There was an incredible response to our advert for members to join the Diversity & Inclusion Task and Finish Group to consider the issue of diversity and inclusion in the conservation profession and to develop recommendations for action. The group have now completed the selection and had their first meeting. We will be hearing a lot more as the work progresses but here’s a brief introduction...
Pierrette Squires
Pierrette Squires
ACR, Icon Trustee & Team Leader at Bolton Library & Museum Services.
I’m a bisexual woman, deaf & with chronic health conditions. My conservation practice focuses on ethics, sustainability & inclusion.
Lucie Mascord
Lucie Mascord
Accredited natural history conservator, trustee and group secretary. My interests include mental health disability, socioeconomic adversity and sexual harassment in the sector.
Laura O'Farrell
Laura O'Farrell
Emerging book and paper conservator from Ireland. I am autistic and have previous experience working with marginalised groups within heritage settings. I’m currently a Project Conservator at The National Archives.
Misa Tamura
Misa Tamura
A World Cultures conservator, recently naturalised British citizen, and Japanese migrant. My interests include diversity, inclusion, and equality of opportunities for underrepresented communities.
Clair Walton
Clair Walton
Books and archives, strongly motivated to encourage meaningful dialogue, create opportunity for all and promote the qualities of a diverse and inclusive workforce.
Clara Low
Clara Low
Emerging Professional, Textile Conservator and POC. Supporting wider accessibility and creating a professional environment where all can thrive, whatever their identity and circumstances.
Megan de Silva
Megan de Silva
Icon Welsh Trustee and Collections Manager for Monmouthshire Museums. Dyslexic, from a low-income background and passionate about conservation being welcoming, supportive and accessible to all.
Emma Smith
Emma Smith
Emerging Textile Conservator, formerly worked in Widening Participation in Higher Education, come to conservation from a low income, northern working class background. Passionate about creating more accessible routes into conservation for people underrepresented in the sector.
Kendall Francis
Kendall Francis
Emerging professional paintings conservator and POC. Enthusiastic about improving accessibility and diversity in conservation and the arts for disadvantaged and underrepresented young people.
Martin Kirke
Martin Kirke
I am an Icon Trustee and I have led or advised organisations on Diversity and Inclusion including NHS Trusts, the Post Office, Natural Environment Research Council and MacMillan Cancer Support.
The T&F group is made up of 10 people:
6 Icon Members & 4 Trustees
Membership status: Accredited & Non Accredited
Employment status: Employed, Unemployed, Contracted, Freelance, Student and Intern- working for a mix of private, trusts, local government & nationals
Conservator & Non Conservators with experience ranging from Student to Emerging conservators to Mature practitioners.
Specialisms: Management, Preventive, World cultures, Paintings, Books & Paper, Textiles, Archaeology, Natural History, Archives
Diverse characteristics we cover:
Race: We have People of Colour (POC) or Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic ( BAME ) and White
Pregnancy & Maternity: We have one pregnant member and a number of parents
Age: A wide range of ages
Disability: We represent a wide range of disabilities including sensory, physical, chronic illness, mental health, dyspraxia & neurodiversity
Marriage & Civil partnership: we have married, unmarried and widowed members
Sex: male & female members
Gender reassignment / identity: Our least diverse area, most members identify as women
Sexual Orientation: LGBT+ : We represent a range of identities
Religion: We have a mix of religious & atheist members
Socioeconomic background: We represent a range of backgrounds
Education: A mix of formal academic & alternative routes in to the profession
Nationality: We represent a mixture of nationalities, predominantly UK citizens some born outside the UK, some immigrants
Geographic regions we cover : Wales, Scotland, NW England, Midlands, London, Sussex, Switzerland
