The Conservation Awards are returning to Icon for a third year at the Winter Reception at the Crafts Council Gallery in London.
The conservation of objects and collections protects the things people value.
From cherished family heirlooms to national treasures, the practice of conservation encompasses artworks, books and archives, textiles, architecture and archaeology as well as industrial, natural and social history collections. Whether they are held by museums, heritage organisations, private collectors or public bodies, these objects form our collective history and culture.
Conservation professionals value and understand these physical artefacts; skilfully safeguarding them against decay and neglect to ensure that everyone’s stories survive for the inspiration of present and future generations. However, much of this work is hidden from public view because it takes place in private workshops or conservation studios in museums, galleries and archives.
The Conservation Awards promote the wider recognition of conservation and the value it brings to society, shining a spotlight on highly skilled practitioners who are championing advances in best practice, research and training.
Thanks to the generous support of friends across and beyond the sector, we're delighted to continue recognising excellence in conservation and introduce two brand new Awards into the mix for 2025.
The Conservation Awards for 2025
Award for Heritage Conservation in Action (sponsored by the Marsh Charitable Trust)
This Award recognises the achievements of conservators and heritage scientists working to enhance public engagement with historic objects and collections. Engagement may be delivered through the real-time interpretation of the conservation work being carried out either in-situ or online, or through educational programmes linked to the conservation project.
Eligibility
The Award is open to individual conservators and heritage scientists or teams of conservation professionals.
Criteria
Applicants will need to demonstrate that they were able to:
- Successfully reach and engage with the audience that the project was intended to attract, which might be people who already participate, or it might be new audiences, or a particular group of people.
- Increase the visibility of conservation and the conservation professions.
- Align with Icon’s ‘Values of Conservation’.
- Demonstrate a lasting impact or legacy.
Award for Innovation in Conservation (sponsored by the Marsh Charitable Trust)
This award recognises individual, department or organisation-led innovation in conservation practice, research or training. Innovation can take any form but should demonstrate new ways of thinking or working that are moving the practice of conservation forward.
Eligibility
The award is open to individual conservators, teams, departments or entire organisations that are championing innovative ways of working to further the conservation profession.
Criteria
Applicants will need to demonstrate that they were able to:
- Progress an area of conservation practice, research or training through innovation in ways of working or approaching aspects of work or projects delivered.
- Champion innovative approaches that serve to inspire fellow conservators, departments, and organisations – inspiring a new generation of individuals to consider a career in conservation.
- Align with Icon’s ‘Values of Conservation’.
- Demonstrate a lasting impact or legacy.
Award for Emerging Talent in Conservation (sponsored by the Marsh Charitable Trust)
This Award recognises emerging conservation professionals and their early career contribution to the practice of conservation.
Eligibility
This award is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students, or early career conservators and heritage scientists with 5 or less years in the workplace. The nomination can be based on a piece of solo work or study, or could focus on the individual’s contribution to a larger conservation project or research activity, or their wider contribution to the workplace. The activity must have taken place within the last 12 months.
Criteria
Nominated candidates will have demonstrated achievement in one of the following areas:
- Excel in their studies, training or work by adding real and significant value to their course and fellow students, or by having begun to contribute positively to the conservation profession by sharing skills and knowledge.
- Increase the visibility of conservation, either with regard to general heritage preservation or in a specialist area.
- Innovation / finding creative solutions to conservation problems
- Align with Icon’s ‘Values of Conservation’
- Advocating for cultural heritage or promoting the value of conserving / restoring heritage
Award for Environmental Sustainability in Conservation (sponsored by UtilityAid)
This award recognises a stand-out project, or the ongoing practice of a conservation professional, who is championing environmentally focused or sustainable ways of working.
Eligibility
This award is open to individual conservators, collections care professionals, or teams working in these areas, who are progressing practice and culture in this area.
Criteria
Applicants will need to demonstrate that they were able to:
- Identify a real need for change and an opportunity to address this through their professional role in conservation or collections care.
- Successfully innovate or adapt existing practices and approaches to focus on a more environmentally sustainable way of working, whilst continuing to deliver to an excellent standard professionally.
- Increase the visibility of the role of conservation in championing environmentally sustainable ways of working.
- Align with Icon’s ‘Values of Conservation’.
- Demonstrate a lasting impact or legacy.
Award for Protecting Skills at Risk
This award acknowledges the hard work of conservators and heritage teams to safeguard and futureproof the skills needed to care for all aspects of our cultural heritage.
Eligibility
Applications will be open to stand-out skills engagement projects, or ongoing work in the field.
Criteria
Applicants will need to demonstrate that they are:
- Engaged with an area of conservation skills at risk by learning or sharing new skills.
- Committed to sharing and preserving knowledge through the documentation of processes and practices.
- Aligned with Icon’s ‘Values of Conservation’.
- Leave a lasting impact or legacy.
Award for Conservation Volunteer of the Year
The heritage sector relies on the generosity and expertise of its incredible volunteers. Whether carrying out conservation work or advocating on its behalf, their work is invaluable. This award will recognize a brilliant volunteer working in or alongside conservation.
Eligibility
Applications will be open to all Icon volunteers and those in volunteer positions with conservation and collections care teams.
Criteria
Applications will need to demonstrate:
- The volunteer's passion for arts and heritage.
- Their commitment to preservation and access through conservation, research, public engagement, or behind-the-scenes support.
Prizes
The winner of each category in the 2025 Conservation Awards will receive a £1000 cash prize made possible by our generous sponsors.
Nominations
Individuals or teams can submit a nomination for themselves, their team or the work of another conservator/cultural heritage practitioner/volunteer. Nominations on the behalf of others should be made by someone who is familiar with their work – a client, colleague, manager or professional contact.
Entry process
Nominations in all entry categories must be submitted via the below downloadable Microsoft Word application form. This should be uploaded to the submission portal at the bottom of this page by 11:59pm on Sunday 14th September 2025.
The Conservation Awards 2025 - Nomination Form
Nominations received after this deadline will not be accepted.
Alongside the nomination form, applicants must supply up to six hi-res images that illustrate the project or activity and are suitable for use on Icon and the Award sponsor's websites, and in publicity materials. A photograph of the nominated individual or team should also be included.
Copyright information and credit lines for all submitted images should be provided.
Please direct any queries to [email protected]
The Conservation Award Sponsors
The Marsh Charitable Trust supports Award schemes celebrating the outstanding contributions of people who are committed to social, cultural and environmental causes. Founded in 1981 by its current Chairman, Mr Brian Marsh OBE, the Trust's aim is to support the organisations and people who are making a difference.
Utility Aid is the UK's largest broker for the not-for-profit sector. Supporting Icon's vision to protect, preserve, and promote treasured cultural heritage, they acknowledge that managing a building can be challenging, and controlling costs is critical to ensure the organisation operates effectively. Utility Aid are passionate about keeping energy costs down so you can do just that.
Looking back
The Marsh Conservation Awards 2024
Icon's 2,300 members and the wider conservation and heritage sector nominated the best and brightest across five categories in the 2024 Awards. From industrial heritage in Scotland to traditional dress in Kenya and promoting sustainability in London, the winners of the 2024 Awards reflect the disciplinary breadth of conservation practice and its ability to engage communities on a local, national and global scale.
Dr David Leigh FSA FIIC ACR, Plowden Medal, Chair of the Marsh Conservation Awards Judging Panel, commented:
The judging panel was impressed with the quality and range of the nominations this year. The calibre of the winning entries demonstrates not just the exceptional skills of the conservators who are charged with looking after our shared cultural heritage, but also their responsiveness to the values that communities place on collections and a readiness to explain and engage people with their important work.
The 2024 Marsh Conservation Award winners are:
The Marsh Award for Innovation in Conservation
Winner: Industrial Museums Scotland, Powering our People
Photo: Industrial Museums Scotland
Launched in 2022, Industrial Museums Scotland’s (IMS’s) ‘Powering Our People’ project was designed to address the gap in heritage conservation skills and knowledge in Scotland’s industrial museums. A programme of targeted skills development training courses, knowledge exchange activities and the creation of a conservation intern role created a dynamic conservation legacy, equipping the workforce of the 15 IMS member organisations with the skills and resources to care for these nationally significant collections for future generations.
You can learn more about the Powering our People project here.
The Marsh Award for Heritage Conservation in Action
Winner: Kabarnet Museum, National Museums of Kenya
Photo: Kabarnet Museum, National Museums of Kenya
A project led by curator and conservator Lillian Amwanda Ochieng that involved the restoration of two culturally significant artefacts from the Kabarnet Museum’s ethnographic store has helped to transform the museum’s public engagement programme. Through extensive collaboration with elders from two local communities, the museum staff and volunteer team were able to learn traditional conservation practices and gained a deeper understanding of the cultural significance of the ceremonial headdress and traditional skirt restored. This in turn has enhanced the cultural narrative the museum presents to the public.
The Marsh Award for Early Career Conservator
Winner: Alannah Hay, National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth
Photo: National Museum of the Royal Navy
Alannah joined the National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) in March 2023 as Conservation Technician, moving into the role of Conservator just six months later. Although she is an early career conservator and relatively new to NMRN, she has already proven herself to be a vital cog in the team, carrying out ethically-sound treatment and preventive tasks across NMRN’s wide-ranging collections; working closely with multiple specialisms; managing, training and supervising staff, volunteers and external contractors; and creating new working methods and efficiencies within the department. Alannah is also heavily involved in the HMS Victory Conservation Project, providing crucial conservation advice, treatment and advocacy.
The Marsh Award for Outstanding Student Conservator
Winner: Emma Callaghan, National Museum of the Royal Navy, Hartlepool
Photo: National Museum of the Royal Navy
Emma started a degree apprenticeship in Cultural Heritage Conservation in October 2021, supported by the National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) and the University of Lincoln. Her apprenticeship projects have had a significant impact on the NMRN Hartlepool collection and contribute to all the NMRN’s Conservation Strategy goals. These include improving knowledge of the collection’s condition, improving the condition of the collection, facilitating access to the collection, supporting academic engagement and increasing conservation advocacy. In addition, she has been working on a NLHF-funded project that is focused on the re-interpretation and conservation of NMRN’s figureheads, forming a crucial part of the project delivery team.
The Marsh Award for Environmental or Sustainability Focus in Conservation
Winner: Alexandra Wade, London Metropolitan Archives
Photo: Alexandra Wade
When Preventive Conservator Alexandra took over the Green Group at London Metropolitan Archives (LMA) in 2019, her ambition was to expand their existing efforts in promoting sustainability. As such, she facilitated donations to underfunded schools, charities and community centres, demonstrating the potential of cultural heritage institutions to support local initiatives. She also initiated a monthly newsletter to engage staff, leading to increased recycling and waste reduction. These regular updates have helped to rejuvenate LMA’s efforts to build a strong circular economy, introducing new recycling, repurposing and energy-saving initiatives. In addition, Alexandra has helped to redevelop LMA’s sustainability policy, spoken at several conferences and published articles to share her knowledge and practices.
Awards Judging Panel:
Panel chair: Dr David Leigh FSA FIIC ACR, Plowden Medal
Main panel: Emma Jhita, Icon CEO; Mark Ross, Icon Trustee; Camella Ramjet, Icon Emerging Professionals Network; and Annie McCarthy, Marsh Charitable Trust
Specialist judges: Ylva Dahnsjo ACR, Dr Clare Finn ACR, Clare Meredith, Helen Wilson ACR, Lorna Calcutt ACR and Janie Lightfoot ACR