Training in Conservation

Due to the highly specialised and skilled nature of painting conservation, accredited training within Higher Education is required before embarking upon a career as a conservator. The basics needed to enter the conservation profession are manual skills, a good general education including Chemistry, History of Art or Fine Art and a high level of commitment to a career in this field.

The first step in training is to complete a full-time conservation course at an academic institution, these vary in length but usually take 2-3 years. Currently there are three courses running in the UK for aspiring Painting Conservators: Postgraduate Diplomas can be studied at The Courtauld Institute in London or The Hamilton Kerr Institute in Cambridge and a Postgraduate MA is available at Northumbria University. After completing a course some form of work-based training will be necessary, this might be in the form of an Internship or other placement opportunity. Only after undertaking both the academic qualification and then further training can one progress into professional practice.

http://www.courtauld.ac.uk/degreeprogrammes/postgraduate/easels/epoverview.shtml

http://www-hki.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/

http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/?view=CourseDetail&code=DTFCFA6

For more information and details of the training procedure for other areas of conservation, such as paper, sculpture and decorative objects please consult the Training Directory on the ICON (The Institute of Conservation) Website.

http://www.icon.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=265&Itemid=48

For those lacking a chemistry qualification, International Academic Projects offers 'Chemistry for Conservators', a 4 month correspondence course for would-be conservators with little or no chemistry.

http://www.academicprojects.co.uk/chemistry.htm

Please do research these options fully rather than e mailing us directly.  We receive too many e mails to answer them all individually.  If you are keen to have work experience or an internship at our studio please send a full curriculum vitae, together with a 200 word statement outlining why you would like to work with us in particular, what you feel you can contribute, and what you would hope to achieve during a two week placement.