 |
UKIC News |
| |||||
|
This page serves as an index to news items, statements
and reponses issued by UKIC relating to matters of relevance and concern
to the conservation community in the UK and beyond. They are
listed with the most recent at the top. | ||||||||||
The Institute of Conservation Web Site Launched The newly-formed Institute of Conservation now has a Web presence - an interim Web site was launched at http://www.instituteofconservation.org.uk/ on 13 January 2005. [Posted 22 February 2005] UKIC Votes in Favour of Convergence At last Tuesday's AGM, 133 votes were cast in favour of the Dissolution Resolution and 2 votes were cast against, taking account of all proxy votes; so the vote was carried by a 98.5% majority. All four other Vanguard organisations also voted by large majorities in favour of convergence: Photographic Materials Conservation Group (91%); SSCR (84%) IPC (74%); and CCF (83%). This is extremely good news. Work will now begin on the formation of the new Institute of Conservation. Further information on this development will be provided at regular intervals. Chris Woods and David Leigh An announcement was also posted by Tina Marshall (IPC) on the Cons DistList on 14 October 2004 giving further details: Five United Kingdom organisations vote to converge During the week of 27th September 2004 members of all five" Vanguard" organisations voted by large majorities in favour of convergence to form a new conservation institute.
(Percentages are of those who voted.) The Chairs and other representatives of these organisations would like to acknowledge the decisive role of Carole Milner, Chair of the National Council for Conservation-Restoration, in leading us towards this successful conclusion. Work will now begin on the formation of the new institute, for which these votes provide a strong mandate. Further information on this development will follow. [Posted 4 October 2004 on the ukic-announce list] Convergence - Latest News The Prospectus and other documents relating to convergence are now available from this page. The
Prospectus: The Institute of Conservation: A summary of the key
facts for future members (PDF file - 176Kb) [Posted 7 September 2004] ECCO Short News June 2004 The latest ECCO Short News report - June 2004
- is now available to download as a Word file. Convergence Consultation - Questionnaire Feedback Report The results of the NCCR Convergence
Consultation that was carried out at the beginning of this year
have just been published by NCCR. This document can be downloaded
using the following links. In addition, an analysis of the questionnaire
results submitted by UKIC members is available. [Posted 13 May 2004, updated 19 May 2004] ECCO Short News April 2004 and Strategic Plan 2004-05 The latest ECCO Short News report - April 2004
- is now available to download as a Word file, as is the ECCO Strategic
Plan for 2004-5. Convergence Consultation A Convergence Consultation Document has just been
published by NCCR and all UKIC Members are urged to read it and respond
to it. A letter from UKIC Chairman Chris Woods concerning this document
can be downloaded by following the links below, as can the consultation
document itself. Please note that responses must be submitted by 27 February 2004. [Posted 29 January 2004] ECCO Short News Following regular meetings of the Bureau and Committee, ECCO has taken to producing a short report on progress, ECCO Short News. The October 2003 edition is available here as a Microsoft Word file (39Kb). [Posted 14 November 2003] Ships for the Nation: Consultation on Government Policy for the Preservation of Historic Ships. This DCMS document
sets out proposals for a policy framework to help
the maritime heritage to help itself and towards a co-ordinated approach,
assisting those directly engaged in preservation, while promoting public
interest in historic ships. The consultation document is at www.culture.gov.uk [Posted 14 November 2003] Historic Scotland Review The Scottish Executive is carrying out a review of the role and functions of Historic Scotland, within whose remit sits the Technical Conservation, Education and Research Division, and within that the Scottish Conservation Bureau. Along with SSCR, UKIC was asked to comment and has responded with its views on the important part played by the Bureau in enhancing conservation to the benefit of the Scottish heritage. The text of our response is available here as a Microsoft Word file (25Kb). [Posted 14 November 2003] Convergence - the latest The membership organisations of the National Council
for Conservation-Restoration are actively exploring the possibility of
establishing a new professional body for conservators. This would replace
existing bodies. Five of these (UKIC, IPC, SSCR, CCF and the Photographic
Materials Conservation Group), members of the so-called Vanguard Group,
have agreed to give this work priority, and have appointed consultant
BlueSpark Consulting, to take the work forward so as to develop a clear
plan of action on which their members can vote in the Spring of 2004,
with a view to a new body being set up in the Autumn of 2004. [Posted 7 November 2003] The Heritage of Iraq in Time of War - Response from Nigel Wakelin, Iraq Project Team, DCMS UKIC has received a response from Nigel Wakelin of the Iraq Project Team in the DCMS, in response to Chairman Chris Woods' letter concerning the heritage of Iraq in time of war, sent originally to the Prime Minister. To view Nigel Wakelin's response, click here (PDF file) (234Kb) [Posted 12 August 2003] Resource Archives Task Force public consultation UKIC's Joint Public Affairs Committee (in consultation
with members of NCCR) recently responded to Resource's Archives Task
Force consultation. The response can be viewed here either as
a Microsoft Word file or as a PDF file: Information about the Archives Task Force consultations can be found on the Resource Web site at http://www.resource.gov.uk/action/taskforce/atf_consultations.asp [Posted 12 August 2003] Conservators and Illicit Material At the present time conservators and restorers are asked to keep a special watch for unprovenanced material, particularly at the moment anything which might have come from Iraq. If you have any suspicions about an artefact, you can search for it via the Art Loss Register www.artloss.com (020 7928 0100), to which Accredited Members have free access. Many products of clandestine excavations will not be on any database. You should alert the Art and Antiques Squad at New Scotland Yard by phoning 020 7230 2150. It would also be helpful to contact the Cultural Property Unit of the DCMS, tel 020 7211 6144. You will be aware that it is part of UKIC’s Rules of Practice (Item 3.8) that “if a Member knows or has reason to believe that he/she is being asked to work on stolen property, cultural property which has been exported illegally from its country of origin, or imported illegally into the United Kingdom or illegally obtained, it is his/her duty to report this to the …Art & Antiques Squad….”. Under a UN resolution of May 2003, and the UK’s recently introduced Statutory Instrument No 1519, this becomes a legal obligation in relation to all artefacts which have been illegally removed from Iraq since 6th August 1990. Kathy Tubb kindly provides the following additional advice: “Ordinarily one should ask for a provenance being quite particular and probing about it and not accepting vague reassurances about it having come from the collection of a gentleman etc. etc. This may alienate the dealer/collector. If the material is pretty obviously suspect and the conservator doesn't want it to disappear back onto the market, the situation becomes rather more difficult. Clearly, the conservator is not empowered to seize anything regardless of whether or not they consider it to be stolen but if it is left with him/her and the police decide to seize it that is another matter. I would advise conservators to read Helena Jaeschke's paper in IIC's Copenhagen Congress Pre-prints (1996) publication Archaeological Conservation and Its Consequences entitled 'The conservation treatment of looted antiquities and the responsibilities of conservators'. ” For those unfamiliar with artefact types from Iraq, the following websites will prove useful: http://www.icom.museum/redlist [Posted 16 July 2003] Training Plans for Heritage Lottery Funded Projects Earlier this year the Heritage Lottery Fund
drafted a Guide to Training Plans
for
Heritage
Lottery Funded
Projects.
UKIC was asked to comment,
and our response, prepared by Chairman Chris Woods, is now available
here as a Microsoft Word file or as a PDF file: [Posted 9 July 2003] Registration Standards for Museums and Galleries UKIC Joint Public Affairs Committee (in consultation
with members of NCCR) recently responded to Resource's consultation on
the draft of Registration for Museums and Galleries: Registration
Standard. The response can be viewed here either as a Microsoft
Word file or as a PDF file: [Posted 2 July 2003] Designation Scheme for Museums, Archives and Libraries Comments by the Joint Public Affairs Committee have been sent to Resource in response to its consultation on the latest version of the scheme for Designation for Museums, Archives and Libraries. Our response can be found here. The Resource Consultation document can be found at http://www.resource.gov.uk/action/designation/00desig.asp [Posted 10 June 2003]
UKIC has received a response from Tessa Jowell MP, Secretary of State at the DCMS, in response to Chairman Chris Woods' letter (shown below) concerning the heritage of Iraq in time of war. To view Tessa Jowell's response, click here. [Posted 23 May 2003] The Heritage of Iraq in Time of War Here is the text of a letter recently sent by Chris Woods, Chairman of UKIC, to Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, and copied to Geoff Hoon, Secretary of State for Defence and Baroness Blackstone, Arts Minister. Dear Secretary of State The Heritage of Iraq in Time of War We wish to draw your attention to the risks of war and its imminent aftermath for the rich heritage of Iraq. The buried archaeological remains, the standing buildings and heritage collections held in museums, libraries and archives comprise the material evidence of generations going back to the beginnings of civilisation. We are conscious that bombing in Iraq is putting at risk vital parts of that heritage which the people of the United Kingdom, together with the rest of the world, value highly. Equally, looting and unrest in the aftermath of the war will place this heritage at possibly greater risk still. We are of course concerned about the humanitarian costs of war. However, the focus of this Institute's specific concern relates to the cultural heritage of Iraq. If the intention of this war to is to restore civilised living to the country, it will be unfortunate simultaneously to destroy evidence of earlier civilisations and of that heritage which provides the people of Iraq with a sense of their own history and place in the world. We trust you will do all in your power to persuade the relevant Departments in this country's Government and in the USA of the continuing and vital need to avoid damaging heritage sites, monuments, museums, libraries and archives, and to ensure maximum security and conservation for that heritage in the aftermath of war, in accordance with the relevant international conventions. Yours sincerely, Christopher Woods [Posted 15 April 2003] New PACR Training Officer Susan Bradshaw has been appointed as the new Training
Officer for the PACR accreditation scheme operated by three professional
bodies: United Kingdom Institute of Conservation, Institute of Paper Conservation
and the Society of Archivists. She will be working closely with each body
to coordinate and facilitate the accreditation scheme. More information
will be available soon. If you have any queries about the PACR accreditation
scheme please contact Susan. [Posted 31 January 2003] The Institute responds on Lottery funding The DCMS recently issued a consultation, Review of Lottery Funding. It contained some radical proposals for change, including the merging of all lottery distributors and more local involvement in decision-making. This Institute has responded in detail, and taken a robust stance in defence of the existing arrangements, in particular the continuation of the Heritage Lottery Fund as a distinct body. Read the response here. For full details of the consultation visit the DCMS Website: www.dcms.gov.uk [Posted 18 December 2002] Conservation News Re-launched
If you are a paid-up member of the Insititute you should be receiving your May copy about now. If not, you may join. See our website for details or contact us on +44 (0)20 7721 8721 or [email protected] Don't miss out! Renaissance in the Regions: a new vision for England's museums The Institute recently sent a response, jointly with IPC, to Resource regarding its report Renaissance in the Regions: a new vision for England's museums. This response can be found here. [Posted 11 March 2002] All-Party Parliamentary Archaeology Group The Institute and the Archaeology Section have made submissions to the All-Party Parliamentary Archaeology Group which is reviewing the current state of archaeology in the UK. These submissions can be found here. [Posted 11 March 2002] Regional Museums Task Force In May this year the Director and two members of the Institute attended a meeting at Resource to contribute towards the work of the Regional Museums Task Force. The meeting was requested by the National Council for Conservation-Restoration. Following the meeting this Institute submitted a note. This note can be found here. [Posted 19 September 2001] Heritage Lottery Fund The Heritage Lottery Fund has recently completed a consultation on its discussion document The Horizons of Heritage which will inform its Strategic Plan and its priorities for grant-giving for the next five years from April 2002. The UK Institute for Conservation has responded, and the full text of its reponse can be found here. The consultation document to which it refers can be found at http://www.nhmf.org.uk/dimages/Horizons.pdf [Posted 19 September 2001] | ||||||||||
| |
||||||||||
 |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Page created and maintained by Adrian Tribe |
Last modified:
Tuesday 22 February 2005
|
The Heritage of Iraq in Time of War - Response from
Tessa Jowell MP
The
United Kingdom Institute for Conservation (UKIC) is delighted to announce
the re-launch of Conservation News in an entirely new format, re-designed
and now incorporating Grapevine, the indispensable listings of events,
courses and job opportunities. The new magazine, which is being published
six times a year, reflects the contemporary concerns of professional conservators,
and provides for the many and varied interests of the Institute's membership.