Email digest for the Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList) egroup. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. RE: Resource for Fire protection of cultural heritage 2. Volunteering Opportunities, Icon Scotland Committee: Treasurer, Vice-Treasurer and Event Officers 3. Remote/Zoom ticket sales close April 16th. Regeneration, Retreatability and Reflection: The Lifetimes of Textile Conservation Celebrating 35 Years of the Icon Textile Group 4. Inquiry: Archaeological Paper Materials from Mass Grave 5. "Saving Cultural Heritage from Ruin: Art and Artifact Recovery after a Disaster" Workshop ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1.From: Ozge Gencay-Ustun Posted: Thursday April 9, 2026 6:28 AM Subject: RE: Resource for Fire protection of cultural heritage Message: Thank you for these resources. Looking at the article JP shared, I think about disaster plans, risk assessment, mitigation and how useful they would be for institutions big and small. According to the Heritage Health Index from 2005 <https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/publications/documents/hhifull_0.pdf>: 80% of collecting institutions did not have an emergency or disaster plan that included collections, with staff trained to carry it out. Because of this, more than 2.6 billion items were at risk (out of the more than 4.8 billion artifacts that were being cared for nationwide). However according to the more recent 2019 Report <https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/publications/documents/imls-hhis-report.pdf>: "Institutions were slightly more prepared for emergencies or disasters in 2014 than 2004. While just 20% of institutions in 2004 had an emergency/disaster plan, 42% reported this in 2014." According to the report, only 26% of small institutions have both an emergency plan and staff trained to execute it, meaning many plans are not actively maintained or practical. This number is 65% for large and medium sized institutions. which is promising. May Day is approaching, have you checked your disaster and hazard mitigation plans for your area, risk assessment and mitigation for your institutions and collections, and staff training schedule lately? All the best, Ozge ------------------------------ Ozge Gencay-Ustun Emergency Preparedness Consultant, Objects Conservator Northeast Document Conservation Center Los Angeles CA ------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 04-03-2026 12:12 From: JP Brown Subject: Resource for Fire protection of cultural heritage Thank you for sharing - what an interesting resource! I found the article on increased fire risk from special events particularly thought-provoking. https://www.fireriskheritage.net/analysis-of-risks-and-solutions-for-cultural-heritage/when-historic-spaces-become-event-venues-the-fire-risk-hidden-behind-special-occasions/ <https://www.fireriskheritage.net/analysis-of-risks-and-solutions-for-cultural-heritage/when-historic-spaces-become-event-venues-the-fire-risk-hidden-behind-special-occasions/> JP JP Brown (he/his) Senior Conservator Vice-Chair MFT-IDG <https://www.culturalheritage.org/groups/mft-idg> Field Museum 1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr. Chicago, IL 60605 fieldmuseum.org <http://fieldmuseum.org> Original Message: Sent: 4/2/2026 10:06:00 AM From: Patricia Silence Subject: Resource for Fire protection of cultural heritage I'd like to share the following resource with the conservation/collections care community: FireRiskHeritage.net is an independent platform dedicated to the protection of cultural heritage from fire and related risks. The site provides technical insights, case-based analysis, research updates, and documentation of heritage fire losses to support informed discussion among professionals and institutions. All content is developed and published independently. ------------------------------ Patricia Silence Director of Conservation Operations Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Williamsburg United States ------------------------------ 2.From: Elina Rodriguez Millan Posted: Thursday April 9, 2026 7:13 AM Subject: Volunteering Opportunities, Icon Scotland Committee: Treasurer, Vice-Treasurer and Event Officers Message: The Icon Scotland Group is currently recruiting new committee members for the roles of Treasurer, Vice Treasurer and Events Officer. The Icon Scotland Group is a national sub-group of The Institute of Conservation and represents professional conservators across all disciplines, as well as conservation scientists, preservation managers and other conservation professionals working in Scotland. This is an opportunity to work closely with Scottish Conservators from across the sector and shape Icon Scotland's future as part of our committee. The Treasurer and Vice-Treasurer will manage invoices and receipts, put together a yearly budget, and provide accounts updates during our committe meetings and our yearly AGM. The Events Officers will organise 1 or 2 events a year, support the events team in the delivery of events, and provide updates on the events they organise during our committee meetings. You can view the full role descriptions by clicking on this link <https://www.icon.org.uk/resource/icon-scotland-committee-roles-volunteer-roles.html>. For enquiries and expressions of interest, please contact Hana Bristow (Secretary) at [email protected] <[email protected]> ------------------------------ Elina Rodriguez Millan Stone Conservator Historic Environment Scotland [email protected] Communications Officer, The Icon Scotland Group [email protected] ------------------------------ 3.From: Joanne Hackett Posted: Thursday April 9, 2026 9:20 AM Subject: Remote/Zoom ticket sales close April 16th. Regeneration, Retreatability and Reflection: The Lifetimes of Textile Conservation Celebrating 35 Years of the Icon Textile Group Message: Regeneration, Retreatability and Reflection: The Lifetimes of Textile Conservation Celebrating 35 Years of the Icon Textile Group The Icon Textile Group Spring Forum, to be held at the Whitworth Gallery in Manchester, April 17 2026. The aim of this symposium is to discuss the past, present and future of textile conservation in celebration of thirty-five years of the Icon Textile Group. As the industry in the UK undergoes a generational turnover, how has the care and conservation of textiles changed? How have the past 35 years informed current practice? Where is the industry headed? How can we communicate the value of textiles and textile conservation to both the wider heritage industry and to the public to ensure that the textile conservation sector continues to grow and 'textile conservator' remains a viable career option? Remote tickets to attend via Zoom are still on sale via ICON at this link: Icon Textile Group Spring Forum 2026 <https://www.icon.org.uk/events/icon-textile-group-spring-forum-2026-.html> The conference will not be recorded. ------------------------------ Joanne Hackett Lecturer in Textile Conservation University of Glasgow Kelvin Centre for Conservation and Cultural Heritage Research Pinner United Kingdom ------------------------------ 4.From: Madžida Smajkić Posted: Thursday April 9, 2026 10:19 AM Subject: Inquiry: Archaeological Paper Materials from Mass Grave Message: Dear colleagues, I am a paper conservator working at the Gazi Husrev-beg Library in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. We have recently established cooperation with the Memorial Center Srebrenica, which holds a very specific and sensitive type of material. They are dealing with paper documents (letters, notes) that were recovered from mass graves related to the events of July 1995. These materials were found in direct contact with soil, moisture, and decomposition-related substances. To this day, new remains are still being discovered, which is why such items are considered evidentiary material. The material is extremely fragile and shows signs of biological activity (mold/microorganisms). Additionally, due to its evidentiary nature, any interventive treatment is highly restricted. At this stage, the primary concern is how to stabilize and safely store such material, without compromising its integrity or potential forensic value. We are currently in the assessment phase and no treatments have been undertaken. I would be grateful if you could advise: whether there are conservators or institutions with experience in archaeological or highly degraded paper from similar contexts, or any guidelines/references relevant to this type of material. Any direction or contact would be greatly appreciated. Kind regards, Madzida Smajkic 5.From: Lauren Fly Posted: Thursday April 9, 2026 2:03 PM Subject: "Saving Cultural Heritage from Ruin: Art and Artifact Recovery after a Disaster" Workshop Message: Registration is now open for Saving Cultural Heritage from Ruin: Art and Artifact Recovery after a Disaster, this October 10-12, 2026 at Historic Eastfield Village in East Nassau, NY. This three day, hands-on workshop will address the fundamental skills needed to save art, artifacts, and antiques after emergencies and disasters. As disasters become more frequent-from natural disasters such as floods and fires, to man-made disasters such as war, theft, and vandalism-museums, galleries, conservators in private practice, and private collectors must become better prepared to rescue objects of cultural heritage after the worst has occurred. This requires a knowledge of how to work within a disaster setting and adjust conservation methodologies and goals in difficult conditions not generally consistent with studio or institutional settings. The workshop will focus on the response phase of an emergency. Through a combination of a taught syllabus, group discussion, substantial hands-on sessions, and a bibliography of online resources and take-home worksheets, participants will learn not just the philosophy behind emergency management and disaster response, but practical tips and insight translating theoretical concerns into practical action. The unique opportunity provided by Historic Eastfield Village's physical site will allow attendees to work with authentic artifacts in simulated conditions mimicking those encountered post-disaster such as limited electricity, unpredictable access to running water, and lack of climate control. All participants must have professional or educational experience in conservation, or actively working in allied fields such as historic preservation, museums and archives, art handling, or archaeology. Students are welcome to apply. If you have questions regarding eligibility, please email [email protected]. Additional information and registration can be found at: https://www.historiceastfield.org/saving-cultural-heritage <https://www.historiceastfield.org/saving-cultural-heritage> ------------------------------ Lauren Fly Principal Conservator and Collections Manager The Fly Arts Initiative New York, NY ------------------------------ You are subscribed to "Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList)" as [email protected]. To change your subscriptions, go to http://community.culturalheritage.org/preferences?section=Subscriptions. 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