The Fly Arts Initiative (FAI), a fine art conservation and collections management practice based in New York City, was founded by Lauren Fly in 2011. She discovered conservation as a teenager living in Rome, and never looked back. She graduated magna cum laude as a member of Phi Beta Kappa with a double major in Art History and Historic Preservation from Mary Washington College, and went on to train in the conservation of fine arts at New York University’s Conservation Center before receiving a postgraduate certificate in the conservation of easel paintings from the Hamilton Kerr Institute at the University of Cambridge.
Drawing upon her 20 years of international experience in leading museum conservation departments and private practice studios, Lauren works with a wide range of museums, private collectors, galleries, corporate collections, and other stewards of cultural heritage to preserve and protect their objects. Her expertise extends beyond the practical treatment of paintings to include preventive conservation, collections management, and best practice guidance. She is an active member of the American Institute for Conservation, serving as the Chair of Conservators in Private Practice, and is passionate about promoting and demystifying conservation for the wider public.