Email digest for the Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList) egroup.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Pest Odyssey UK and MuseumPests.net call for papers
2. 2025 Preventive Conservation Workshop
3. RE: New UN Report on Israel's "war crimes" of attacking cultural heritage
sites in Occupied Palestine
4. Job Opening: Project Objects Conservator, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture
Garden, Smithsonian, DC
5. Free Resource: Conserv Guide to Museum Lighting
6. RE: New UN Report on Israel's "war crimes" of attacking cultural heritage
sites in Occupied Palestine
7. Fire protection textiles
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.From: Jane Thompson-Webb
Posted: Friday July 25, 2025 8:59 AM
Subject: Pest Odyssey UK and MuseumPests.net call for papers
Message: MuseumPests.net and Pest Odyssey are holding their second joint
meeting via Zoom on October 7th.
We aim to include short presentations to update members on new developments,
active research, and areas of topical concern. We are inviting short
presentations of no more than 10 minutes.
Please see the full information for submissions in the attached document.
Booking details will follow soon.
Jane Thompson-Webb
Conservation Manager T: 0121 348 8211
www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/ <https://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk>
Birmingham Museums Trust
Registered Address
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, B3 3DH
Birmingham Museums is an educational charity
(no. 1147014)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer
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Birmingham Museums Trust cannot accept any responsibility for the accuracy or
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If you suspect that the message may have been intercepted or amended, please
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Registered Office:
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, B3 3DH
Registered Company Number: 07737797
Registered Charity Number: 1147014
2.From: Sigourney Stanford
Posted: Friday July 25, 2025 9:00 AM
Subject: 2025 Preventive Conservation Workshop
Message: The Georgia Archives Conservation Department is excited to present a
three-day workshop in 2025 on Preventive Conservation: Care of Archives, Art,
and Artifacts. This workshop is for anyone working in cultural heritage
institutions, libraries, museums, and galleries, or anyone who has an interest
in learning how to best look after their items. They are suitable for beginner
to intermediate attendees, and prior conservation experience is not required.
The workshops will cover the causes of material degradation, environmental
monitoring and control, integrated pest management, housekeeping, preservation
policies, storage of furniture and enclosures, risk assessment, emergency
planning and procedures, and disaster recovery. Participants are also welcome
to share their experience with preservation and discuss ways to problem solve
for specific concerns. Presented in a hybrid format, both online and in person,
join us to gain a greater understanding of how to best look
after your treasures! The workshops are generously sponsored by the NHPRC
with subsidies on the cost of registration.
REGISTRATION FEE: $50.00 (Registration fees include handout materials, and
snacks will be provided.)
WHEN: October 27-29, 2025 (capacity of 30) Final day to register or cancel
is October 24, 2025.
WHERE: Georgia Archives, 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260 OR online
through Microsoft Teams
INSTRUCTOR: Sigourney Stanford, Paper Conservator, Georgia Archives
Register here:
https://universitysystemofgeorgia.swoogo.com/2025PreventiveConservationWorkshop
<https://universitysystemofgeorgia.swoogo.com/2025PreventiveConservationWorkshop>
Sigourney Stanford
Conservator
Georgia Archives
5800 Jonesboro Road
Morrow, GA 30260
678-364-3842 <tel:6783643842>
www.GeorgiaArchives.org <http://www.georgiaarchives.org/>
3.From: Jennifer Jarvis
Posted: Friday July 25, 2025 10:21 AM
Subject: RE: New UN Report on Israel's "war crimes" of attacking cultural
heritage sites in Occupied Palestine
Message:
Yes, thank you so much to Aisha and Michelle. I joined the Conservators with
Palestine group a while ago, and I would encourage my colleagues to do the same
if you are able. Most institutions have failed to meet the moment, either
through censorship of the topic of cultural heritage destruction in Palestine,
or inability to take meaningful action. Being part of a community of
conservators who can see that the emperor has no clothes helps to mitigate the
paralysis and isolation I have felt at times over the last 21 months. I hope
this group continues to grow as we advocate for justice and liberation through
the preservation of cultural heritage.
------------------------------
Jennifer Jarvis
Book Conservator
Johns Hopkins University, Milton S. Eisenhower Library
Baltimore
United States
------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 07-23-2025 12:25
From: Michelle C. Smith
Subject: New UN Report on Israel's "war crimes" of attacking cultural heritage
sites in Occupied Palestine
Thank you so much to Aisha for bringing this devastating report to our
attention, and to the others who have responded in support. Hannah, I love your
suggestions for actions that can be taken in support of our Palestinian
colleagues and their cultural heritage.
For anyone reading who is interested in supporting Palestine solidarity efforts
related to conservation and cultural heritage, please consider joining the
Conservators With Palestine network by filling out this form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf17tJWMKs77ZceB8GcTabRX-0i1bU23fD5cuJvhnT6j3V46g/viewform
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf17tJWMKs77ZceB8GcTabRX-0i1bU23fD5cuJvhnT6j3V46g/viewform>
------------------------------
Michelle C. Smith (she/her)
San Francisco Public Library
[email protected] <[email protected]>
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 07-18-2025 16:57
From: Aisha Wahab
Subject: New UN Report on Israel's "war crimes" of attacking cultural heritage
sites in Occupied Palestine
For those that missed it and as it was not mentioned in our latest AIC Cultural
Heritage Bulletin, last month, the UN published a report stating that Israel's
attacks on cultural heritage sites along with educational and religious sites
in Occupied Palestine amount to war crimes and the crime against humanity of
extermination. The Art Newspaper has an article following up on this UN report.
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/06/israeli-attacks-educational-religious-and-cultural-sites-occupied
<https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/06/israeli-attacks-educational-religious-and-cultural-sites-occupied>
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/06/17/israeli-attacks-on-palestinian-heritage-amount-to-war-crimes-un-report-finds
<https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/06/17/israeli-attacks-on-palestinian-heritage-amount-to-war-crimes-un-report-finds>
As cultural heritage professionals we should continue to care about all human
beings-even if they are brown and Arab-and the destruction of cultural
heritage, staying informed and engaged. This is ongoing deliberate cultural
heritage destruction in the midst of a human genocide. Just last week Israeli
settlers set fire to the ancient Palestinian Christian village of Taybeh
including the 5th-century Church of St. George.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/top-church-leaders-accuse-israeli-authorities-of-abetting-settler-attacks-in-taybeh/
<https://www.timesofisrael.com/top-church-leaders-accuse-israeli-authorities-of-abetting-settler-attacks-in-taybeh/>
Additionally, for the American audience we should continue to care and stay
informed as these crimes are supported and paid for by our tax dollars with
$17.9 billion of military aid in one year from 2023-2024 being sent to Israel,
and $4 billion in military recently approved in March in addition to the usual
$3.4 billion annually sent from the US to Israel. United States funding for
Israel's assault on Gaza comes while our professional community directly
suffers the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars (annually) of NEA and IMLS
funding.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/u-s-military-aid-for-israel-tops-17-9-billion-since-last-oct-7#:~:text=Record%20military%20aid%20to%20Israel,shipped%20Israel%20since%20last%20Oct.
<https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/u-s-military-aid-for-israel-tops-17-9-billion-since-last-oct-7#:~:text=Record%20military%20aid%20to%20Israel,shipped%20Israel%20since%20last%20Oct.>
https://www.cfr.org/article/us-aid-israel-four-charts
<https://www.cfr.org/article/us-aid-israel-four-charts>
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/news-wrap-rubio-expedites-delivery-of-4-billion-in-military-aid-to-israel
<https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/news-wrap-rubio-expedites-delivery-of-4-billion-in-military-aid-to-israel>
------------------------------
Aisha Wahab (she/her)
Paper Conservator
Stanford Libraries
------------------------------
4.From: Briana Feston-Brunet
Posted: Friday July 25, 2025 1:27 PM
Subject: Job Opening: Project Objects Conservator, Hirshhorn Museum and
Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian, DC
Message: The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden seeks a full time, term,
Project Conservator.
For Full Position Description and link to apply:
Project Conservator - Washington, DC | Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden
Careers
<https://trustcareers.si.edu/en/postings/8e66b17c-3639-4a5a-b47d-f0e26dabaeb7>
(Applications MUST be received through the link above)
This position is a trust position and the salary range is: $84,601 - $90,239 /
year (IS-11).
All inquiries about the position should be directed to: [email protected]
OVERVIEW
The Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (HMSG) is a leading
voice for contemporary art and culture and provides a national platform for the
arts and artists of our time. We seek to share the transformative power of
modern and contemporary art with audiences at all levels of awareness and
understanding by creating meaningful, personal experiences in which art,
artists, audiences, and ideas converge. We enhance public understanding and
appreciation of contemporary art through acquisition, exhibitions, education
and public programs, conservation, and research. In order to fulfill its
mission, HMSG develops collaborative relationships with institutions and
organizations within the Smithsonian, the United States, and abroad. The
collection consists of approximately 13,000 objects of modern and contemporary
art, consisting of paintings, sculptures, variable media, and works on paper.
The Project Conservator is responsible for conservation treatment and
assessment of HMSG sculpture collections in offsite storage during a multi-year
remediation project. The Project Conservator will conduct a survey of
approximately 1200 sculptures, draft treatment proposals, propose
recommendations for rehousing, and conduct treatment on a variety of artworks
in various mediums.
This is a one-year term position with the option for renewal, pending funding
availability and completion of the project's objectives; located primarily in
the Museum Support Center (MSC), in Suitland, MD.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Conservation Treatments
· Performs conservation treatments on artworks which have been identified
and assigned as part of the remediation project. This may include cleaning,
consolidation, removing non-original materials, repairing chemical or physical
damage, and compensation for loss.
· Prepares written treatment proposals per project guidelines for all
objects that explain treatment objectives, methods, and materials.
· Prepares final treatment report, per project guidelines including a
clear description about the methods and materials used in treatment of the
object, a description of any treatment procedures tested and proven
unsatisfactory.
· Provides recommendations for safe care and handling of the objects.
Technical Examinations & Documentation
· Conducts examinations of pre-determined set of artworks, identifying
the current condition, the nature and extent of damage (if applicable), and the
nature and extent of treatment needed. Keeps detailed records of the
examinations, including images/sketches for HMSG conservation files.
· Investigates and monitors potential hazards in storage spaces resulting
from unfavorable environmental conditions, human neglect, or other issues.
Initiates reports on variations in temperature and humidity that could prove
detrimental to works of art in the building.
· Keeps detailed records of examinations, including images/sketches for
conservation files.
· Provides statistics, updates, and reports on project progress as needed
to HMSG staff, board, trustees, and the Office of Risk Management.
· Monitors store of conservation supplies.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Experience: To qualify for this position, applicants must possess 3-5 years of
related experience (described below).
Experience required for this position is as follows:
· Knowledge of and demonstrated experience in sculpture conservation.
Knowledge of treatments on modern and contemporary sculpture artworks and
familiarity with treating a wide range of art making materials from the late
20th century through the present day
· Knowledge of materials science and technology as well as organic and
inorganic chemistry. Knowledge of diagnostic tools used to examine and document
the construction and condition of objects.
· Skilled knowledge of environmental risk and other phenomena
contributing to or causing deterioration of objects in order to prevent damage
and select appropriate treatments.
· Ability to utilize effective strategies and processes for implementing
collections survey and organizing treatment plans for a large volume of works.
· Manual dexterity and a background in basic artistic skills and media
necessary for performance of exacting precise work with a variety of materials.
· Ability to document object condition, treatments, and installation
through written reports, photography, and other data.
· Ability to use The Museum System (TMS) to generate and maintain reports
on modern and contemporary artworks and collections.
Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to
higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that
specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This
documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as
part of your application package.
Any false statement in your application may result in rejection of your
application and may also result in termination after employment begins.
Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."
Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience
that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year);
and average number of hours worked per week.
What To Expect Next: Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your
resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements
related to this job. After review of applicant resumes is complete, qualified
candidates will be referred to the hiring manager.
Relocation expenses are not paid.
The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants
with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable
accommodation should contact [email protected]. Determinations on requests for
reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more,
please review the Smithsonian's Accommodation Procedures
<https://www.si.edu/OEEMA/IndividualswithDisabilities>
(https://www.si.edu/OEO/IndividualswithDisabilities
<https://www.si.edu/OEO/IndividualswithDisabilities>).
The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To review The
Smithsonian's EEO program information, please click the following:
https://www.si.edu/oeo <https://www.si.edu/oeo>
------------------------------
Briana Feston-Brunet
Conservator of Time-based and Variable Media
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Greenbelt
United States
------------------------------
5.From: Claire Winfield
Posted: Friday July 25, 2025 1:28 PM
Subject: Free Resource: Conserv Guide to Museum Lighting
Message: Conserv is pleased to share the launch of our newest free resource,
The Conserv Guide to Museum Lighting. This resource is written with
accessibility in mind and is a great overview of the big ideas in museum
lighting and includes a glossary of key terms, comparison of light sources,
measurement options, and more.
Download your free copy at the link here <https://bit.ly/4m2a4Ww>, and feel
free to share with others in your institution or network to get the
conversation started!
Claire WinfieldConservator | Head of GrowthConserv <http://conserv.io>
6.From: Fareed AlShishani
Posted: Friday July 25, 2025 1:30 PM
Subject: RE: New UN Report on Israel's "war crimes" of attacking cultural
heritage sites in Occupied Palestine
Message:
Thank you Aisha for sharing this vital update, with links to the UN's
confirmation that attacks against cultural, religious, and educational sites in
Occupied Palestine constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. The
deliberate destruction of heritage is entwined with a broader campaign of
violence, including the killing of innocent civilians and systematic starvation
of the Palestinian people. As conservation professionals, we cannot separate
the assault on culture from the assault on lives.
We mourn not only the burning of the 5th-century Church of St. George in Taybeh
but also the attacks on mosques, archaeological sites, museums, and libraries
across Gaza and the West Bank. UNESCO and ICOMOS assessments describe the
extensive damage to world‑historic sites, from centuries‑old mosques like the
Great Omari Mosque and Ibn Uthman Mosque, to markets such as Souq Al‑Zawiya, to
archives and libraries that housed irreplaceable community memory.
In addition to the resources listed above, I'd like to draw attention to this
report: Total Obliteration: A report on the destruction of heritage monuments,
sites, and artefacts in Gaza by Debbi Min, published in Scroll (Volume 4,
December 2024) by Student Conservators at Melbourne. This feature provides a
detailed, item-by-item account of destroyed sites and artefacts in Gaza and is
available here: https://www.studentconservators.com/scroll
<https://www.studentconservators.com/scroll>
These are not collateral losses, they are targeted destructions of human
heritage. As members of the AIC Global Conservation Forum and as practitioners
of cultural preservation, we bear a moral responsibility to stay informed,
speak out clearly, and stand in solidarity with threatened communities.
Remaining silent is not neutrality, it is complicity.
Thank you again for keeping these urgent issues alive within professional
discourse and for encouraging critical engagement among our peers.
------------------------------
Fareed AlShishani
Archaeological Conservator
------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 07-18-2025 16:57
From: Aisha Wahab
Subject: New UN Report on Israel's "war crimes" of attacking cultural heritage
sites in Occupied Palestine
For those that missed it and as it was not mentioned in our latest AIC Cultural
Heritage Bulletin, last month, the UN published a report stating that Israel's
attacks on cultural heritage sites along with educational and religious sites
in Occupied Palestine amount to war crimes and the crime against humanity of
extermination. The Art Newspaper has an article following up on this UN report.
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/06/israeli-attacks-educational-religious-and-cultural-sites-occupied
<https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/06/israeli-attacks-educational-religious-and-cultural-sites-occupied>
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/06/17/israeli-attacks-on-palestinian-heritage-amount-to-war-crimes-un-report-finds
<https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/06/17/israeli-attacks-on-palestinian-heritage-amount-to-war-crimes-un-report-finds>
As cultural heritage professionals we should continue to care about all human
beings-even if they are brown and Arab-and the destruction of cultural
heritage, staying informed and engaged. This is ongoing deliberate cultural
heritage destruction in the midst of a human genocide. Just last week Israeli
settlers set fire to the ancient Palestinian Christian village of Taybeh
including the 5th-century Church of St. George.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/top-church-leaders-accuse-israeli-authorities-of-abetting-settler-attacks-in-taybeh/
<https://www.timesofisrael.com/top-church-leaders-accuse-israeli-authorities-of-abetting-settler-attacks-in-taybeh/>
Additionally, for the American audience we should continue to care and stay
informed as these crimes are supported and paid for by our tax dollars with
$17.9 billion of military aid in one year from 2023-2024 being sent to Israel,
and $4 billion in military recently approved in March in addition to the usual
$3.4 billion annually sent from the US to Israel. United States funding for
Israel's assault on Gaza comes while our professional community directly
suffers the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars (annually) of NEA and IMLS
funding.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/u-s-military-aid-for-israel-tops-17-9-billion-since-last-oct-7#:~:text=Record%20military%20aid%20to%20Israel,shipped%20Israel%20since%20last%20Oct.
<https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/u-s-military-aid-for-israel-tops-17-9-billion-since-last-oct-7#:~:text=Record%20military%20aid%20to%20Israel,shipped%20Israel%20since%20last%20Oct.>
https://www.cfr.org/article/us-aid-israel-four-charts
<https://www.cfr.org/article/us-aid-israel-four-charts>
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/news-wrap-rubio-expedites-delivery-of-4-billion-in-military-aid-to-israel
<https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/news-wrap-rubio-expedites-delivery-of-4-billion-in-military-aid-to-israel>
------------------------------
Aisha Wahab (she/her)
Paper Conservator
Stanford Libraries
------------------------------
7.From: Carolyn Tallent
Posted: Friday July 25, 2025 4:37 PM
Subject: Fire protection textiles
Message: The subject of fire-protective textiles to minimize damage to
cultural objects from fire and water will be the topic of the next issue of the
WAAC Newsletter. There will be a summary of the comprehensive Norwegian RISE
Report and a Q & A with representatives of the Otego company that produces
products for the protection of cultural materials.
I would very much like to include information from anyone who has experience
with these textiles in their museum or practice. Comments of any length are
welcome. Please contact me directly through the list or at
[email protected].
Carolyn
WAAC Newsletter Editor
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