As the new academic year gets into full swing, we’ve scoured the web for the key events, workshops, conferences and seminars to add to your diary for the remainder of 2023 and into 2024. Stay tuned as we’ll be regularly updating the list as we move through the year.
Symposium: Photomechanical Prints: History, Technology, Aesthetics, and Use.
When: Monday, 30 October, 2023 to Friday, 3 November, 2023
Where: Washington DC
“The meeting will be held in Washington, D.C. the week of October 30th – November 3rd, 2023, and will consist of a three-day symposium hosted by the National Gallery of Art flanked by two days of workshops and tours of local collections. Distinguished specialists will provide lectures focused on contemporary and historic photomechanical print production including aspects of invention, adaptation, materiality, cultural impact, market value, artistic significance, and preservation.
Hands-on workshops will allow smaller groups to intensify their study of identification techniques or try their hand at printing processes with the instruction of world-renowned practitioners. Tours of prominent local collections will allow participants to see a wide range of examples of historic and contemporary prints. The program overall will provide an opportunity for conservators, curators, historians, scientists, collections managers, cataloguers, archivists, librarians, educators, printmakers, artists, and collectors to convene and collaborate while studying all aspects of photomechanical printing.
The resulting advancement of our collective understanding of these ubiquitous but under-researched materials will allow for new interpretations and improved approaches to their collection, interpretation, preservation, treatment, and display.” - iiconservation.org
Find out more and book here.
Social Media: #EuropeanDayConservationRestoration
When: Monday 9th, to Sunday 15th October 2023,
The European Confederation of Conservator-Restorers Organisations propose six themes with their respective posters that they will post each day. The themes are listed on the ecco-eu.org website and we encourage you to spread them among your colleagues and share your links with E.C.C.O. through emails or social media.
Professional Conservators of Ireland (PCOI): Modular Cleaning Programme 2023
When: 18 – 22 September 2023
Where: Online or Public Record Office of Northern Ireland 2 Titanic Boulevard, Titanic Quarter Belfast BT3 9HQ
Professional Conservators of Ireland (PCOI) is pleased to host the Modular Cleaning Programme (MCP), led by Chris Stavroudis. Participants will gain insight into the cleaning of painted surfaces and develop the range of variations offered by the MCP. By examining the sensitivity and susceptibility of the various additives, participants will discover which conditions may lead to swelling or damage to the paint film and which cleaning strategies will lead to more successful outcomes. By controlling the pH and ionic strength (as indicated by conductivity), the conservator can minimise the aqueous cleaning systems’ effect on the paint film.
Find out more and book here.
Filling in the Blanks: The Genesis of the English Stationery Binding
When: 5 October 2023, 9am – 5.45pm BST
Where: The National Archives Bessant Drive Kew TW9 4DU
The symposium will be split into two segments, where participants will be given an overview of early modern archiving practices, and how they led to the formation of the late medieval English stationery binding structure. The series of talks will also cover the influences of English bindings’ Italian counterparts, and the unique features and characteristics found and documented on limp parchment bindings in The National Archives’ collection.
Find out more here.
ACR Conference 2023: To Have And To Hold
When: 8 November 2023, (times tbc)
Where: Art Workers' Guild, 6 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AT
“This conference will be a fantastic opportunity to network with fellow ACRs in-person, hear some fascinating papers, and discuss some key topics affecting the conservation sector today. The theme this year is "To Have And To Hold", where we'll look at the trials and tribuations of 'holding it all together' - both tangible and intangible heritage objects, but also ourselves as conservators.”
Find out more here.
AICCM 50+/-50 National Conference Registration
When: Wednesday 15 – Friday 17 November 2023
Where: National Gallery of Australia, 30 Parkes Place East, Parkes ACT 2600
Join us for three days of presentations, posters, prizes, and social events to celebrate AICCM’s 50th birthday. Themes: Reflection, Recognition, Realisations
Find out more here.
Icon Conference 2024
When: 26 – 27 June 2024
Where: London / Hybrid
The theme for the 2024 conference will be: Conservation Impact: The positive influence of conservation at work in our wider society. Conservation professionals, individuals and organisations from the wider arts, culture, and heritage sector are invited to join us to discuss ideas, best practice, experiences, and exchange information on topics looking at how conservation positively contributes to, and impacts our society, and how we can work more collaboratively and collegiately to influence and engage with future opportunities.
Find out more here.
49th Annual CAC Conference and Workshops ‘Keeping it Real: Conservation in Practice’
When/where: Hosted virtually in June 2024, dates TBC
“Our aim is to celebrate the challenges that our colleagues have successfully overcome, showcase emerging innovations, and shed light on potential future challenges.
We encourage the submission of presentation proposals that are related to practical conservation applications aimed at addressing contemporary concerns and examining ‘the real’ in conservation.”
Find out more here.