With 'Skills and Machines – A Living Partnership' as its central topic, the Big Stuff Conference 2025 fitted right up the alley of Tracks4Crafts’ project coordinator Julie De Groot. Julie was chair and discussant of the 4th and final day of the conference in Antwerp. Jorijn Neyrinck, member of the T4C external advisory board, presented at the conference as well. 

The Big Stuff Conference 2025 was hosted by ETWIE at the Museum of Industry in Ghent Belgium, Domain Raversijde in Oostende and the Zuiderpershuis in Antwerp,  bringing together a diverse community of museum professionals, academics, consultants, volunteers, and private owners who are passionate about preserving and showcasing technological and industrial heritage.  

Keynote speaker was Rodney Harrison, who delved into the intersection of industrial heritage and a just green transition – a topic more relevant than ever.

Focus on skills

Participants were exploring: How can old technologies resonate with new generations?
How do we teach hand skills to a generation brought up on automation? How do we connect older Big Stuff to important new themes such as lower carbon emissions, lower pollution, circular re-use and right to repair?

In 2025 Big Stuff focused on the symbiotic relationship between skills and machinery - industrial heritage encompasses not just large-scale installations and historic machinery, but also the people, skills, and knowledge required to operate, maintain and showcase this mechanical legacy. As the generations of workers and volunteers who have learned to control, calibrate and repair these machines retire, their invaluable expertise is at risk of being lost.

The conference explored effective methods for passing critical and endangered knowledge to new staff and volunteers, ensuring the continuity of this heritage.

Visit conference's website to explore more details.