FAIC Christa Gaehde Scholarship

Scholarships support study and research in the conservation of art on paper by members of AIC. Projects can include individual study, attendance at professional development events, purchase of materials for research projects, or other related activities.

These scholarships honor Christa Gaehde (1922-2002), a pioneer in paper conservation. Christa trained and worked in Germany before leaving in 1949 to become one of the first paper conservators in the United States. She was a founding member and Fellow of AIC, Fellow of IIC, and the first conservator to be elected to the Print Council of America. She co-authored one of the first books on paper conservation, A Guide to the Collecting and Care of Original Prints, in 1965. Christa served on the Board of Examiners for Certification from 1980 – 1983 and was a strong supporter of setting standards of practice for the profession.

During the sixty years of her career, Christa was renowned for the subtle finish of her work, which included sophisticated bleaching and repair techniques. She was keenly interested in the impact of conservation on the appearance of artwork and concerned about the long-term effects of treatment long before this topic acquired general interest in the field. The quality of her work was recognized by curators, collectors, dealers, and auction houses both in the United States and Europe. To many colleagues, students, and interns with whom she generously and unassumingly shared her knowledge, she was a true mentor and role model. In 2000 she received the Sheldon and Caroline Keck Award in recognition of her contribution to the education and training of conservators.

All individual AIC members may apply.

Appropriateness of project to furthering the study and/or research of conservation of art on paper.
Usefulness of project to the applicant and/or the field of conservation.
Plan to disseminate knowledge and skills gained from project.
Appropriateness of budget; financial need may be considered.
Completeness of application.
Preference may be given to applicants who have not received recent support from FAIC.

Applications are submitted through an online application portal. When you enter the portal, you will be prompted to login to the system using a login ID and password. This system is not currently synced with F/AIC’s main database, so your login information may be different. If you do not have an account in the system, you can quickly set one up before you begin your application.

The online form will take you through four sections of the application:

Applicant (name and contact information, anonymous resume/CV)
Project (description of the project, how it will help you advance professionally, how you will share information gained with others)
Reference (name and email of references)
Budget (project costs and funding request)

Two references must be submitted electronically. Once an applicant submits their reference information, the references will receive an email with a link directly to the application portal where they will complete a brief form regarding their support for the application. Recommendations submitted will not be visible to the applicant.

In an effort to remove bias from the application review, we ask that you submit a version of your CV/resume that does not include your name, address, email, or phone number. Please remove that information and save the document as a PDF with a file name such as Anonymous CV.

You can save and return to your application later to complete it. When you are satisfied with your responses, “save and finalize” to submit your application. Once the application has been submitted, you cannot return to edit the form.

Applications are reviewed by members of the AIC Education and Training Committee and a recommendation is made to the FAIC board for approval. Reviewers will follow the Reviewer Guidelines and an established evaluation rubric based on the criteria for review to evaluate all applications. Notification of awards are made six to eight weeks after the application deadline.

All applicants will receive a notification letter via email to notify them of the status of their application following the review. Awardees will also receive their letter via DocuSign and must sign and return their letter in order for the funding to be sent. Awards of $600 or more require a W9 form from awardees who are US residents, as these funds are subject to taxes (awardees will receive a 1099 tax form at the beginning of the calendar year for taxable funding received the previous year). Awardees within the US will receive a check in the mail shortly after the documents are submitted to FAIC. Awardees outside the US must complete a wire transfer form and the funding will be sent via wire transfer shortly after the documents are submitted to FAIC.

A final report consisting of a 500 - 1,000 word narrative, at least two images, and a final financial report summarizing the expenses and sources of revenue is due within 13 months of the application deadline (March 15). Final reports should be sent to funding@culturalheritage.org and are required to be eligible for future funding. Reports may be published in part or in full by FAIC, including posting on our website.

Conservators creating tempera paints