Apologies for cross postings.

The Pilgrim Trust Conservation Awards - the UK’s premier competition to
reward excellence in preserving cultural heritage – announced the start of
the 2002 Awards scheme today, along with the launch of a new Award for
research and innovation in conservation.

The Awards scheme is open to conservators in every field of conservation
and restoration – for completed projects on individual artefacts, museum
collections, historic buildings and library and archival treasures.
Previous winners have worked on a diverse range of assignments, from the
practical – for example, conserving a fragile Bronze Age shield for
display – through to the technical – such as investigating causes of decay
to help preserve delicate stone carvings at Southwell Minster.

The Awards scheme now includes three categories: the Award for
Conservation – worth £15,000; Student Conservator of the Year – worth
£10,000 (£5,000 each for the student and the training organisation); and
the Anna Plowden Trust Award for Research and Innovation in Conservation –
worth £2,000.

Sponsored by the Pilgrim Trust, the scheme is also supported by key
organisations in conservation and restoration – English Heritage, the
National Preservation Office (based at the British Library), Resource: The
Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries and the United Kingdom
Institute for Conservation.  An additional sponsor for the 2002 Awards is
the Anna Plowden Trust, with a new award recognising the importance of
research and innovation in preserving and understanding the nation’s
heritage.

Commenting on the collaboration, Loyd Grossman, Chairman of the Judging
Panel, said: ‘this is a notable partnership between some of the major
bodies in the conservation field, highlighting the extraordinarily high
quality of this country’s conservation skills which ensure the survival and
better appreciation of our heritage.’

Joining writer and broadcaster Loyd Grossman on the Judging Panel will be
Liz Forgan, Chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund, Anna Southall, Director of
the National Museums and Galleries of Wales and Martin Bailey of The Art
Newspaper.  In awarding the prizes, the judges will consider how the
entrants have used their scientific, technological, aesthetic and
historical knowledge to conserve materials and reveal their significance to
a wide audience.  The three Award-winners will be announced at a special
ceremony at the British Library on 12 November 2002.

David Leigh, Director of the UK Institute for Conservation, comments: ‘At a
time when the public thirst for historical insights is greater than ever,
conservators have a vital role to play. They ensure that collections and
buildings are preserved for future generations to enjoy, and – with their
investigative skills, their scientific and art-historical knowledge – they
help to illuminate the heritage, to communicate the excitement and the
stories which lie hidden within those artefacts.  The Conservation Awards –
now in their seventh year – highlight their important contribution and
celebrate the talents and achievements of individual conservators.’
For further information please contact Valerie McBurney in The British
Library Press Office on 020 7412 7112, or email [log in to unmask]



Notes

Applying for an Award – For information on eligibility, examples of
previous Award-winning projects and an application form, contact the Awards
Co-ordinator on:
Tel/fax: 020 7326 0995
Email: [log in to unmask]
The Awards website www.consawards.ukic.org.uk gives details of how to apply.

The Pilgrim Trust was founded in 1930 by Edward Stephen Harkness of New
York to award grants for some of Great Britain’s more urgent needs and to
promote the country’s future well-being.  In 2000, the Trustees made 137
grant commitments totalling £2.9 million, to projects involved in social
welfare, art and learning, preservation, cataloguing and conservation of
records and the repair of historic churches. Further information on the
Trust is available at www.thepilgrimtrust.org.uk

English Heritage is the Government's lead body for the historic
environment.  Funded partly by the Government and in part from revenue
earned from its historic properties and other services, English Heritage
aims to increase the understanding of the past, conserve and enhance the
historic environment and broaden access and appreciation of heritage.  For
further information see the website at www.english-heritage.org.uk

The National Preservation Office provides an independent focus for ensuring
the preservation and continued accessibility of library and archive
material held in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Based at the British
Library, the NPO is supported by the Library, The Public Record Office, The
National Library of Scotland, Trinity College Dublin, The Consortium of
University Research Libraries, Cambridge University Library, The National
Library of Wales and the Oxford University Library Services. Further
information on the NPO is available at
www.bl.uk/services/preservation/national.html

Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries is a government
agency sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.  Resource
provides the strategic leadership, advocacy and advice to enable museums,
archives and libraries to touch people's lives and inspire their
imagination, learning and creativity. For further information see
www.resource.gov.uk

The United Kingdom Institute for Conservation (UKIC) is the professional
body for those who care for the country’s cultural objects and heritage
collections. Its members are conservators working in public institutions
such as museums and galleries, and conservators and restorers working in
the private sector.  The Institute exists to foster excellence in the
provision of conservation services, to raise awareness of the importance of
conservation skills, and to provide information and advice to those
requiring conservation services.  It operates the Conservation Register, a
national database of conservation services.  Full details can be found at
www.ukic.org.uk

The Anna Plowden Trust was established by the friends and family of Anna
Plowden CBE, following her death. As one of the first scientifically
trained conservators to work in the private sector, Anna Plowden was
committed to the promotion and development of the conservation profession
through both training and education, which she believed should be of the
highest possible standard.  The Trust seeks to promote her ideals and
interests.  Further information is available from: The Anna Plowden Trust,
43 Lansdowne Gardens, London, SW8 2EL.