Held in Trust

About Held in Trust

Held in Trust was a cooperative agreement between the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC) as part of the United States' 250th anniversary celebration. It resulted in a report that will guide the cultural heritage field for years to come.

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The Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) are pleased to share the full Held in Trust: Transforming Cultural Heritage Conservation for a More Resilient Future report.

Growing out of a four-year collaboration between FAIC and NEH, the report articulates a vision of a vibrant and resilient future for conservation grounded in social justice, equity, and environmental action, in which communities, conservators, and diverse audiences work together to preserve the rich cultural heritage of the United States. This work is of vital importance for the field of conservation, cultural institutions, philanthropy, media, and the public as the preservation of cultural heritage is indispensable to fostering a society where all of humanity is valued and thrives.

The report provides findings on the state of the field and include actionable steps that can be taken by cultural institutions, communities, practitioners, funders, and supporting organizations to meet the challenges facing the conservation and preservation field and advance toward a positive future for our communities and nation. It marks the beginning of how we can work together, from areas of collaboration already underway to what is needed now.

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Mission:

The mission of Held in Trust is to evaluate the state of preservation and conservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage in the United States.

Goals:

Consider the current state, future directions, challenges, opportunities, and resource needs for the conservation and preservation of cultural heritage in the U.S., including moveable objects (art, artifacts, decorative objects), archival materials, images, architecture, cultural sites, and intangible cultural heritage.
Examine the intersection of cultural heritage conservation and preservation with issues of urgent importance in the world today.
Identify future directions and resource priorities to ensure that our nation’s cultural heritage will be available for future education and enrichment.

The work aligns with the overall goals of A More Perfect Union, including an emphasis on identifying future paths. The outcomes of the project will guide work through to 2026 and following the semiquincentennial, and in concert with America 250.

The project brings together a broad range of conservation and allied professionals, constituents, and communities, engaged in exploring the intersection of cultural heritage preservation with issues of urgent importance in the world today impacting the cultural landscape.

There are nine areas of study explored by Held in Trust:

Field Investment, Infrastructure, and Sector Health
Climate Crisis and Environmental Impact
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility
Collection Care and Preventive Conservation
Philosophy and Ethics in Conservation
Education, Professional Development, and Leadership
Engagement, Communication, and Storytelling
Science and Materials
Digital Technology: Research and Practice

Key Findings

A vibrant and resilient future for conservation and preservation depends upon the development of new, highly collaborative paradigms and structures grounded in social justice, equity, and environmental action.

The existential threat posed by the Climate Crisis requires immediate action by all sectors of society, including professionals at cultural heritage institutions, collections, and sites.
The activation of DEIA practices requires the shifting of power, culture, ideology, and methodology throughout the field of conservation and preservation.
Collaboration between communities and practitioners must guide conservation and preservation.
Both public and private sectors must provide resources for cultural heritage preservation to support agency, attention, and access for communities.
Sustainability of the field requires enhancement of communication, community engagement, sharing of knowledge and resources, and advocacy.

Read the full report for further findings.

We identified nine critical topic areas of study, which have been explored by a working group and led by co-chairs, who serve on the Held in Trust Steering Committee .

You can read a summary of the findings in each area or the full Held in Trust Report

Field Investment, Infrastructure, and Sector Health	Chairs: Alison Gilchrest, Debra Hess Norris, Annabelle Camp	New philanthropic trends, opportunities, partnerships Financial Sustainability Collections sustainability	Field Investment, Infrastructure, and Sector Health Summary
Climate Crisis and Environmental Impact	Chairs: Héctor Berdecia-Hernández, Sarah Sutton	Policy Education for action Awareness of impacts	Climate Crisis and Environmental Impact
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility	Chairs: Isra El-beshir, Sarah Scaturro	Representation Caretaking and interpretation	Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
Collection Care and Preventive Conservation	Chairs: Mariana Di Giacomo, Laura Hortz Stanton	Training for resilience Advocacy Preventive conservation	Collections Care and Preventive Conservation Summary
Philosophy and Ethics in Conservation	Chairs: Landis Smith, Glenn Wharton	Conservation philosophy Conservation ethics Collaborative conservation	Philosophy and Ethics in Conservation Summary
Education, Professional Development, Leadership	Chairs: Valinda Carroll, Ellen Pearlstein	Education Professional development Leadership	Education, Professional Development, & Leadership Summary
Engagement, Communication, Storytelling	Chairs: Lauren Dugas Glover, Laura Hortz Stanton	Engagement Artifacts Storytelling	Engagement, Communication, and Storytelling Summary
Science and Materials	Chairs: Francesca Casadio, Sarah Scaturro	Innovation Sustainability Science for the humanities	Science and Materials Summary
Digital Technology: Research and Practice	Chairs: Paul Messier, Linda Tadic	Preservation of technology-based cultural heritage Technologies, tools, and methodologies Non-institutional archives	Digital Technology: Research and Practice

To facilitate the work, an Advisory Council, Steering Committee, and Working Groups were established to provide diverse perspectives and subject matter expertise.

Advisory Council

The Held in Trust Advisory Council was comprised of representatives from organizations both in allied fields and outside the field of conservation to provide guidance, share expertise, and disseminate project outcomes.

Steering Committee

The Held in Trust Steering Committee was comprised of sixteen individuals who also serve as the co-chairs of each working group.

Working Groups

The work of Held in Trust was assisted by subject experts in a wide variety of fields. Several working groups explored the following topics:

Field Investment, Infrastructure, and Sustainability
Climate Crisis and Environmental Impact
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
Collection Care and Preventive Conservation
Philosophy and Ethics in Conservation
Education, Professional Development, and Leadership
Engagement, Communication, and Storytelling
Science and Materials
Digital Technology: Research and Practice

Project Staff

In addition to the Advisory Council, Steering Committee, and working groups, Held in Trust was supported by Project Coordinator Pamela Hatchfield. She is Robert P. and Carol T. Henderson Head of Objects Conservation Emerita at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and is a Fellow of the American Institute for Conservation, the International Institute of Conservation, and the American Academy in Rome. She served on the AIC Board of Directors as Director of Public Information and, more recently, as Vice President and then President. Her many publications include the groundbreaking book, Pollutants in the Museum Environment.

Hatchfield was assisted by Katelin Lee, FAIC Outreach Manager.

Climate Resilience Resources for Cultural Heritage

As a first outcome of Held in Trust, NEH awarded FAIC additional funding to develop resiliency tools to help institutions prepare for the effects of the climate crisis. FAIC, alongside colleagues at Environment and Culture Partners, created Climate Resilience Resources for Cultural Heritage (CRR). CRR offers, free of charge, access to a interactive climate risk map, learning modules, and information on how to create communities of practice to help cultural institutions and heritage sites prepare for and mitigate climate-related environmental hazards.

The Resources are tailored for cultural heritage stewards and communities, sites, and organizations of all sizes and locations in the US and its Territories. CRR allows cultural heritage sites to increase their awareness of climate risk and events, develop the knowledge and skills needed to take steps to climate resilience including creation of a climate resilience plan, and provide the tools needed (in English and Spanish) for establishing collective learning groups and guide community action.

Contact Us

Ask us about the findings, how you can support Held in Trust, and ways to get involved at hit@culturalheritage.org

Quick Links

National Convening

The National Convening took place on April 28, 2023, celebrating the culmination of Held in Trust. The Convening was held in Washington, DC at the Library of Congress.

You can watch a recording of the convening, which is an exciting way to discuss the findings of the project, suggest future directions for the field, and outline the vision of a thriving, equitable, and just community of practice everyone has helped us create.

Timestamps in the recording help navigate through the program .
Download the speaker biographies

Responder in PPE assesses damage

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Citation

When citing the report, please use the following language. If citing an individual section of the report, each area of study has information on citation in the section.

Foundation for Advancement in Conservation. 2023. “Held in Trust: Transforming Cultural Heritage Conservation for a More Resilient Future.” https://www.culturalheritage.org/held-in-trust.

Held in Trust is a cooperative agreement between the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation. Any views, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in project materials and findings do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.