Last August Icon published a statement on the Value of Collections Care professions making a strong plea for maintaining and supporting conservation services and conservation activity within cultural institutions.
Our statement came in response to the financial restructurings in various organisations - from regional museums through to major national institutions - caused by the severe loss of income due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The months since our statement have continued to be difficult for cultural heritage professionals and for the institutions where they work. There are still challenging times ahead and recovery will not be simple.
In response to the ongoing precarious situation within the sector, today we are publishing our manifesto on Collections Care: An Act of Optimism and An Act of Custodianship. The pamphlet calls on all those who have been charged with the stewardship of collections to
- fully embrace their commitment to being responsible custodians and to invest in the care of our shared cultural heritage collections
- recognise their role as actors in sustainable development and to unlock the public benefits of collections
The manifesto outlines how trustees of cultural heritage organisations are responsible for ensuring the collections entrusted to their care are kept safe for future generations and have the unique opportunity to deliver widespread public benefit and advance sustainable development through collections care.
We hope Icon members and all collections care professionals will find the new resource useful in their advocacy activities. We will continue working with our partners and reaching out to new audiences to ensure our messages are heard widely.
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