Join Preservation Massachusetts this fall on October 15th at the Connors Center in Dover for the 2026 Historic Preservation Summit: How to Save a Place. This one-day event will provide attendees with a takeaway toolkit to amplify their own advocacy efforts at the local level. Limited scholarships are available.

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When:           Thursday, October 15, 2026 

Where:          Connors Center, 20 Glen Street, Dover, MA 02030  ​

Tickets:          $150 (includes lunch, limited scholarships available)​

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SCHEDULE (subject to change): 

  9:00am       Registration

  9:30am       Session 1 | Why Save A Place: Understanding What Matters
10:30am       Break
11:00am       Session 2 | Telling a Compelling Story: Finding the Message That Moves People
12:00pm       Lunch
  1:00pm       Session 3 | Advocacy in Action: Tools, Agencies, Connections, Rules & Regulations

  2:00pm       Break

  2:30pm       Session 4 | DOs & DON'Ts: Roadblocks & Rerouting
  3:30pm       Afternoon Networking 

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To register and pay via check, please contact Jessica Rudden-Dube, jruddendube@preservationmass.org.

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SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

Session 1 | Why Save A Place: Understanding What Matters

The answer is different for everyone, and understanding the motivation is at the heart of effective preservation advocacy. Value may be derived from a building's architecture, history, cultural heritage, community identity, environmental benefit, economic potential, or the stories it tells. Explore how identifying values and purpose can help advocates build broader, more meaningful support for preservation.

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Session 2 | Tell a Compelling Story: Finding the Message That Moves People
Effective advocacy starts with a clear, compelling story that connects a historic place to the people and issues that matter today. Learn how to develop your preservation message, identify your audience, and translate the significance of a place so that it resonates beyond the preservation community. Learn how to tell an authentic, accessible, and persuasive story and how to turn it into a powerful tool for advocacy.

Session 3 | Advocacy in Action: Tools, Agencies, Rules & Regulations
Effective advocacy is knowing what tools are available and how to use them. Explore the agencies, laws, regulations, programs, tools, and community connections that can boost your efforts. Learn how to identify the right decision makers; navigate local, state, and federal processes; build effective partnerships; and understand when and how to use these tools to maintain momentum.

Session 4 | | DOs & DON’Ts: Roadblocks & Rerouting
Explore the common challenges, missteps, and unexpected obstacles that can derail even the strongest preservation campaigns. Learn how effective advocates adapt with examples and strategies to know when to push forward, when to compromise, when to bring in new voices, and when to change course. Turn setbacks into opportunities and keep your preservation campaign moving forward.

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