I am deeply grateful to the Alliance of HBCU Museums & Galleries for supporting my attendance at the American Institute for Conservation (AIC)’s 53rd Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, MN, through the Post SIP-C Bridge Initiative. This opportunity gave me the chance to connect with conservation professionals, expand my knowledge of the field, and reflect on my own path toward a graduate degree in art conservation.
How I Learned about the Alliance of HBCU Museums & Galleries Organization
My connection to the Alliance of HBCU Museums & Galleries began with my participation in the Six-Week Introduction to Practical Conservation (SIP-C) internship program in the summer of 2023. Hosted by the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library in partnership with the University of Delaware and the Alliance of HBCU Museums & Galleries, the SIP-C internship program introduced students from historically underrepresented backgrounds to the field of conservation through hands-on training and mentorship.
During my time at the Winterthur Museum, I gained direct experience working with paintings, textiles, frames, and objects. One major highlight of my summer internship was contributing to the Ann Lowe: American Couturier exhibition, where I assisted with textile mounting and any last-minute preparation before the exhibition opening. I also delivered a 15-minute final presentation on Ann Lowe’s early career opportunities in Florida. This experience confirmed my commitment to art conservation while also making me more aware of the barriers that underrepresented students face when entering this field.
The Alliance of HBCU Museums & Galleries has been at the heart of addressing these gaps. When I later learned about their Post SIP-C Bridge Initiative, I knew it was the perfect next step in my career journey. Designed specifically for SIP-C alumni, the initiative provides funding for graduate coursework, workshops, and conferences for those who wish to build competitive applications for graduate programs and careers in art conservation. I received funding to attend the AIC 53rd Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, MN, to build my professional network and gain new insights about the art conservation field overall.
My Experience at the AIC 53rd Annual Meeting
The AIC 53rd Annual Meeting was an incredible opportunity to spend a week surrounded by conservation professionals, learning from their experiences, and reflecting on the future of this field. The conference officially opened on Wednesday, May 28th, 2025, and ended on Saturday, May 31st, 2025. The theme for the conference was “What’s Your Story? The Power of Collaborations and Connections.” The conference sessions were broken down based on the different specializations within art conservation (ex: paintings, paper and books, textiles, objects, etc) or based on relevant topics that aligned with the conference’s theme like Telling Your Story: Thinking about Funding Perspectives session and Our Stories: Communicating Conservation when Presenting to a General Audience session.
I gravitated toward sessions that showed how conservation connects with the public and aligned with my interest in textiles. For example, We’re All in This Together: Conservation Outreach and Community Engagement session highlighted the creation of an Art Conservation Outreach Specialist position at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art which discussed how museums can actively engage and connect directly with communities through accessible programming. I also attended a session presented by my colleagues at The Ringling called A Treatment Odyssey: The Preparation of 201 Ancient Cypriot Objects for Permanent Display. It was inspiring to see their presentation at the conference based on The Ringling’s efforts to develop a permanent exhibition of John Ringling’s collection of ancient art.
Throughout the week, I took away several key lessons:
1. Funding is changing. We can no longer rely on traditional sources to sustain this niche field Conservators must think creatively about partnerships and funding sources from either locally or other avenues outside of government and large-scale donorships.
2. Engagement is essential.To remain relevant for future generations, conservation must reach the public directly through outreach, education, and community-based initiatives.
3. Awareness must grow.Many people do not know this field exists, yet workers in areas like manufacturing or architecture already have skills that overlap with art conservation. Building bridges between similar fields can strengthen our workforce.
4. The employment gap needs attention. More centers, businesses, and programs should be developed to create jobs and better training pathways in art conservation.
5. Community matters. I had the chance to network with other professionals, like the Black Art Conservators community, which reinforced the importance of visibility and mutual support of underrepresented communities in this field.
6. Inspiration for the future. Based on this experience, I am inspired to develop a program that teaches the public about preventive care techniques for their personal and family objects. This initiative reflects the general theme of making art conservation accessible to everyone.
Overall, the sessions and conversations I experienced at this conference confirmed my commitment to art conservation while expanding my perspective on what the future of this field can look like.
The chance to participate in the AIC 53rd Annual Meeting has been transformative for me as an emerging conservation professional. I look forward to taking what I learned from the conference into my ongoing work with collections and communities. Lastly, I am grateful for the continued support of organizations like the Alliance of HBCU Museums & Galleries that open doors for the next generation of conservators. Without their support, I would not have had the chance to explore this rewarding field that preserves objects we value.