of the Atlantic.

    Immediately following the Board meeting, I was the co-organiser and co-chair of two sessions at their annual conference. I spoke in the first of these, ‘We Have A Sister!: The Development of ACRA’s Partnership Initiatives and the Formation of the Canadian Cultural Resources Association’, presenting a potted history of FAME’s role in development-led archaeology in the UK together with information about our activities (see slides below). That session also heard updates from ACRA’s other partner associations and was followed by ‘Innovations in Archaeological Field Methods: ACRA and Its International Partners’, with three papers highlighting cutting-edge methodologies being applied in the US, Canada and the UK.”


    Note: FAME was not charged for travel, subsistence or other expenses for Kenneth’s attendance at this conference. His time was charged to FAME for the periods of the Board meeting and the conference sessions he was co-chairing, but all other costs were met by Headland Archaeology.

    Download the slides on FAME’s history here:

    ACRA2025SessionTemplate_bd KA presentedDownload
  • Toolkit for managing the ownership of archaeological finds in England Consultation Extended: October 7th Deadline

    Toolkit for managing the ownership of archaeological finds in England Consultation Extended: October 7th Deadline

    The Toolkit for Managing the Ownership of Archaeological Finds in England consultation deadline has been extended to October 7th. Historic England very much welcomes all feedback, which can be submitted via this short form or by emailing FAAP@historicengland.org.uk. You can view the toolkit here: https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/toolkit-for-managing-the-ownership-of-archaeological-finds-in-england/, it includes a Model Deed of Transfer and sections on:

    • ownership – the principles of ownership of archaeological finds
    • advice on transferring ownership of the material archive from an archaeological project
    • procedures for arranging transfer of ownership
      • for a development project
      • for a research or community project
    • guidance for planners, landowners and planning applicants/developers
    • guidance where landowner consent cannot be obtained
    • objects already in museum/repository collections
    • material assemblages stored by archaeological contractors

  • Scotland’s Archaeology Strategy Committee Needs a New Chair!

    Scotland’s Archaeology Strategy Committee Needs a New Chair!

    The current chair of Scotland’s Strategic Archaeology Committee (SSAC) is due to step down in December 2025.  The SSAC is seeking a new chair to lead the committee as it launches Scotland’s next Archaeology Strategy in the Spring of 2026. Traditionally, this has been held by a FAME member and we would very much like to continue that tradition. For more details and how to apply: https://archaeologystrategy.scot/scotlands-archaeology-strategy-committee-needs-a-new-chair/

  • Breaking Barriers: Disability Inclusion in Archaeology call for employer participants

    A doctoral student is looking at the employment of disabled people in archaeology and is co-produced guidelines which they would very much like to get feedback on from FAME members. This will be in the form of an employer feedback session in the New Year (date to be confirmed). In the session, you will be asked to give feedback on a set of guidelines for the employment of disabled people in the heritage workforce. You can find full details in the participant information sheet below. You will retain full anonymity. This is an excellent opportunity to provide feedback on future guidance. Please email Sarahjayne Clements s.clements3@herts.ac.uk if you are interested in participating.

    EC6 employer feedback sessionDownload

  • New Edition of First Aid for Finds

    A new, fourth edition, of the First Aid for Finds has been published. The first edition of First Aid for Finds was published fifty-three years ago, and the fourth edition is a welcome update. Moreover, it is a digital version now, which you can find here: https://www.firstaidforfinds.org/

  • State of the Archaeological Market 2023-24

    We are proud to announce the publication of the newest State of the Archaeological Market Report. It presents the results of the survey for 2023-24, in the United Kingdom.

    The overall aims of this survey are to provide:

    • a unique analysis of the archaeological sector as part of the overall economy;
    • statistics that allow estimation of total value of the sector to the economy;
    • data on indicative numbers of employed professional archaeologists working in the commercial sector with comparative figures for other areas;
    • data for analysis of long-term sustainability for the sector;
    • data that can enable informed lobbying to help protect heritage; and
    • data to support planning effectively for the future so that the industry is sustainable and results in a benefit for society.

    You can find and read the full report here. Occasionally, these reports are updated so please check here for the most recent version :

    State of the Archaeological Market 2023-2024 version 1Download

    Past reports

    2023

    2022

    2021

    2020

    2019 

    2018

    2017

    2016

    2015

    2014

    Support

    This project was undertaken by the Federation of Archaeological Managers and Employers with support from the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists.

  • The FAME carbon calculator for archaeology has been published

    The FAME carbon calculator for archaeology has been published

    FAME has commissioned the creation of a carbon calculator tool that allows archaeology organisations to:

    1. record their greenhouse gas emission baseline figures;
    2. report emissions to clients and other stakeholders (by project, period or location);
    3. make and track reduction plans towards net-zero emissions.

    This calculator has been made available to the whole sector FOR FREE. You can download it and the instructions here: https://famearchaeology.co.uk/what-we-do/environment-sustainability/

    Thank you to Historic England, who co-funded this project with us.