Panel Discussion

THE FUTURE OF CONSERVATION

Moderator: Caitlin Southwick, Executive Director, Ki Culture, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Panelists

Vasilike Argyropoulos, Director of the Master’s Program in Conservation of Cultural Heritage, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece

Valentin Boissonnas, Lecturer, Haute Ecole Arc Conservation-restauration, Neuchâtel, Switzerland

Lauren Fair, Head of Objects Conservation and Affiliated Assistant Professor, University of Delaware, Winterthur, USA

Heikki Häyhä, Senior Lecturer in Conservation, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki, Finland

Vandana Singh, Head of the Metal Conservation Laboratory at the City Palace Museum, Udaipur, India

David Watkinson, Professor of Conservation, School of History, Archaeology and Religion, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom

Outline

Deep dive into the future of conservation – what our relevance will be to ensure that we as a field survive, and the changes we must make to integrate into conservation of the future. This can range from examining the materials we use, the ethical frameworks (social sustainability) to the future of education in the field. 

Deep dive into environmental sustainability – looking at where we can make the biggest impact, from materials we use to climate control regulations. This panel will explore what the role of the conservator is in asserting more environmentally sustainable practices. 

Deep dive into education – introduced in the keynote, this panel will further explore the role of education in the integration of sustainability into conservation. 

Deep dive into social sustainability – this panel will explore how to make our field more inclusive, diverse, and accessible. Discussing theoretical and practical approaches, panelists will highlight the role of conservation shaping the cultural sector’s approach to social justice.