Happy Earth Day!

This day, which is dedicated to bringing awareness to the deterioration of the environment and the depletion of natural resources, is also a day for us to reflect. Reflect on where we are today, and remind ourselves of where we want to be in the future. It is also a day to celebrate the steps we have taken so far to get there. In this spirit, we want to take a pause and look at the vast array of resources the Sustainability Committee has to offer. All of our contributions are available on the AIC Sustainability Committee Wiki. Here are just some of the highlights:

Upcoming AIC Annual Meeting

Pre-Session Seminar

We are partnering with the Museum of Russian Art to host the practical seminar Applying Sustainability Principles Cross-Departmentally at Collecting Institutions, to be held on Wednesday, May 28 from 9am-4pm.

• This full day event explores some of the multitude of factors in consideration when providing holistic recommendations for sustainable practices at a collecting institution. This seminar would have the same structure as the ones previously offered at the AIC Annual Meetings in Jacksonville and Salt Lake City, however specific points of concern will be highlighted based on the host institution. Confirmed speakers include Rebecca Ellis (Questions and Solutions Engineering), and Vanessa Applebaum (Toledo Museum of Art).

Luncheon Panel Discussion

We are beyond thrilled to be hosting a luncheon panel event at the upcoming AIC Annual Meeting in Minneapolis: Sustainability in Collections Care- Centering on Context vs. Extending an Object’s Physical Life will take place at 12 noon on Saturday, May 31st.

• Please join us, either in person or virtually, as four speakers share their thoughts on how we can build a more sustainable future for collections by focusing on and honoring context, accessibility, and community in our work: Pejuta Haka Win Red Eagle, an Oglala Lakota & Wahpekute and Wahpetunwan Dakota winyan and an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, is a Curatorial Fellow in Anthropology at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Jane Henderson teaches at Cardiff University’s BSc in Conservation and MSc in Conservation Practice programs and is the Secretary General of IIC.  Jessica Walthew is an objects conservator at Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum. Dr. Joelle Wickens is Assistant Professor of preventive conservation in the Department of Art Conservation at the University of Delaware. 

Webinars

If you haven’t already checked out the Conversations with Change Makers Series, we urge you to do so! Our 10th episode was recorded earlier this month. Dr. Nina Quabeck, Head of Conservation at the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen in Dusseldorf, Germany, and Pil Rasmussen, Director of Conservation at the SMK – National Gallery of Denmark in Copenhagen, discussed steps they’ve taken at their respective institutions to spearhead the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions via HVAC shutdowns, environmental parameter expansions, and other energy efficient solutions. 

All webinars have been transcribed thanks to our committee members. A big thanks to Daniela Molinari, Natalie Granados, Pilar Brooks for taking care of the most recent and getting us caught up!

Podcast

A HUGE shout out to Roxy Sperber and Lindsey Karen Williams, the dynamic duo behind the Sustainability Committee’s Green Tea Podcast, for their passion and never ending curiosity. Check out their profile in the latest issue of IIC’s News in Conservation (page 40). With 18 episodes recorded thus far, they delve into a wide range of issues and solutions.

In the most recent episode, they interviewed Sustainability Committee Co-Chair Kate Fugett on “Gloves and Greenwashing”. Independent paintings conservator Bianca Gonçalves was featured in the previous episode, where she shared how her experiences living in Europe, Australia, and Brazil have impacted her perceptions of the conservation field. Looking at two recent reports from AIC/FAIC, she discusses some of the barriers preventing the art conservation field from thriving.  

Library

Committee members Kisook Suh, Amy Crist, and Ellie Fitzgerald have worked tirelessly to organize the Zotero Sustainability in Cultural Heritage Preservation & Conservation Resource Bank. This was a massive task, as we have over 160 articles compiled and are actively gathering more. We hope that you find the information accessible and useful. Please send any articles you see missing that relate to the topics listed to aicsustainability@gmail.com

Articles & Publications

• The Sustainability Committee collaborated with the Preventive Care Network on the feature article of the latest issue of AIC News. “Managing Museum Environments: Reconsiderations, Reflections, and Resources” (April 2025, vol. 50, no. 2, p. 1, 7-13) is a comprehensive overview of indoor set points past and present, and the considerations and ramifications involved in changing them, from building systems to loan agreements.  
• In the January 2025 issue (vol. 50 no. 1, p. 22-24), we celebrated the AIC Board’s endorsement of the Bizot Green Protocol.
• We continue our communications through the blog, Sustainability Now!, covering a variety of issues related to sustainable practices within our field.
• We also remind you of the recent issue of the Journal of the American Institute for Conservation focused on Sustainability Within Conservation and Collections Care organized by past and current members of the committee. The issue provides real world examples from conservation practitioners focused on preserving their collections to the highest standards while reducing their negative impacts on the environment.

In Gratitude

As the term year ends, we want to take this opportunity to thank Co-Chair Kate Fugett, our fearless warrior, for her years of service in leading the Sustainability Committee. As she steps down from leadership, we are forever thankful that she will continue on the committee in a supporting role. Justine Wuebold will be stepping up to join me, Co-Chair Yadin Larochette, in continuing the good work.

We are also indebted to three outgoing members. We will miss Kisook Suh, Sejal Goel and Natalie Granados and wish them continued success in all endeavors. Kisook’s diligent work as Resource Lead made our content easier to access. Sejal was always spot on to get our communications out as Outreach Lead. Natalie managed to help with webinar transcriptions in spite of the heavy workload at her day job.

We have three new members joining us in the coming term. We look forward to their input as we continue to explore ways to connect with you.

In appreciation of one and all,

Yadin Larochette, Co-Chair of the AIC Sustainability Committee