
<p>As an art lover, it's important to understand how to properly care for and preserve your beloved pieces. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about art conservation, based on Google search questions and some curated knowledge from reputable conservation sources. The following Q&#x26;A is being constantly updated. I am open to edits and corrections as long as they come from a place of kindness :)</p>
<ul>
  <li><a href="#what-is-art-conservation">What is art conservation?</a></li>
  <li><a href="#how-do-i-care-for-my-art-collection">How do I care for my art collection?</a></li>
  <li><a href="#what-is-an-art-conservator">What is an art conservator?</a></li>
  <li><a href="#what-is-an-art-conservationist">What is an art conservationist?</a></li>
  <li><a href="#how-do-i-find-an-art-conservator">How do I find an art conservator?</a></li>
  <li><a href="#what-is-a-preventive-care-conservator">What is a preventive care conservator?</a></li>
  <li><a href="#do-you-need-to-be-a-conservator-to-work-with-collections">Do you need to be a conservator to work with collections?</a></li>
  <li><a href="#can-all-art-be-conserved">Can all art be conserved?</a></li>
  <li><a href="#what-should-i-do-if-my-art-becomes-damaged">What should I do if my art becomes damaged?</a></li>
  <li><a href="#how-do-i-become-an-art-conservator">How do I become an art conservator?</a></li>
  <li><a href="#do-i-need-to-learn-other-languages-to-become-an-art-conservator">Do I need to learn other languages to become an art conservator?</a></li>
  <li><a href="#how-much-does-it-cost-to-study-art-conservation">How much does it cost to study art conservation?</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>What is art conservation?</h2>
<p>Conservation is the process of preserving and restoring works of art to their original condition. This involves a range of techniques, including cleaning, repairing damage, and stabilizing the piece to prevent further deterioration. Conservators are trained professionals who specialize in this field and work to ensure that art is preserved for future generations.</p>
<p>If you want to dig deeper, the term "art" conservator is highly misleading as it will mostly apply to conservators working in the fine arts - such as with paintings and sculptures.</p>
<p>However, conservators around the world specialise in a broad range of materials, each with its own difficulties and challenges. Thus, it is not uncommon for conservators to consult each other based on the materials they find on particular objects.</p>
<p>Some of the specialisations you may find (certainly not all) are:</p>
<ul>
  <li>Stone</li>
  <li>Architectural</li>
  <li>Natural history</li>
  <li>Photograph</li>
  <li>Book and paper</li>
  <li>Textiles</li>
  <li>Contemporary art</li>
  <li>Digital media and audiovisual</li>
  <li>Plastics</li>
  <li>Ethnographic (generally related to historical and indigenous collections from around the world)</li>
  <li>Archaeological</li>
  <li>Metals</li>
  <li>Preventive</li>
  <li>Wood (even just waterlogged wood)</li>
  <li>Glass and ceramics</li>
  <li>Murals and frescoes</li>
  <li>Mosaics</li>
  <li>Furniture</li>
  <li>Industrial machinery, trains, airplanes, tanks</li>
  <li>Things as niche as clocks, globes, and model ships</li>
</ul>
<h2>How do I care for my art collection?</h2>
<p>There are several steps you can take to properly care for your art collection:</p>
<ul>
  <li>Keep art out of direct sunlight, as UV rays can fade or discolor the piece.</li>
  <li>Use LED lighting to avoid exposing your art to Infrared radiation.</li>
  <li>Avoid placing art near sources of heat, humidity, or moisture, as these can cause damage.</li>
  <li>Dust and clean your spaces regularly using a soft, dry cloth or a feather duster.</li>
  <li>Handle art carefully and gently to avoid accidental damage.</li>
  <li>If at all possible, keep your spaces clean to avoid pests. Pests such as moths, various beetles and other insects like silverfish will damage your objects, and in some cases, eat them completely.</li>
  <li>If you need to move or transport art, do so with caution and use proper protective materials such as bubble wrap or acid-free tissue paper.</li>
</ul>
<h2>What is an art conservator?</h2>
<p>An art conservator, or just a conservator, is a trained professional who specializes in the preservation and restoration of works of art. They use a range of techniques and materials to clean, repair, and stabilize art, with the goal of preserving it for future generations. Art conservators work in a variety of settings, including museums, galleries, and private conservation studios.</p>
<h2>What is an art conservationist?</h2>
<p>Beware the term "conservationist" as it is not the correct term to describe professionals who work in the care of heritage and art - and it will annoy conservators greatly.</p>
<p>Generally speaking, a "conservationist" is a person who is concerned about the environment, climate change, and pollution.</p>
<p>
  <img src="/art-conservationist-conservator.png" alt="Conservationists versus Conservators"><br><em>Conservationists and conservators are not the same career. In fact, in 2022, conservators spent a significant amount of time cleaning up after conservationists.</em>
</p>
<p>Terms for conservators will vary depending on countries and general usage. In general, correct terms for conservators are:</p>
<ul>
  <li>Conservator</li>
  <li>Conservator-restorer</li>
  <li>Restorer (Although this term is sometimes shunned in some countries as it may denote a more liberal, and often frowned-upon, approach to removing original materials.)</li>
</ul>
<h2>How do I find an art conservator?</h2>
<p>When searching for an accredited conservator, it's important to do your research and ask for recommendations. Look for conservators who have received proper training and accreditation, such as those who are members of professional organizations like the <a href="https://www.culturalheritage.org/about-conservation/find-a-conservator">American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works</a> or <a href="https://www.conservationregister.com/">ICON UK</a>. You can also ask for references from previous clients and check for reviews or testimonials online.</p>
<h2>What is a preventive care conservator?</h2>
<p>There is a specific branch of conservation these days which does not focus on a type of object or material, but rather on the conditions that surround objects.</p>
<p>You may also find it as Preventive conservation, also called preventive care, collections care, preventative conservation/care.</p>
<p>Preventive care and management focuses on evaluating and monitoring the <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/agents-deterioration.html">10 agents of deterioration framework</a> as developed by the Canadian Conservation Institute.</p>
<p>The 10 agents are:</p>
<ol>
  <li>Physical forces</li>
  <li>Thieves and vandals</li>
  <li>Fire</li>
  <li>WAter</li>
  <li>Pests</li>
  <li>Pollutants</li>
  <li>Light, ultraviolet and infrared</li>
  <li>Incorrect temperature</li>
  <li>Incorrect relative humidity</li>
  <li>Dissociation</li>
</ol>
<p>It is the job of a collections care professional to evaluate the ways in which the 10 agents may be causing damage to a whole collection in order to implement protective measures that minimise damage over time.</p>
<p>In the case of preventive care, a professional will not be directly treating objects, but rather improving the conditions in which those objects live.</p>
<p>For more guidance on how to apply preventive care, check out this resource from <a href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/conservation/collections-advice-and-guidance/">English Heritage</a></p>
<h2>Do you need to be a conservator to work with collections?</h2>
<p>Nope, you most certainly don't have to be. People who work with collections may come from a diverse background and training programs. In Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM), you may find:</p>
<ul>
  <li>Registrars and database specialists</li>
  <li>Conservators</li>
  <li>Archivists</li>
  <li>Librarians</li>
  <li>Preparators</li>
  <li>Exhibitions officers</li>
  <li>Curators</li>
  <li>Facilities management and operations</li>
  <li>Mountmakers</li>
  <li>Educators</li>
  <li>Biologists, chemists, physicists and other conservation scientists</li>
  <li>Etc.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Can all art be conserved?</h2>
<p>Not all art can be conserved, as some materials or techniques may be too fragile or unstable to be restored. In these cases, the focus may shift to preserving what remains of the piece and preventing further deterioration. However, with the right techniques and materials, many works of art can be successfully conserved and restored.</p>
<p>Some types of damage, such as fading due to light, are completely irreversible, so they once done, such damage cannot be undone even by the best practitioners.</p>
<h2>What should I do if my art becomes damaged?</h2>
<p>If your art becomes damaged, it's important to act quickly to minimize further damage. If the damage is minor, such as a small tear or scratch, you may be able to repair it yourself using conservation-grade materials.</p>
<p>This is not generally recommended and most conservators will discourage you from doing so as there are many physical and chemical reactions that you may not expect and which you will not be able to control. Many conservators in both private practice and museum jobs spend significant amount of time undoing previous treatments gone wrong. The damage is not always fixable.</p>
<p>If the damage is significant or you are unsure how to properly repair it, it's best to seek the assistance of a professional conservator who specialises in the material you have.</p>
<h2>How do I become an art conservator?</h2>
<p>For a more in-depth discussion on how to become an art conservator, please read this article <a href="https://angelicaisa.com/blog/where-to-study-art-conservation">Where to study art conservation - The ultimate guide</a>.</p>
<h2>Do I need to learn other languages to become an art conservator?</h2>
<p>Not really, no. Programs will only require either the local language of instruction, and in some cases, English as well. Other than that, you do not need to have foreign language qualifications to study conservation at post-graduate level.</p>
<h2>How much does it cost to study art conservation?</h2>
<p>In my article <a href="https://angelicaisa.com/blog/where-to-study-art-conservation">Where to study art conservation - The ultimate guide</a>, I have included a very long Excel table with over 70 programs around the world and as much information as we could get regarding pre-requisites, costs, location, etc.</p><br><br><br><br>If you liked this post, sign up for [my newsletter](http://bit.ly/3XYqzrt) so you can get the latest articles straight into your inbox.


From preventing damage to finding a reputable art conservator, here are the answers you need to keep your beloved pieces in top condition. Frequently asked questions about art conservation.

Art Conservation - Frequently Asked Questions


<p>This article was last updated on: Dec 5th, 2022</p>
<p>Disclaimer: Please note that this article is not evergreen. Prices and program details may change over time. I will do my best to keep it updated, but please do your own research before making life decisions. Also note that I have obviously not attended or am personally familiar with all of these programs. Just because a program is on this list does not mean I can openly recommend them. <strong>Again, please do your own research. I am not affiliated with any of these programs and am not receiving anything from them to put them on this list.</strong></p>
<h2>How do I become a conservator?</h2>
<p>As you may or may not know, I am one of the moderators of the <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/ArtConservation/">subreddit for art conservation</a>.</p>
<p>One of the questions that we get most often is</p>
<blockquote>
  <p>How do I become a conservator or where do I study conservation?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>And every time, we have to try to remember which ones there are, in what countries they are in, what specialties they each give people, etc.</p>
<p>For this reason, I have decided to attempt to make a comprehensive list of as many programmes in conservation as I am aware of. Many of these have been taken from the list that we have in this Reddit group.</p>
<p>If I have missed any, please don't hesitate to let me know so that I can add them to this continuously updating list and I will also try to add as many programmes I'm aware of. In both the global North and South.</p>
<p>Wherever possible, I will actually also add how long the programme takes and how much it costs.</p>
<p>If you have attended any of these programmes and would like to be available to answer questions to potential students, please let me know so that I can note you down for being contacted.</p>
<p>As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, this is intended to be a comprehensive list of <strong>Masters programmes</strong>, so if I missed any, please do tell me that I did and I will happily add them and then hopefully we can use this as a future resource for everyone to decide where they want to study conservation.</p>
<p>Please note that I simply did not have the space to list every program's requirements so I have only added certain notes where I thought information was particularly salient.</p>
<h2>Do all conservators have masters degrees in conservation?</h2>
<blockquote>
  <p>No, they do not. <strong>What degree you have will depend a lot on what country you liv</strong>e in and how the profession has developed in that country. In some countries, you don't need to have studied conservation straight out of high school.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>You could have just a bachelors in conservation or a bachelor in something else and a masters in conservation, or you could have both degrees in conservation. It is also possible to become a technician in conservation, which, as the name states, is a technical degree - this may either not be available in all countries, or may be the only thing available in your country. It will vary by location. In some countries, there are also apprenticeship paths into conservation through training with a mentor.</p>
<p>This said, <strong>in most English-speaking places and the EU, you will most likely be required to have a formal post graduate degree in conservation (and several years of experience in the field even if it's internships) if you wish to work in a museum, library or similar institution.</strong></p>
<p>This does not mean that you can't open your own private conservation/restoration business. Not all freelance conservators have formal degrees. Some of them have just been doing it for a very very long time and know what they're doing very well without, as we say in Peru, the "cardboard" to prove it (i.e. the official degree).</p>
<p>Because of the different paths conservators may take to become conservators, and the huge number of technical and undergraduate level degrees around the world, <strong>this article focuses solely on Masters degrees that are directly related to conservation. I have not included courses that relate to heritage management or museum studies.</strong></p>
<h2>Unexpected (unpleasant) surprises when researching where to study conservation for a masters</h2>
<blockquote>
  <p>I will admit I began this article expecting to go into all these website pages and easily find the information a prospective student would want to know. Things like, PRICE or even whether I will come out with an MA or MSc or what and after how long. It turns out that this information is not easy to find and is not in just one place, but scattered all over the websites.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In order not to end up with a 3 year research project as I am doing this in my little free time, <strong>I am just leaving ?? marks where I just couldn't find things after a fair amount of clicking around.</strong> I am not saying the information isn't there. I'm only saying I couldn't find it after several minutes searching.</p>
<p>Yes, I could guess some of these things by asking some colleagues, but it could still be wrong if it's not official info from the program and also, for now, I want to make the point that this information was not easily available.</p>
<p>If you are able to clear up this missing information snafu for a program you are related to, please let me know and I will update the info - and if you are associated with any of these programs, please tell them we really would like to be able to find these things.</p>
<h2>Brief note on financial support and other fees</h2>
<p>Since almost if not all programs provide some sort of financial aid, either in the form of fully funding the program, loans, scholarships, awards, etc. I have not noted this information because it would be too much. Be aware that rules for these different forms of financial support will vary by institution and also on whether you are an international student or not.</p>
<p>I have also not included other fees or costs such as materials or lodgings. Some programs will explicitly say everything is included while others will say additional costs are up to you.</p>
<h2>Brief note on exchange rates</h2>
<p>For the sake of simplicity and so that you can actually compare the cost of programs on the same footing, I have converted all prices to USD based on the exchange rate on Dec 3rd, 2022:</p>
<p>1 GBP - US$ 1.20<br>1 EUR - US$ 1.03<br>1 AUD - US$ 0.68<br>1 NZD - US$ 0.64<br>1 SEK - US$ 0.10<br>1 MXN - US$ 0.05<br>1 CLP - US$ 0.0011<br>1 COP - US$ 0.00021</p>
<h2>Other courses</h2>
<p>Some of these institutions offer not only masters level courses, but they also have diplomas or professional development courses. I have not included these for the sake of focus. If I find enough demand, I will make another article dedicated to Continuous Professional Development courses, certificates and diplomas.</p>
<p>Okay! Here we go then.</p>
<h2>Where can I study art conservation and how much does it cost to become a conservator?</h2>
<p>Apparently quite a lot depending on where you would like to study!</p>
<ul>
  <li>Unless otherwise specified, all program lengths and prices are for full-time students.</li>
</ul>
<iframe src="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRpLCTHINVRGyw7H8PiZQVnvFsslZx_Yy9UDb1n042vHr6heW9rhmRobI1JpfwxvJL4gyp2fK7SW96l/pubhtml?gid=0&#x26;single=true&#x26;widget=true&#x26;headers=false" style="width: 100%; height: 500px;"></iframe>
<p><a href="http://bit.ly/3gSkZ9D">Link to the full spreadsheet.</a></p>
<h2>Interesting things I found while researching</h2>
<ul>
  <li>
    <p>Pricing is really clear on UK programs, but extremely hard to find on American ones.</p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>UK programs have gotten insanely expensive since I got my degree in 2015.</p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>Asian programs were impossible for me to find, probably because of the language barrier. If you know about Asian programs, please reach out to me so I can flesh out this table.</p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>Most programs have no specific information with hard numbers about your chances of employability after you graduate.<sup><a href="#user-content-fn-1" id="user-content-fnref-1" data-footnote-ref="" aria-describedby="footnote-label">1</a></sup></p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>Pre-reqs are extremely varied globally and reflect the expected conditions of the local applicant pool.</p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>Many of the Latin American programs don't have anything online but expect you to send a request for information. Not even price.</p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>Latin American programs really tend towards monuments and buildings more than objects.</p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>Some of the Spanish-speaking programs only open if they get a minimum number of applicants.</p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>Colombia (Not ColUmbia) had an amazing system that ties the tuition fees to the national minimum wage.</p>
  </li>
</ul>
<h2>What did I miss?</h2>
<p>Did I miss any programs or got any information wrong? Have things changed since I first released this post? Please reach out to me through any of my social media or through my contact form on this website and let me know. I will happily update.</p>
<h2>A couple updates and acknowledgements</h2>
<p>Since this article came out on Sunday, December 4th 2022, I erceived so many positive comments and requests to update and add information to the table, that it became necessary for me to create a new <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1m3x4a4TJXUoeeYZ3W-mq82BA9jAL0tEWH-UyFeCgE5s/edit#gid=0">editable Excel sheet</a> where you are free to add, edit, and update information for everyone's benefit. Please be aware that <strong>this is not the original file</strong>. I have done this to prevent the original information from being corrupted or accidentally deleted.</p>
<p>I will copy the information in this editable sheet to the master sheet presented above periodically - ideally once a year, so we can see how prices and programs change over time!</p>
<p>I want to explicitly thank all of you who have reached out to me in one way or another with encouraging comments about this article and its associated table. I am grateful for your patience where I may have got information wrong. I am happy to correct it where necessary. I am very pleased that this article will save a lot of you a lot of time and I feel proud of our profession - so many of you are selflessly offering me your time to add more programs to the table.</p>
<p><strong>So thank you again, and let's keep making resources for everyone!</strong></p><br><br><br><br>
<p>If you liked this post, sign up for <a href="http://bit.ly/3XYqzrt">my newsletter</a> so you can get the latest articles straight into your inbox.</p>
<section data-footnotes="" class="footnotes">
  <h2 id="footnote-label" class="sr-only">Footnotes</h2>
  <ol>
    <li id="user-content-fn-1">
      <p>It was recently pointed out to me that UK programs have vague employment figures because of marketing laws (consumer rights). If you want to know about employability for the UK, please contact the programs directly. <a href="#user-content-fnref-1" data-footnote-backref="" class="data-footnote-backref" aria-label="Back to content">↩</a></p>
    </li>
  </ol>
</section>


So you've decided you want to study art conservation but don't know where to start. Here's a brief article on how to get yourself going.

Where to study art conservation - The ultimate guide


<h2>Conservation training and experience</h2>
<p>A relatively recent comment I saw online is that aspiring conservators-to-be are still finding very high bars and accessibility issues when it comes to entering the profession. I began my journey into conservation 10 years ago, and it still seems the same. The very strange expectation that “to become a conservator, you need to have had experience as a conservator,” while defensible from a standards perspective, is also completely illogical from a reality perspective. Why is conservation training so hard to get?</p>
<blockquote>
  <p>It felt like a cut-throat competitive approach to getting those few, coveted places in conservation programmes around the world and because I didn’t decide to be a conservator when I was 13 years old and got internships in local museums because that’s not how my country works, I might have missed that boat.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>And the worst thing is that for all that competition, if/when you get out, there is always the chance you might not even get a job that pays you back for your sacrifices - and some of us have to make more sacrifices than others.</p>
<p>My personal journey to become a conservator was, luckily, not entirely like that. I chose to go into conservation after I had already finished a BA in anthropology. I had never considered conservation before that. I had never volunteered in a museum. I just happened to have had several courses in chemistry and anthropology to be able to fill the requirements for an MA application. I applied to a program abroad and I was able to get in. In fact, I actually had to get in twice because I was waitlisted the first time around, and by the time I was happily accepted, the visa situation would have taken too long for me to get there in time for the start of the school year, so, with a lot of sadness, I had to withdraw and just try again the next year and hope for the best.</p>
<p>Luckily for me, it worked the second time around without a waitlist, and I was able to get my degree. However, until I was accepted the second time, that feeling that maybe I was too late was constant. Years later, I still get butterflies in my stomach thinking about what would have happened if I hadn’t got in.</p>
<blockquote>
  <p>There were a number of programmes I didn’t even bother applying for because I knew I wouldn’t be able to compete (or afford them).</p>
</blockquote>
<p>My applicant peers, who by this time were a few years younger than me, already seemed to have museum internship experiences that amounted to a number of years! I wondered how this was even possible? The idea that in order to get into a programme that taught me something, I already had to be well-steeped into that something (and even have a portfolio in some cases!) struck me as absurd. Were they mainly there to rubber stamp us and give out a certification?</p>
<p>When I finally got to my programme and met the cohort who have now become a group of very good friends, I noticed that, just like me, they were mostly new to conservation, and this was a relief. I had a fantastic two years of learning things I’d never even heard of before, sharing knowledge with fellow students and even had my very first ever serious internship experience in conservation. This allowed me to move on after my degree and get a conservation job in my own country where I have managed to apply all things learned and even teach some conservation basics to colleagues from other fields. I am happy to say that I was able to overcome the barriers I saw looming ahead - in great part because I am lucky in my family and situation.</p>
<p>That’s my story, and I wonder if yours is similar or completely different. I am very grateful that I was able to join a programme and that I got that official degree from a recognised university - which was absolutely necessary for me to be where I am today.</p>
<p>However, I still wonder about those of us who can’t do that. Either because of money, geography, personal reasons, etc., there are significant barriers to overcome. I can’t advocate for an online conservation degree by anything other than a recognised institution. I also won’t presume to tell programmes how to run their application processes.</p>
<blockquote>
  <p>What I <em>can</em> do <em>myself</em> is address one of the issues that stuck with me while I waited to see if I would be able to get a degree: the knowledge and experience gap between applicants.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Conservation public outreach, offer and possibilities</h2>
<p>Various institutions and individuals are doing fantastic work with conservation outreach for the general public. There are YouTube channels, social media accounts, free webinars, etc. These are all great and serve as a good way for interested people at various levels to dip their feet into conservation. Here are some examples of this:</p>
<ul>
  <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4r66EnLu8RyDfrA0kaxgrQ">The Conservation Starter on YouTube</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/aiconservation">The YouTube page of the American Institute of Conservation</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/gettyconservation">The Getty Conservation Institute YouTube channel</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes.html">The Canadian Conservation Institute’s Notes series</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://thecword.show/">The C Word podcast</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://twitter.com/MarianaDGiacomo">Dr. Mariana di Giacomo’s Twitter account</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://www.si.edu/MCI/english/learn_more/taking_care/index.html">The Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute “Taking Care” series</a></li>
</ul>
<p>However, if you are a person interested in going into conservation and realise you just don’t seem to have the basics to even apply to a programme in the first place, where could you start? There are scholarships and things for pre-programme individuals, but again, these will likely be just as competitive as the programmes themselves, so where does that leave you?</p>
<p>Sometimes we might think that we can’t make a difference, that we need to wait for our professional bodies or organisations to do something about things we need to improve - and they’re definitely trying, but we can still help out - and be rewarded fairly for our efforts.</p>
<h2>Experimentation</h2>
<p>I should be explicitly clear that I am not trying to encourage the independent, online training of full conservators - this would be dangerous and probably outright unethical. Conservation training, as we all know, requires a lot of hands-on experience guided by the watchful eye of an experienced tutor in a laboratory setting. I personally believe we do still need institutional credibility, education, accreditations, internships, apprenticeships, laboratory experience, etc.</p>
<p>That said, there are many aspects of conservation that can be imparted online without any expectation that students or people interested in pre-programme preparation would attempt anything crazy on their own: ethics, preventive conservation basics, risk assessment, documentation management, community engagement, chemistry, software use, sustainability, budget planning, data science, pest management, etc.</p>
<p>Many of these great courses, however, can be expensive for students - especially for those of us who have to deal with currency conversion rates. So what now?</p>
<p>I would like to encourage you, if you are a trained conservator, to share your knowledge in a freelance setting at a price you consider acceptable for your geographical location and based on your own resources and time - unless, of course, you are contractually bound not to. I specifically co-founded <a href="https://www.altminster.com">Altminster</a> so that we would have a space to do this. It is all running 100% free for now because our costs are very very low, so it’s possible to do.</p>
<p>Soon, I intend to try to make a loosely structured, low fees, pre-programme style curriculum of courses that someone could study independently and mostly asynchronously in order to prepare themselves for the dive - so that they don’t feel so separated from or disadvantaged in the face of their seemingly already professional peers. You can look at a starting example for <a href="https://www.altminster.com/instructors/colin-gorrie">Linguistics</a> that already exists on Altminster.</p>
<p>Interested? <a href="https://angelicaisa.com/contact/">Send me a message</a> if this is something you would like to do and let’s build something together.</p><br><br><br><br>
<p>If you liked this post, you can follow me on <a href="https://twitter.com/ConservaLlama">Twitter</a> where I'll be posting more content on conservation tidbits and how to improve your collections at home.</p>


Conservation training is not easy to get. What can we do to improve accessibility?

Training Accessibility in Conservation


<p><em>Guess what too, I made this logo myself, so it's not perfect - but it works for now and it's growing on me. Can Altminster help you get higher level online courses in the humanities?</em></p>
<h2>Frustrations</h2>
<p>If you work in the culture sector, you know the word frustrations very well. If you don't, I bet you still know the word very well in your field too. Let's go over some bullet points about what it can mean to go into a field like conservation - or, let's face it, almost any field in the liberal arts that doesn't imply the possibility of also going into tech.</p>
<h3>Pondering student phase</h3>
<ul>
  <li>I love this field. I want to study it. I've been told it will be awful, but I love it. I love it. I'm in love. I want to do this. I want to get paid to do this.</li>
  <li>Oh... okay... it's... kind of expensive to study at a higher level... I hope my parents/grandparents/partner are okay with this...</li>
  <li>Oh... okay... there are three million applicants for 10 spots at this expensive place to study...</li>
  <li>Oh.... okay... the other applicants already have 10 years of experience even though I'm pretty sure we're all in our 20s...</li>
</ul>
<h3>Graduate phase</h3>
<ul>
  <li>I made it. That was painful, but I made it. Yes. Win.</li>
  <li>Wow, it was so expensive for me to get to this point and have this particular career and nobody wants to pay me to do this properly. Okay, okay, I knew this might be the case... it's on me...</li>
  <li>Okay, yes, fine. I always knew it wouldn't be a Wolf of Wallstreet life, but... really? I can barely afford the transport to get to my job?</li>
  <li>A job posting!!! YES! Oh... it's across the country... for a maaaaybe renewable 3-month contract... for a non-living wage... right then.</li>
  <li>Dear colleague/old aunt, just because you have no idea what I really do doesn't mean you can imply that my job is a hobby or that someone else could do it as a side gig.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Professor phase</h3>
<ul>
  <li>I can't believe I made it past that graduate phase, but look at me. I'm teaching this. I publish things. Not raking in the proverbial dough, but I love my topic and I love being there for my students, and not to blow my own horn here, but my research is FASCINATING, yes you better believe it is.</li>
  <li>Oh look... my successful students all seem to have one thing in common - they all have a support network to help them pay for this.</li>
  <li>Oh look, my institution wants to get rid of me again because we don't make millions for the department even though we do amazing research and publish tons and even win awards sometimes. Do we really need to go over this every other year even though a bunch of us show up on big TV shows talking about our work?</li>
  <li>Yeah, okay, I don't know anymore if I can put a brave face on and tell my students they'll be able to find a job after we finish this.</li>
  <li>Did I mention I have 30 years of experience and I'm probably making the equivalent of a recent graduate in some other fields?</li>
  <li>Aaaaaand there go half my colleagues and our department got merged with -.</li>
  <li>No, I'm not curled up in a ball today.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Academia</h2>
<p>I know it sure sounds like it, but this post is not supposed to be a Debbie Downer or a complaintathon. It's just a reflection of what many of us may have felt at one point or another in our non Doctor/Engineer/Lawyer/Investor/Developer lives. I was trying to be darkly humorous. Think of it as a deadpan delivery in a Scandinavian tragicomedy.</p>
<p>Naturally, some of us have risen over all this crazy and done well and are happy. (Please reach out and tell me if you are one of these people. Would love to hear your thoughts.) However, if what I see on social media is any barometer for reality, then there is definitely a lot of disenchantment floating around with the world of academia - and not just in conservation.</p>
<h2>Opportunities</h2>
<p>Like I said, this is not a post about pointless (though legitimate) complaints. This is a post about making opportunity. If we can't find what we are looking for in the traditional spaces, maybe we can find it elsewhere.</p>
<p>Let me make the point with the following numbers:</p>
<ul>
  <li><a href="https://www.saveancientstudies.org/">Save Ancient Studies Alliance (SASA)</a> is a non profit that has, according to their own website, attracted over 30,000 post engagements on social media, recruited +35 volunteers, attracted +17,000 visitors to their site and received at least 2 grants and over $5,000 in donations. You can check our their Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/AncientSave">here</a>.</li>
  <li><a href="https://interintellect.com/">Interintellect</a> is an online community that meets for discussions on various topics that could very well be electives in a liberal arts college. They have over 10,000 followers on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/interintellect_">here</a>.</li>
  <li><a href="http://www.awakenmathbrain.com/">Republic of Mathematics</a> is "a group of mathematicians and mathematics educators focused on the neuroscience of mathematics and developmental implications for learning and teaching mathematics." Does that sound niche to you? Because they have over 111,000 followers on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/republicofmath">here</a>.</li>
  <li>If we go into Folkloristics, which is just about one of my favourite topics ever, you will find the <a href="https://www.mythpodcast.com/">Myths and Legends</a> podcast guy, who is effectively making a living out of his (super fun) podcast and has over 18,000 followers on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/mythsandlegends">here</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>I could go on, but I think the point is clear that there is a hunger for knowledge out there, and in many cases, it's not a hunger for basic knowledge, but for advanced studies.</p>
<p>There are a lot of people who can't afford to go to university, but would love to learn.</p>
<p>There are others who are already past university, but are still looking for high level courses to learn more on topics they were never able to study.</p>
<h2>Altminster: My grain of sand</h2>
<p>Accessing university-level education is not that straightforward, while at the same time, teaching university-level topics may not make many academics happy at all given the current structures.</p>
<p>If you are reading this post, you may have read a previous post I wrote a few months back on why I want to try to make conservation public. If you haven't read it and feel like having a look, you can do so <a href="/blog/public-conservation">here</a>.</p>
<p>The point is, since that first post, I have decided to take steps - and I will take steps not just for conservation, but also for other fields who share our experiences. This is part of how Altminster was born.</p>
<h2>What is <a href="https://altminster.com">Altminster</a>?</h2>
<p>I'm glad you asked! Altminster is a lot of things, so let's start with the simple. It's a website - a platform. What does it do?</p>
<p>In a nutshell, Altminster has been born to do the following:</p>
<ul>
  <li>Give interested students a curated source of resources on liberal arts topics. The internet can be hard to parse, so we'll do it for you. All our listed resources have been recommended by someone who knows what they're talking about - like they literally have a degree in it.</li>
  <li>Give academics a place where they can offer the courses they wish they could teach - at fair prices. They can also offer private instruction at prices which can be negotiated with students (should the instructor be amenable to it). This includes any possibility for price adjustment based on student possibilities and the instructor's own decisions (which can include anything from geographical location to philanthropy). We won't interfere with this at all.</li>
</ul>
<p>So, Altminster is there for teaching and for learning at a higher level, for fair prices and flexible times. It will let students vote for courses they'd like to see. It will allow instructors to post course ideas they'd like to try and let students vote to see if it's worth making the course before investing a lot of time. More things will come as we grow.</p>
<h2>What's in it for Altminster?</h2>
<p>Yes, yes. I'm the same. No shame in wanting to know what's going on behind the scenes. You want to know what I get from this. For now, the answer is literally <strong>nothing.</strong> All listings are being offered for free. My <a href="https://www.colingorrie.com/">co-founder</a> and I are doing this in our free time, with our own resources. We want to get as many instructors with courses and students on Altminster as we can to make it a viable project in the long run.</p>
<p>Cool, you say. This is not sustainable without future payments. You are a smart cookie. In the future, Altminster will charge a flat annual fee to list courses or instructors. This will have to happen at some point because we will need to maintain the site somehow, but don't worry. We will let you know first, and we won't charge you retrospectively if you're already there. We will also not charge an amount which we do not believe you can reasonably make back with a couple courses a year. While Altminster will be a for-profit place, it will not be an extortionate-profit place because its <a href="https://www.altminster.com/about">mission</a> will always remain the same, to make the best education in the world within reach to anyone who wants to receive it. Most of the funds will be re-invested into improving the platform. Oh, and did I mention that <strong>we will not take fees or commissions from your courses or lessons</strong> ? It's true. We mean that. Your effort = Your wages.</p>
<h2>Do you want to be involved?</h2>
<p>If Altminster is the kind of project you'd like to be involved with, there are a number of ways you can do this:</p>
<ul>
  <li>Send us your curated resources. We will happily add them to our growing list.</li>
  <li>Sign up for free <a href="https://www.altminster.com/apply">here</a> as a private instructor.</li>
  <li>List a course for free <a href="https://www.altminster.com/list-course">here</a>. It can be on any other platform. It can be a free course too. We will only list the course and the link.</li>
  <li>Sign up for our newsletter so you can find out how we are getting along! The link is available at the bottom of all our <a href="https://www.altminster.com/">website</a> pages.</li>
  <li>Just follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/mythsandlegends">Twitter</a> to keep up with news and send us messages. We love constructive criticism, collaborations and any other ideas you'd like to send our way.</li>
</ul><br><br><br><br>If you liked this post, you can follow me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/ConservaLlama) where I'll be posting more content on conservation tidbits and how to improve your collections at home.


Altminster was founded to be the home of higher level online courses for the humanities.

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