FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Kate Patterson, San Francisco Arts Commission
Tel: 415/252-4638 Email: kate.patterson@sfgov.org

CITY MONUMENTS CONTRIBUTE TO NATIONAL CONSERVATION TRAINING THANKS TO A NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES GRANT

San Francisco Arts Commission, ARG Conservation Services and the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works will Partner to Host a National Conservation Workshop in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO, February 4, 2010 – Director of Cultural Affairs Luis R. Cancel is pleased to announce a new partnership between the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC), Senior Conservator Katharine Untch of ARG Conservation Services (ARG/CS) and the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (FAIC) to present a national pilot workshop for mid-career conservators on Outdoor Sculpture Conservation. In the fall of 2009, FAIC received $202,243 in funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities to develop a curriculum for a national series of workshops over the next two years. The first pilot workshop, slated for this summer in San Francisco, will focus on the City’s public monuments, particularly those in Golden Gate Park. Hands-on treatments will include cleaning of the bronze bust of George Bullock’s Shakespeare, located in the Shakespeare Garden. Cleaning tests during the workshop will culminate in full conservation treatment of the rest of the monument at a later date. Updates on recent research in the field will be provided by a number of contributors, including researchers from the Getty Conservation Institute in Los Angeles. The workshop will also include the participation of local conservation experts from the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

“The San Francisco Arts Commission is honored to be invited to participate in this important national endeavor to expand conservation knowledge among professionals,” stated Luis R. Cancel. “With the restoration of the Shakespeare monument, we also see this project as a wonderful opportunity to build awareness and appreciation for the City’s Civic Art Collection that includes over 800 outdoor sculptures many of which are located in Golden Gate Park.”

The San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department is partnering with the Arts Commission to provide facilities to host the workshop.

“The San Francisco Arts Commission and its varied collection of outdoor sculpture is an ideal partner in developing a newly updated curriculum for an advanced conservation course,” stated Eric Pourchot, FAIC Institutional Advancement Director. We are fortunate to have the extensive experience of ARG Conservation Services and lead instructor, Katharine Untch, who has contributed to the initiation of FAIC’s highly successful national program for Professional Development and her experience in developing training curriculum for conservators.

“The City’s Civic Art Collections, and collections of outdoor sculpture at the de Young Museum and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, provide a fertile training ground with a variety of conservation and preservation challenges and solutions,” says the course developer and lead instructor, Katharine Untch. “ARG Conservation Services is delighted to be a contributor to this important national endeavor to help advance knowledge in the field of conservation, and to ultimately enhance the long-term preservation of our nation’s cultural heritage.”

About the San Francisco Arts Commission
The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) is the City agency that champions the arts in San Francisco. We believe that a creative cultural environment is essential to the City’s well-being. Established by charter in 1932, SFAC programs integrate the arts into all aspects of City life. Programs include: Civic Art Collection, Civic Design Review, Community Arts & Education, Cultural Equity Grants, Public Art, SFAC Gallery, Street Artists Licensing, and the Summer in the City Concert Series. The agency’s core values are committed to the principle that all residents have equal access to arts experiences in all disciplines, that programs are provided comprehensively and evenly throughout the City, and that they are innovative and of the highest quality. For more information visit, www.sfartscommission.org.

About Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works
The Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works (FAIC) supports conservation education, research, and outreach activities that increase understanding of our global cultural heritage. Learn more about FAIC at www.conservation-us.org/foundation

About ARG Conservation Services
ARG Conservation Services (ARG/CS) specializes in the conservation and repair of highly significant structures and works of art including historic buildings, sites, monuments and collections in historic architectural contexts. ARG Conservation Services is a unique contracting firm that employs highly trained architectural and material specialty conservators that can direct and undertake specialized conservation treatments required to preserve these historic treasures. Learn more about ARG/CS at www.argcs.com.

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