Icon continues to seek new waystodemonstratehow the act of conserving cultural heritage objects and collections makes a significant positive contribution to society.
The Values of Conservation
The act of conserving cultural heritage objects and collections makes a significant contribution to society. It contributes to knowledge and understanding, national and local economies, a sense of identity, enhanced wellbeing and empowered communities. While we at Icon may know these values and benefits, we recognise that we need to get better at communicating them, particularly to a lay audience.
In 2020, Iconlaunched a new research and engagement project in response to this mission to ensure that we can promote conservation effectively and make it more widely understood and appreciated.
Icon's Values of Conservation project sought to
- Investigate what values characterise conservation and make its contribution to society distinctive.
- Engage conservators and non-conservators in an open discussion on what they think the values of conservation are.
- Collect statements from conservators and non-conservators on the values of conservation to inspire and inform messaging.
- Develop a Values Toolkit with tips on communicating arguments effectively to lay audiences.
Resources and briefings
10 Mar 2021
Values of Conservation research report
The project identifies and articulates the values of cultural heritage conservation to society and considers how we can better communicate them to audiences
01 Jan 2020
Conservation and Communities
Conservation supports healthier and longer lives and contributes to the wellbeing ofcommunities by facilitating meaningful engagement with our cultural heritage
08 Mar 2021
Collections Care: An Act of Custodianship and Optimism
Investing in preventive conservation that focuses on long-term preservation and minimising deterioration is one of the most cost-effective ways to safeguard cultural heritage for future generations
01 Aug 2020
Value of Collections Care statement
Icon's Position Statement on the value of care of collections professions issued in August 2020 in response to the Coronavirus pandemic
01 Aug 2020
Value of Collections Care poster
A summary of Icon's Position Statement on the value of care of collections professions issued in August 2020 in response to the Coronavirus pandemic
News articles
10 Mar 2021
Icon publishes Values of Conservation research report
Icon has published new engagement-led research exploring the values of conservation
08 Mar 2021
Icon issues new advocacy resource on importance of collections care
Icon has published a manifesto outlining the benefits of collections care
28 Aug 2020
Icon statement on the value of care of collections professions
In these challenging times we have published a position statementmaking a strong plea for maintaining and supporting conservation services and conservation activity within cultural institutions.
08 Feb 2020
The REAL Repair Shop: Miniature portraits
We’ve got some good news. The REAL Repair Shop is not a cosy old barn nestled deep in the British countryside.Hundreds of conservation professionals work in a wide network of studios and workshops dotted across the UK and beyond to care for the items that matter most to you.
23 Nov 2020
The REAL Repair Shop: Wall paintings
The BBC’s Repair Shop show has captured the nation’s imagination, renewing interest in some of the historic items which can be found in homes across the country. But in Icon's new series of articles - The REAL Repair Shop -we’re shininga light on the heritage heroes who work diligently and expertly to conserve and protect these treasures.
