The Programme
Day 1
RECOGNITION: how conservation is recognised and valued by others, and importantly how we value our own work of ourselves and each other.
Day 1 Chair: Steve Clare ACR
Welcome & Introductions: 1.00pm - 1.20pm
Introduction, Steve Clare ACR
Opening Remarks, Sara Crofts, Icon Chief Executive
Session 1: Building Networks, 1.20pm - 2.45pm
Keynote: "Recognition", Professor Jane Henderson ACR
This paper celebrates the conference theme of recognition. It explores how conservators can seek recognition but identifies this less in the insistence of our own demands and more in a recognition of other people’s needs and wants. In the paper I call for conservators to recognise the imbalances and inequities underpinning much of work in the cultural heritage sector and the place of conservation and neutrality within that. I examine the recognition I've had for my colleagues in museums in Wales and ask what the basis of that recognition has been. Focusing, in particular, on shared goals and outcomes. Looking back over the last two years and our ability to deal with changing times I look at the positive steps and focus on growth that we can use as a means to go forward.
"The C Word Podcast", Jenny Mathiasson & Kloe Rumsey
We had very straightforward goals in the early days of the podcast. We wanted to talk about the profession we loved, and we hoped that some other people would like to talk to us about it as well. Through the unbelievable support of the heritage community worldwide our show has become much more, from a platform for sharing work, to a learning resource for students, to a platform for outreach and advocacy within the profession and without.
Podcasting was certainly not a new medium of communication, but it was new to conservation, and now The C Word Podcast sits alongside other collections care podcasts, YouYube channels, Instagram accounts, and TikTok accounts. All accessed by different audiences and for different reasons. From a 10 season pipe dream 5 years ago we now kick off season 11, and we, the podcast, and our careers, have changed a lot in that time. So what have we learned? And what would we like to change for the next 10 seasons?
"Networking and Heritage Preservation: APOYOnline, Building Bridges and Creating Paths of Integration in the Americas", Beatriz Haspo
In regions with great social, economic, environmental, and cultural inequality, such as Latin America and the Caribbean, the efforts of regional networks have become even more critical to enhance professional development in heritage preservation aiming to value cultures, ancestors and cultural patrimony, while empowering and transforming the community to which they belong.
Created in 1989 APOYOnline - Association for Heritage Preservation of the Americas, formerly APOYO, is a non-profit grassroots organization incorporated in USA, which has been building communication bridges and promoting professional development and especial initiatives that foster integration and cultural equity in the field of heritage preservation in the Americas and Portuguese and Spanish-speaking countries through the work of hundreds of volunteers. Our network includes more than 6,000 members from the most diverse areas of cultural heritage.
Our core programs include professional development, access to technical information through translations of reference material, strengthening regional connections through regional conferences and special initiatives, and the scholarship program for students and emerging professionals.
This presentation highlights APOYOnline’s trajectory and impact. It reflects on sustainable preservation, resilience, collaborative process for information access fostering local and regional development and how individuals and social perspectives are empowered and transformed through connections and participatory engagement.
Session 2: International Collaboration in Times of Crisis, 2.55pm - 3.35pm
“Networking and collaboration for Emergency response: the Ukraine conflict case“, Donatella Banti
The brutal conflict in Ukraine has not only created a humanitarian disaster but has also targeted Ukrainian cultural institutions and heritage sites.
With the support of ICON a group of volunteers has come together to respond to the crisis in Ukraine and, where possible, offer help from the UK. The group, working since the beginning of March through a shared online platform, is divided into three main threads: Guidance, Material Aid and Sponsorships, and is run entirely by volunteers in their spare time. This short talk will highlight successes and a few challenges that such a model may present.
Virtual Roundtable Discussion
Session 3: Opportunities, 3.50pm - 5.00pm
"Art Conservation During the Pandemic", Dr Padma M. Rohilla
The world is experiencing COVID-19 pandemic that has brought new challenges to conserving cultural heritage. Institutions across the world continue to learn new ways to adapt and cope in the face of ongoing uncertainty. The presentation will discuss the challenges faced by conservation laboratories during the lockdown. The pandemic challenges included the inability of the conservators to continue practical work in the lab as well as the concerns over the well-being of the art without physical monitoring. The pandemic pause however opened new opportunities that resulted in communication and activities through online content platforms such as zoom, virtual tours and YouTube channels. One learning opportunity proved successful for INTACH was the ‘Conservation Insights 2020 Lecture series’. This was an effort to seek out conservation community online, to interact with and learn from peers and stay connected.
"Conserving the Curious Cabinet: Impact Heritage CIC working with the Charterhouse Community", Ann-Marie Miller ACR and Samantha Hare
Impact heritage CIC is a not-for-profit conservation company set up in lockdown to help broaden the impact of conservation knowledge and funding. Our aim is to facilitate access to funding opportunities for community collections. The Charterhouse is a very special place, a functioning almshouse as well as a museum and archive with which has a broad online community. We identified a project focusing on the contents of a cupboard in the Treasury which houses 90+ prayer books, dating back to 1549. The project is led by graduate conservator, Samantha Hare, mentored by the team at Impact Heritage. Work begins with a comprehensive survey, assessing the bindings and their current condition. Then they will be cleaned, stabilised, rehoused and remedial conservation treatment targeted at the most damaged 5-10 volumes. Video content will be created, documenting their journey and made available on social media and the Impact Heritage website. We initially applied for funding to the Arts Council Project fund in the summer of 2021 and were unsuccessful. Our paper will look at how we adapted the project funding application to create more opportunities for community engagement. This included improved provision for video, drop-in sessions, volunteer training and online creative writing workshops.
Introduction to the Twitter Conference & Closing Remarks, Steve Clare ACR
Programme subject to change