CIfA Finds Group - Finds Fest 2026

Are you…

• an early career specialist?
• yearning to be a specialist?
• a practicing specialist who would like to help close the skills gap?

…then you need to attend Finds Fest!  

The ultimate gathering for prospective and current finds specialists. This is a joint venture between the CIfA Finds Special Interest Group and Historic England AMP. A full day event taking place on 25 March, starting with presentations from experts in their fields followed by an afternoon of finds handling , networking and a chance to ask experts advice.

Draft agenda (full agenda to follow - watch this space)
9.30 Registration 
10.00 Welcome and Introduction
10.15 First Aid For Finds presentation
10.35 Presentation
11.00 Refreshments
11.20 Presentation
11.45 Keynote address
12.15 Questions and round-up 
12.30 Lunch 
13.00 Structured networking, including opportunities to find out more about working with pottery, environmental remains, small finds and conservation
16.15 Closing speech, winner of poster competition to be announced
 
Venue location and access information
Address: (Get directions). For full venue access information please see the M Shed access web page.

M Shed,
Princes Wharf,
Wapping Road,
Bristol,
BS1 4RN

Additional information
Price includes a sandwich lunch. Please let us know on booking any dietary restrictions or allergies you have.

Event pricing
- £50 CIfA member or Finds Group supporter
- £65 non-member
- £70 non-member (includes 1 year of Finds Group supporter membership worth £15)

Bursaries are available on request with special thanks to Historic England. For further information or to apply for a bursary, please contact groups@archaeologists.net.

Early careers poster competition
Posters from Early Careers archaeologists on new discoveries, research and methodologies will be displayed at Finds Fest. This is a great opportunity to get your work in front of a diverse audience of archaeologists working or interested in finds.
Poster proposals will be reviewed by the Finds Special Interest Group Committee and authors of accepted posters will receive confirmation and guidelines by 9 March 2026.

To submit your poster send the poster title and an abstract of no more than 100 words indicating the general subject of the poster and whether this is a completed project, work in progress or a new initiative and the context of the project (eg an UG/PG dissertation, PhD research, developer-funded project, research project, independent study). By submitting a poster you agree that images of the event poster may be shared on our social media channels for promotional purposes. Simply email the information to groups@archaeologists.net.  

With special thanks to the sponsors