2019-2021 AIC Strategic Plan

Introduction

¶ 1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0 (to be written when plan is complete)

Mission Statement

¶ 2 Leave a comment on paragraph 2 0 As a national membership organization, the American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works (AIC) supports conservation professionals in preserving cultural heritage by establishing and upholding professional standards, promoting research and publications, providing educational opportunities, and fostering the exchange of knowledge among conservators, allied professionals, and the public.

Vision Statement

¶ 3 Leave a comment on paragraph 3 7 AIC envisions a time when the preservation of cultural material is universally recognized as a critical endeavor that is thoughtfully undertaken and fully supported in order that we may learn from our shared historic and artistic heritage.

Core Values

Honoring Cultural Heritage

¶ 4 Leave a comment on paragraph 4 2 AIC promotes the preservation of cultural heritage as a means toward a deeper understanding of our shared humanity—the need to express ourselves through achievement in all disciplines. We honor these achievements by preserving them for current and future generations.

Advocacy

¶ 5 Leave a comment on paragraph 5 4 AIC is the voice for cultural heritage preservation. We advocate for responsible public policy founded on the enduring evidence of human imagination, creativity, and achievement.

Professionalism

¶ 6 Leave a comment on paragraph 6 1 AIC supports the provision of conservation services by professionally qualified individuals who adhere to a code of ethics and guidelines for practice.

Education and Lifelong Learning

¶ 7 Leave a comment on paragraph 7 4 AIC promotes the understanding of the values and contexts of our cultural heritage and encourages informed decision-making in conservation. We advance the attainment of knowledge of materials and technologies and mastery of conservation techniques. We are dedicated to service to the fields of preservation and conservation, research, sharing knowledge with others, and professional development.

Service to Members

¶ 8 Leave a comment on paragraph 8 1 AIC welcomes any individual, organization, or institution to become a member. We encourage education and networking for professionals, allied professionals, and individuals interested in supporting conservation. We provide and develop services that are responsive to the professional needs of our members.

Equity and Inclusion

¶ 9 Leave a comment on paragraph 9 2 AIC is committed to the premise that the preservation of cultural heritage is inseparable from our belief that the creative achievements and histories of all peoples must be acknowledged and honored. Through our support of all conservation and heritage professionals, we actively strive to create an inclusive and equitable environment in which all members of our community are valued and respected.

Governance

¶ 10 Leave a comment on paragraph 10 2 AIC practices the strategic management of our organization, reflecting our responsibilities to our membership, allied professions, partners, the public, and our cultural heritage preservation mission.

Situation Analysis

¶ 11 Leave a comment on paragraph 11 0 The following observations, trends, developments, and indicators are drawn from strategic planning discussions based on the AIC and FAIC boards’ experiences and interactions with allied professionals and members, as well as recent events and activities. They serve to describe key considerations that are likely to influence AIC’s direction and success over the next three years.

The Economy and Support for Conservation

¶ 12 Leave a comment on paragraph 12 2 • Political and economic realities indicate decreased support for funding the arts and culture in future years. This along with the uncertain economic environment will continue to adversely affect conservation practice in all settings.

¶ 13 Leave a comment on paragraph 13 0 • Growing numbers of conservators and collection care professionals and shifting opportunities or priorities in institutions have led to more conservators entering private practice, thus more training in business, administrative, and marketing skills will be needed.

¶ 14 Leave a comment on paragraph 14 0 • A limited universe of private foundations support conservation education, research, and practice, and they will continue to adjust their priorities and giving patterns based upon their individual areas of interest.

Need and Demand for Conservation Services

¶ 15 Leave a comment on paragraph 15 1 • The need and demand for conservation services will continue to outstrip financial resources available to support the delivery of these services.

¶ 16 Leave a comment on paragraph 16 1 • The growing and changing impact of emerging technologies and expectations for instant access to information will continue be an important consideration for conservators, their clients, the institutions they serve, and the public-at-large.

¶ 17 Leave a comment on paragraph 17 1 • University-based degree-granting programs in conservation continue to be in demand and are responsive to emerging disciplines.

¶ 18 Leave a comment on paragraph 18 1 • Additional education and training are needed for collection care professionals.

Awareness

¶ 19 Leave a comment on paragraph 19 0 • Awareness and appreciation of conservation, and its role in keeping collections accessible as core resources, is lacking among many leaders of art, science, and humanities institutions.

¶ 20 Leave a comment on paragraph 20 0 • A perception by the general public that conservation practice is limited to major art museums is only beginning to change.

¶ 21 Leave a comment on paragraph 21 2 • Public awareness of conservation is gradually expanding, in part due to increasingly informed coverage by the press and a greater use of technology and social media showing conservation activities in labs, public spaces, and archaeological sites.

¶ 22 Leave a comment on paragraph 22 1 • Major international and national political and military conflicts that have destroyed, and even specifically targeted, cultural heritage are increasing awareness of the fragility of cultural heritage and the need for protection and preservation.

¶ 23 Leave a comment on paragraph 23 1 • Natural disasters occurring with more intensity and frequency are affecting personal and private collections as well as public collections and are increasing public awareness of cultural heritage emergency response efforts.

Internal Factors

¶ 24 Leave a comment on paragraph 24 3 • Conservators in many specialty areas characterize the profession as having made many advances (principally as the result of the application of new and emerging technologies), but also claim that the profession suffers from a sense of disparity between institutional and private conservators.

¶ 25 Leave a comment on paragraph 25 0 • The conservation profession lacks the diversity mandatory to ensure multiple cultural perspectives and inclusive decision-making.

¶ 26 Leave a comment on paragraph 26 0 • Conservation departments are contributing actively to public outreach and audience development without a commensurate increase in staff levels, while opportunities to advance research and scholarship are minimized.

¶ 27 Leave a comment on paragraph 27 0 • There is a recognized need among conservators for a cross-disciplinary approach and recognition of the importance of expanding relationships with allied professionals.

¶ 28 Leave a comment on paragraph 28 0 • An awareness of the community-based and interdisciplinary nature of conservation today is increasing, along with the need to have buy-in from many different stakeholders.

¶ 29 Leave a comment on paragraph 29 1 • Climate change and concern over the loss of both national and cultural heritage highlights the need for collaborations with environmental conservation.

¶ 30 Leave a comment on paragraph 30 0 • While the Foundation has operated for more than forty years, its operations, purposes, and priorities are not particularly well understood in the conservation community, even within the ranks of AIC.

¶ 31 Leave a comment on paragraph 31 0 Next section: Goals & Strategies >>

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Comments

2 Comments on the whole Page

Peter September 24, 2018 at 1:49 pm

I don’t feel entirely comfortable making suggestions/changes to AIC’s plan, as I am not on that board. Generally this looks quite good to me, though!

Reply to Peter
najlepszy sklep March 15, 2024 at 9:03 pm

Comment awaiting moderation

Suzanne Davis September 21, 2018 at 9:15 pm

I’d put a period after “supported,” and excise “in order that we may learn from our shared heritage.” In part, this is because the shorter statement reads more powerfully. But shorter statement would also avoid calling out “historic and artistic,” which we are dropping from our tag line. And – one might want to preserve cultural heritage for reasons other than learning. Enjoyment, inspiration, identity, remembrance…

Reply to Suzanne Davis
Margaret Holben Ellis September 26, 2018 at 3:20 pm

I know that the wording below has not been approved yet, but it makes sense to me that our Mekanics messages and our strategic Plan should use the same language:

AIC supports and empowers conservation professionals, institutions, and the public in the preservation of irreplaceable cultural heritage that holds meaning for individuals and families, communities, and our greater society.
As the premier organization for conservators and allied professionals who are formally educated and technically trained to save cultural heritage. AIC leads the field of conservation by providing its members with essential resources and opportunities to expand their specialized knowledge, elevate their expertise, and enable their collaboration with each other and with the people and communities involved in their preservation projects.

Reply to Margaret Holben Ellis
Margaret Holben Ellis September 26, 2018 at 3:21 pm

remove references to cultural material

Reply to Margaret Holben Ellis
Sarah Melching October 1, 2018 at 2:58 am

I agree that the wording from Mekanic should reflect the organization’s statements.

I think consistency in our language “cultural heritage” is very important. While I do not have an issue with the term, “cultural material,” I do think “cultural heritage” is fine.

Reply to Sarah Melching
Sarah Melching October 1, 2018 at 3:03 am

I agree that the wording from Mekanic should reflect the organization’s statements.

I think consistency in our language “cultural heritage” is very important. While I do not have an issue with the term, “cultural material,” I do think “cultural heritage” is fine.

Reply to Sarah Melching
Brenda Bernier October 3, 2018 at 5:08 pm

I agree that the Mekanic messaging should be considered here.

AIC supports and empowers conservation professionals, institutions, and the public in the preservation of irreplaceable cultural heritage that holds meaning for individuals and families, communities, and our greater society.

Reply to Brenda Bernier
Research Agency March 25, 2024 at 10:52 am

Comment awaiting moderation

2 Comments on paragraph 4

Suzanne Davis September 25, 2018 at 3:45 pm

Would recommend ending the statement after, “humanity.” The syntax of the first sentence is confusing, and we also preserve many things associated with terrible events.

Reply to Suzanne Davis
Brenda Bernier October 3, 2018 at 5:12 pm

Having worked at the Holocaust Museum, I agree with Suzanne on this point.

Reply to Brenda Bernier

4 Comments on paragraph 5

Margaret Holben Ellis September 26, 2018 at 3:26 pm

Isn’t FAIC the voice for cultural heritage preservation?

Mekanics wording: AIC supports and empowers conservation professionals, institutions, and the public in the preservation of irreplaceable cultural heritage that holds meaning for individuals and families, communities, and our greater society.

As the premier organization for conservators and allied professionals who are formally educated and technically trained to save cultural heritage. AIC leads the field of conservation by providing its members with essential resources and opportunities to expand their specialized knowledge, elevate their expertise, and enable their collaboration with each other and with the people and communities involved in their preservation projects.

Reply to Margaret Holben Ellis
Sarah Barack September 26, 2018 at 4:44 pm

My thought concurs with Peggy, and this statement confused me as I was not aware of advocacy efforts that AIC undertakes as fully as FAIC.

Reply to Sarah Barack
Molly Gleeson September 29, 2018 at 7:31 pm

Yes, I agree with Peggy and Sarah and I wonder if we want this statement to reflect more on how AIC advocates for its members and the profession at large?

Reply to Molly Gleeson
Sarah Melching October 1, 2018 at 3:13 am

Advocacy in this context merits qualification. The organization advocates for its membership moreso than its overriding mission.

Reply to Sarah Melching

1 Comment on paragraph 6

Sarah Barack September 26, 2018 at 4:45 pm

“professionally qualified” is very vague but perhaps that is intentional

Reply to Sarah Barack

4 Comments on paragraph 7

Sarah Barack September 26, 2018 at 4:50 pm

Awkwardly phrased to my mind.

To rephrase from the start, you might try “AIC encourages informed decision-making in conservation through an understanding of the values and contexts of our cultural heritage (or the production of…)

Note- attainment of knowledge of materials and technologies is part of the mastery of conservation techniques. Seems redundant on some level.

We are dedicated to supporting research, knowledge sharing among professionals, and advanced learning as integral to our service to the fields of preservation and conservation…”

But maybeI am not supposed to be line editing?

Reply to Sarah Barack
Sarah Barack September 26, 2018 at 4:53 pm

This paragraph as well as the two above seem very much tied together to me– eg education and lifelong learning are part of professionalism as they inform and create its development. Creating educational opportunities is part of the service to members. I think the document would be stronger if we could integrate these thoughts together– which would also allow for action items to be build on tighter language (otherwise there will be redundant strategies built per each paragraph)

Reply to Sarah Barack
Brenda Bernier October 3, 2018 at 5:22 pm

I don’t know if we are supposed to be line editing or not, but I like Sarah’s suggested word changes.

Reply to Brenda Bernier
Brenda Bernier October 3, 2018 at 5:22 pm

In response to Sarah’s second comment, I would prefer to keep education and lifelong learning as separate from professionalism (in this document). (I would prefer to see the section on professionalism combined with a re-worked advocacy section.)

Reply to Brenda Bernier

1 Comment on paragraph 8

Sarah Melching October 1, 2018 at 3:21 am

The opening sentence, almost begs a qualifier such as individuals, organizations, and institutions…with a vested interest.

AIC welcomes any individual, organization, or institution with a vested interest to become a member.

Reply to Sarah Melching

2 Comments on paragraph 9

Suzanne Davis September 25, 2018 at 3:49 pm

There has to be a better way to write the first sentence here – there are too many dependent clauses to try to sort through as you read. Maybe, “AIC believes the creative achievements and histories of all peoples must be acknowledged and honored.”

Reply to Suzanne Davis
Margaret Holben Ellis September 26, 2018 at 3:32 pm

Same wording as core values on website – just checking…

Reply to Margaret Holben Ellis

2 Comments on paragraph 10

Brenda Bernier October 3, 2018 at 5:28 pm

Are these core values in this particular order for a reason?

Reply to Brenda Bernier
Brenda Bernier October 3, 2018 at 5:33 pm

I’m assuming that the strategic management of our organization also includes the management of our financial resources. Do we need to be explicit about that?

Reply to Brenda Bernier

0 Comments on paragraph 11

2 Comments on paragraph 12

Suzanne Davis September 25, 2018 at 3:54 pm

I’m still wondering how we know this, and where the forecast data come from. U.S. Dept of Labor has a good jobs forecast in the archivists, curators, and museum workers category. They expect 13% growth from 2016-2026, and their forecast was updated in July.

Reply to Suzanne Davis
Sarah Melching October 1, 2018 at 3:24 am

Agree with Suzanne – this needs qualification.

Reply to Sarah Melching

Sarah Melching October 1, 2018 at 3:27 am

I am not entirely clear on what this means. I was in private practice for 15 years and was never short of demand for my services. I can see how this might apply to institutions (museums, libraries, universities) but not across the board to deliver y of services.

Reply to Sarah Melching

1 Comment on paragraph 16

Brenda Bernier October 3, 2018 at 6:53 pm

I realize that this section is likely speaking to access of information relating to conservation or impacting the conservation decision making process. However I just want to say how much this resonates with me because the conservators and technicians in my lab are struggling to keep up with the voracious desire to digitize rare and unique cultural materials at my institution.

Reply to Brenda Bernier

1 Comment on paragraph 17

Sarah Melching October 1, 2018 at 3:31 am

…programs in conservation continue to be in demand and “must continue to aspire” to emerging disciplines.

I am hopeful that all programs will increase access to training in variable media, i.e. electronic, kinetic, performance media.

Reply to Sarah Melching

1 Comment on paragraph 18

Brenda Bernier October 3, 2018 at 6:31 pm

This statement has no context, making it confusing. Possible change:

Collection care professionals can provide positive preservation outcomes for cultural materials if they have access to quality education and training.

Reply to Brenda Bernier

Sarah Barack September 26, 2018 at 6:08 pm

Seems like sentence 20/21 could be combined?

Reply to Sarah Barack
Brenda Bernier October 3, 2018 at 6:34 pm

I was also thinking that 20/21 could be combined.

Reply to Brenda Bernier

1 Comment on paragraph 22

Sarah Melching October 1, 2018 at 3:33 am

To a degree –

So much of awareness if dependent on media coverage.

Reply to Sarah Melching

1 Comment on paragraph 23

Sarah Barack September 26, 2018 at 6:09 pm

Can we say climate change out loud here? Def an external factor influencing the situational analysis

Reply to Sarah Barack

3 Comments on paragraph 24

Sarah Barack September 26, 2018 at 6:10 pm

Can we clarify this perceived disparity? Who said this– how was this observed/noted?

Reply to Sarah Barack
Sarah Melching October 1, 2018 at 3:39 am

I too would like to better understand the disparity. In private practice, I seldom if ever felt marginalized or otherwise by being in private practice.

Reply to Sarah Melching
Brenda Bernier October 3, 2018 at 6:57 pm

I interpreted this as private conservators having a lack of access to new and emerging technologies.

Reply to Brenda Bernier

Sarah Barack September 26, 2018 at 6:10 pm

See climate note about. Climate change is external– should be called out by name above if we are adding specific here

Reply to Sarah Barack

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