APRIL

Mon 1st    Care of Collections

Tues 2nd  Care of Photographs

Wed 3rd  Basic Paper Conservation

Thurs 4th  Handling Collections workshop – morning session

Basic Textile Conservation – afternoon session

September

Mon 16th Big Plans Ahead – afternoon session

Tues 17th Care of Collections

Wed 18th Care of Photographs

Thurs 19th Basic Paper Conservation

Fri 20th Handling Collections workshop – morning session

Basic Textile Conservation – afternoon session

OTHER EVENTS

We deliver a range of tailored short talks and workshops around Australia. Please contact us for more information about how we can assist your organisation.

Calendar will be updated as more workshops are scheduled throughout the year.

All Sydney workshops and seminars are held at Preservation Australia Studios, Annandale.

Caring for a paper based collection can be enhanced with a few basic paper conservation skills.

This is a one-day workshop in simple paper conservation treatments that will assist in the preservation of your collection.

Paper objects can include items such as documents, maps and plans, books, and works of art on paper.

Areas covered include:

• Deterioration of paper
• Identification of media
• Condition assessment and condition reports
• Surface cleaning of paper
• Tape removal
• Flattening paper
• Conservation storage and display

Much of what we do as paper conservators involves correcting the problems caused by inappropriate framing methods and materials. Works on paper (and other organic objects) readily show the damages wrought by a poor choice of materials, which are generally acidic, and we have some classic examples to show you.

This workshop will discuss why it is so important to use the correct materials when framing works on paper. There will be a chance to practice different types of hinging, using Japanese paper and wheat starch paste.

We developed this new, half day workshop after multiple requests from framers with whom we frequently work. The workshop is also suitable for anyone responsible for framing works on paper – galleries, libraries, museums, collectors, organisations with collections – as it is important that you know what you need from your framer.

Areas covered include:

• Conservation framing materials – mat boards, back boards, glazing, tapes
• Conservation hinging and mounting – tapes, Japanese paper hinges, adhesives
• Environmental issues – lighting, temperature and relative humidity

This workshop is designed for those who have attended one of our Basic Paper Conservation workshops – and are ready for some more advanced techniques. Building on procedures covered in the first workshop, this one-day seminar offers more in-depth training on techniques already covered, as well as introducing some new ones.

Areas covered include:

• Tape removal – including simple and safe solvent procedures
• Paper repairs – tears and areas of loss, using Japanese paper method
• Book repairs – using Japanese paper to undertake ‘band-aid’ book repair, including repair and stabilisation of covers and spines
• Identification of media – including inks, different types of fine prints,and watercolours
• Flattening of works on paper with soluble media
• How to make starch paste
• Selecting Japanese papers

And, importantly, what NOT to do!

This half-day workshop covers basic textile care and storage. Areas addressed include documentation, fibre identification, causes of deterioration, handling, cleaning and storage.

A one-day workshop for those who need skills in basic textile, costume and mixed media object care. Textile objects covered will include samplers, embroideries, quilts and other flat textiles, uniforms, costumes and costume accessories such as hats and fans, soft furnishings, toys, dolls and other 3 dimensional mixed media objects.

A presentation, practical demonstration and question and answer session.
Areas covered include:

• Deterioration of textiles – factors of deterioration, both environmental and inherent.
• Condition assessment and condition reports – identification of materials and terminology.
• Textile cleaning – surface cleaning; methods, materials and tools.
• Preparing textiles for display – methods and practical session.
• Preparing textiles for storage – methods and practical session.

This is for all keepers of collections. Every day we handle objects, however it is important to understand the correct methods for handling in order to reduce the risk of damage. This half day session will discuss the various handling scenarios that may arise within organisations – such as rehousing projects, storage relocations, cataloguing, exhibition installation and transport. In addition, we will look at what options are available to correctly handle a variety of sensitive materials – photographs, oversize fragile objects like maps and plans, oversize heavy objects, fragile textiles and as well as unusual objects.

This one day seminar provides a comprehensive introduction to the principles of collection care and management. Preventive conservation is a both practical and economic approach to the preservation of a collection. The information provided in this workshop is invaluable for non-conservators responsible for collections, or for individuals caring for their personal collections and archives.

Areas covered include:

• Principles of collection management
• Deterioration of collections
• Principles of preventive conservation
• Preservation planning
• Collection storage
• Display of collections
• Handling and transport of objects
• General care of collection types

Photographic collections require a specialised approach to care and storage.

This one day seminar looks at common historic and contemporary photographic materials (except digital) found in most collections, and addresses the best ways to manage their preservation.

Areas covered include:

• Identification of common photographic processes
• Photographic deterioration
• Preventive conservation for photographic collections
• Storage options for photographs
• Managing photographic collections

Even though it is now a standard component of good collection management many organisations do not have an effective disaster preparedness plan in place.

This one-day seminar covers the basic principles of disaster preparedness, working through each step required for participants to put together a ‘user-friendly’ and effective disaster preparedness plan.

Areas covered include:

• Policies
• Risk assessment
• Significance assessment
• Dealing with risks
• Response and recovery teams
• Response and recovery plans
• Recovering from a disaster
• Documentation
• Resources
• Training

The workshop follows the format of ‘Be Prepared: Guidelines for Small Museums for Writing a Disaster Preparedness Plan’ (written by Kay Soderlund for the Heritage Collections Council).

Please note, practical salvage procedures are not addressed in this seminar, but are covered in a separate workshop.

This is a one day workshop is for those who already have a written disaster preparedness plan and need training in salvage and recovery procedures should a disaster strike.

The day will involve practical demonstrations and hands-on work for all participants in salvage procedures for most collection materials.

Areas covered include:

• Setting up a recovery area
• Preparing and using Action Sheets
• When to contact a conservator
• Recovery of water-damaged objects
• Recovery of fire-damaged objects
• Recovery of structurally damaged objects
• Preparing objects for freezing
• Preparing objects for travel/storage
• Documentation of recovery

This workshop is a new approach in Disaster Preparedness and is aimed at those who already have some basic training in this area. It has been designed to assist you in finishing or testing your own Disaster Preparedness Plan.

This one-day workshop will look at working with the plan you already have, or are part-way through developing – does it work well? How can we improve or finish it?

The day will include the participants working as a group to test different scenarios from participants’ plans – including recovery procedures. So come prepared for some active role play!

This one-day workshop is designed to provide participants with a very practical understanding of Disaster Preparedness. It aims to provide an overview of what is involved in disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

Following this workshop, participants will be able to write an effective Disaster Preparedness Plan for their collection.

The first part of the day covers the components of a Disaster Preparedness Plan, and how to prepare the information required for an active and useful plan.

During the second part of the day, participants work through a practical Disaster Response scenario, based on a water impact on a mixed collection.

Areas covered include:

• Policies
• Risk assessment
• Significance assessment
• Reducing risk and prioritising actions
• Response and recovery plans
• Salvage procedures
• Resources
• Practical disaster response

Have you started to research and collect your family’s archives? Are you wondering how to properly store and organise the wealth of family heritage that you have stored in cardboard boxes? 

Many people are aware of the need to store their collection in archival material, but find it difficult to decide which materials and which storage methods are best.

This one-day seminar starts at the beginning…

• What historic material do you keep?
• How do you decide what is significant and what is less important?
• How do you organise your collection?
• Why does your collection deteriorate?
• What is ‘archival storage’? (de-mystifying the terminology used by suppliers)
• What systems or methods of storage are available?
• How do you choose the best method?
• When do you need to use a conservator?

At the end of the day, participants will feel much more confident about archiving and preserving their family history.

This practical half-day workshop begins with examining the conservation issues in display and exhibitions such as lighting and UV, correct supports and micro climates.

Participants are encouraged to share their experiences and several case studies are used as examples. Participants then use archival quality materials to construct a book support or four flap folder for an object of their choice.

This new workshop addresses the problems many museums, archives and libraries encounter when dealing with the preservation of large items held in the collection such as maps and plans. We cover the identification of plans, deterioration, flattening and repair, and conservation storage.

Along with our studio-based workshops, we deliver workshops around Australia. We will work with you to prepare a workshop or seminar that best suits you, your organisation and your collection.

Please contact us for more information about how we can assist.

Coming soon!