Blogs

When a catastrophic fire burned through artists' studios and galleries, National Heritage Responders provided crucial support Following a devastating 5-alarm fire in Red Hook in September, hundreds of artists were left wondering what, if anything, would remain of their work. The 150-year-old warehouse in Brooklyn was home to artists’ studios, gallery spaces, and community organizations. The fire ripped through the building, creating one wave of damage, followed by the necessary work of putting the fire out, which leads to water damage and hazards like mold. To a community reeling from the possible loss of years, decades worth of artistic growth and practice, ...

The American Institute for Conservation welcomes our global colleagues to attend our 2026 joint conference in Montreal, QC, Canada , with the Canadian Association for Conservation of Cultural Property (CAC-ACCR)! This international conference is an excellent opportunity for you to connect with experts across North America! We are welcoming presentations and posters from authors in 40 countries, and for the first time will be offering real-time AI translation with Wordly. Both speakers and attendees can select from 60 or more languages to engage with the content in their native tongues. The meeting is hybrid and will be livestreamed and recorded. ...

These times call for greater connection—and that’s exactly what AIC membership is built on. Across the conservation field, we’re all navigating rapid change: new technologies, evolving roles, tighter budgets, and the constant need to balance care for collections with care for ourselves. Through it all, connection is what keeps us steady. It’s what turns individual effort into collective progress. Connection Is Our Strength AIC isn’t just a professional association… it’s a community of people who know what it means to show up for this work and for one another. Being a member means you’re not doing it alone. You’re part of a network that continues to ...

A central part of our work at FAIC is providing professional development resources to the conservation field. We provide scholarships and workshops year-round to people like you who want to grow their skills. But we also recognize that the cost of many professional development programs can make them out of reach to many in the field. with this year's loss of federal grant funds and institutional budget cuts, conservators are facing increased barriers to professional development. This is why, even as we face our own budget restrictions, FAIC remains committed to our pledge to support access to our workshops with complimentary registration and a travel stipend ...

Advocating for conservation is a year-round activity! You may be in regular contact with your elected representatives and local government about a wide variety of interests and concerns. We collected resources, talking points, and action items to help build conservation and preservation into your advocacy. Here are a few current topics as well as some upcoming opportunities: Federal Government Shutdown The government shutdown directly impacts many people in the cultural heritage field, causing financial strain and uncertainty individually as well as restricting access to key services in the community. Our thoughts are with our furloughed colleagues and ...