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Southampton Institute for Arts and Humanities

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SIAH Public Life Seminar: Heritage and Harry Potter with Stephen Manion

Thursday 25 April 2024 16:00 to 17:00 BST

Stephen Manion was the manager at Alnwick Castle, the location for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter movies. He negotiated the filming of the Harry Potter movies at the castle with Warner Bros. 

He has extensive experience in heritage attraction and destination management including at Arundel Castle, and was Head of Education at Beamish Museum. He is currently Executive Director of Go! Southampton, representing 630 businesses in the city. 

He will be in conversation with Kevin Brazil, Associate Professor of English Literature, Joanna Sofaer, Professor of Archaeology and Michael Williams, Professor of Film Studies.

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Speaker Biographies

Stephen Manion started his heritage career as a curator at Liverpool Museums before wishing to be more engaged with the visitors, particularly young people. Setting up the first education service at Beamish Open Air Museum led to an introduction to Alnwick Castle where he transformed the visitor experience for families and groups. 

Then Harry Potter rolled into town, increasing footfall significantly and the business’s income grew, enabling investment in the interpretation and venue. As manager of Arundel Castle, the events programme increased in number and expanded in scale, attracting new audiences. 

Stephen is currently CEO of GO! Southampton, working to improve the city centre visitor experience.

Kevin Brazil is Associate Professor in English at the University of Southampton, with research focus on twentieth- and twenty-first century fiction, visual culture, and modernism.

Joanna Sofaer (FSA) is a Professor of Archaeology within Archaeology at the University of Southampton, with research interests in the role of cultural and community assets in health and wellbeing; the relationship between heritage and wellbeing; and the social value of archaeology. She is Co-Director of the Southampton Institute for Arts and Humanities.

Michael Williams is Professor of Film Studies at the University of Southampton. Michael’s research focuses on film stardom as well as the representation of the past, and particularly that of ancient Greece and Rome. He has a particular interest in the popular reception of stars since the silent era, as well as uses of the past in the constructions of gender and sexuality.

Past events

Watch our previous events by clicking on the individual presentation links.

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