GREATER HUDSON HERITAGE NETWORK AWARDS $120,426 STATEWIDE IN MUSEUM CONSERVATION TREATMENT GRANTS FOR 2010

Greater Hudson Heritage Network is awarding $120,426 in conservation treatment grants to 26 organizations, located in 18 counties of New York, in association with the Museum Program of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), a state agency.

From the Bronx to Buffalo, these funds will provide treatment by professional conservators to aid in stabilizing, preserving, and making accessible to the public an array of unique objects in collections of New York's museums, historical and cultural organizations of all sizes.

From LeRoy to Long Island, 2010 grants will support treatment of ancient Anasazi pottery vessels and modern mixed-media sculpture, historic flags, jackets and braided textile pictures, 19th century board games, hand-drawn maps, works on paper, and paintings—including a 16^th c. Dutch Mannerist oil painting, 19^th century portraits of people and race horses, landscapes and gilt frames. In 2010 treatment will be provided to conserve a wall mural in Westchester, and a set of WPA drawings for a mural in Rochester. Diverse objects such as an Otis Elevator Hoist and a wedding contract are among the artifacts stewarded by collecting and exhibiting institutions from Chautauqua to Kinderhook receiving conservation treatment support through Greater Hudson's 2010 grant program.

Grants are awarded for prioritized, urgently needed conservation of objects that, once treated, will impact public interpretive programs, exhibitions and education. Non-profit organizations with stewardship responsibility for cultural collections, (but without in-house conservation staff) were eligible applicants; state or federally owned collections are ineligible for support. Grant funding can treat paintings, works on paper, textiles, furniture, sculpture, ethnographic, historical and decorative objects, and may also support accompanying professional treatment of frames, supports, stands and mounts if integral to the final public presentation of the object, after conservation.

Greater Hudson Heritage Network strives to provide support for conservation treatments that are executed on the highest professional level. The field of conservation is continually changing, with pioneering research and dissemination of findings on innovative materials and techniques. Although there are many paths into the field of conservation, we acknowledge practitioners who have demonstrated high levels of proficiency and advanced knowledge, adherence to the ethics and standards of the American Institute of Conservation (AIC), and are recognized for their expertise in the museum field. In 2010's grants, treatment will be provided by 20 individual conservators.

These grants lead to public impact outcomes beyond the actual conservation of museum objects, including new interest in the state's incredibly varied collections, and increased public awareness of the museum's role as steward, and has proven a spark to further institutional, strategic, financial and long-range conservation planning. Beyond these outcomes, grant recipients report that Conservation Treatment funding prompts greater use of collections (for exhibition, web content and loan), enhanced interpretive capability, and expanded opportunities to educate the public about art, history, humanities, the science of conservation, and museum work, itself.

This year 53 grant applications were received at Greater Hudson from institutions in 31 counties of New York State, requesting an aggregate of $303,575 in grant support.  26 awards totaling $120,426 were recommended by a peer panel of conservators, curators and museum professionals. 2010 Conservation Treatment Grant awards range from $1,258 to $7,500.

Of the 26 funded institutions, 11 have annual budgets under $399,000 (4 with operating budgets of less than $50,000); 15 have budgets greater than $400,000 (2 with budgets over $15 mil.) Organizational operating budgets of 2010's grant recipients span a stunning range from $3,250 to $17million.

For Release August 16, 2010

Contact: Tema Harnik, Executive Director, Greater Hudson Heritage Network

2199 Saw Mill River Rd, Elmsford, N. Y. 10523 ; 914.592.6726; info@greaterhudson.org; www.greaterhudson.org

Click here for past Grant Recipients or Grant Guidelines (pdf)

Congratulations to these 2010 New York State Conservation Treatment Grant Recipients:

Albright-Knox Art Gallery/ Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Buffalo (Erie County).
$ 4448 for conservation treatment of a 1961 mixed media sculpture The Generals by Marisol; work to be done by conservators Mark Erdman and Heather Galloway of Intermuseum Conservation Association.

Chautauqua County Historical Society, Westfield (Chautauqua County)
$ 7500 for conservation of the 1864 oil portrait of The Guild Family Children, by Fleming; treatment to be done by paintings conservator Tracy Dulniak of Great Lakes Art Conservation.

Columbia County Historical Society, Kinderhook (Columbia County).
$ 5552 for conservation of a 34-star Civil War era national flag, "hand-stitched by Sarah Clark of Hudson, NY"; to be treated by textile conservator Gwen Spicer, Spicer Art Conservation, LLC.

Derfner Judaica Museum at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale, Riverdale (Bronx County)
$ 1510 towards conservation treatment of three early 20^th c. works on paper: an etching, lithograph and ink & pencil drawing; work to be done by paper conservator Edith Hart of Rustin Levinson Art Conservation.

Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse (Onondaga County)
$ 5147 for treatment of the 1849 oil painting Nook Near Our Village, by George Inness; conservation to be carried out by paintings conservator Thomas Branchick, Williamstown Art Conservation Center.

FASNY Museum of Firefighting, Hudson (Columbia County)
$ 7500 for conservation of the 35-star Barnum Museum Fire American flag; to be treated by textile conservator Gwen Spicer, Spicer Art Conservation LLC.

Fishkill Historical Society, Fishkill (Dutchess County)
$ 5100 for conservation of an original early 19^th c. Sully frame for the Ami Philips portrait of Elizabeth Northup Phillips; work to be done by frame and gilded objects conservator Eric Price.

Geneva Historical Society, Geneva (Ontario County)
$2970 for conservation treatment of the 1831 oil on panel portrait of Jane Rose by A. Bradish, and its frame; work to be done by Susan Blakney and John Sutton of Westlake Conservators, Ltd.

Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, Goshen (Orange County)
$ 3340 for treatment of the 1865 oil painting Rysdyk's Hambletonian, by J.H. Wright; conservation to be done by paintings conservator Alexander Katlan, Alexander Katlan Conservator, Inc.

The Hyde Collection, Glens Falls (Warren County)
$7500 towards conservation treatment of the c. 1520 Antwerp Mannerist oil on panel painting Adoration of the Magi; work to be done by Sandra Webber of Williamstown Art Conservation Center.

LeRoy Historical Society, LeRoy (Genesee County)
$4100 for conservation of a pair of 19^th c. oil portraits of JR Allen and Oliver Allen by Phineas Staunton; work to be done by Susan Blakney and John Sutton of West Lake Conservators, Ltd.

Long Island Museum of American Art, History & Carriages, Stony Brook (Suffolk County).
$ 7370 for the conservation of two 1870's painted heraldic wood panels by carriage painter Peter Barry ; treatment to be done by conservator Valerie Hunt, Art Conservation Consultancy.

Mamaroneck Public Library, Mamaroneck (Westchester County)
$7500 for conservation of the William Chase Merrit painted wall mural Purchase of Mamaroneck from the Siwanoys; work to be done by paintings conservator Luca Bonetti, with Daniella Cocco and Erica Garber.

Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester, Rochester (Monroe County)
$ 2000 towards the conservation treatment of study drawings for a WPA mural, by Carl W. Peters; conservation to be done by paper conservator Patricia Hamm.

Museum of Jewish Heritage-a Living Memorial to the Holocaust, New York (New York County)
$ 2300 towards conservation of wedding contracts (ketubbot); treatment to be done by paper conservator Caroline Rieger, Rieger Art Conservation.

National Museum of Racing, Saratoga Springs (Saratoga County)
$ 5779 for conservation treatment of the 1923 oil painting Steeplechase by Cecil Watson, and its frame; work to be done by paintings conservator Susan Blakney of West Lake Conservators, Ltd.

New York State Historical Association, Cooperstown (Otsego County)
$ 7500 for conservation of the Trade and Commerce Quilt made by Hannah Stockton Stiles, c. 1835, and its mount; treatment to be done by textile conservator Katherine Barker, of the Textile Conservation Workshop.

Oneida Community Mansion House, Oneida (Madison County)
$1258 for the conservation of a 20^th century braided picture Prelude to Greenwood, created by Jessie Catherine Kinsley; treatment to be done by textile conservator Regina Lewis-Middleton of West Lake Conservators, Ltd.

Onondaga Historical Association Museum & Research Center, Syracuse (Onondaga County).
$ 2961 for conservation treatment of the oil painting Charles Loring Elliott Visiting Sanford Thayer's Studio, by G.K. Knapp; work to be done by painting and frame conservators Susan Blakney and John Sutton, West Lake Conservators, Ltd.

Roeliff Jansen Historical Society, Copake Falls (Columbia County)
$ 2500 for conservation treatment of JB Collins' Civil War woolen shell Jacket; to be done by textile conservator Gwen Spicer, Spicer Art Conservation, LLC.

Sagtikos Manor Historical Society, Bay Shore (Suffolk County)
$ 4320 for the conservation of the 1850 panel painting portrait of Dr. Abraham G. Thompson; treatment to be done by paintings conservator Alexander Katlan, Alexander Katlan Conservator, Inc.

Skyscraper Museum, New York City (New York County)
$ 4800 for the conservation of a 12 piece wood, iron and painted Otis Elevator Hoist, 1872; treatment work to be done by objects conservator Linda Nieuwenhuizen, Give Me A Break Conservation, Inc.

Strong Museum of Play, Rochester (Monroe County)
$ 1921 for the conservation treatment of two early 19^th century board games: Jolly Game of Goose and Mansion of Happiness; work to be done by paper conservator Dan Cochrane of West Lake Conservators, Ltd.

Three Village Historical Society, Setauket (Suffolk County)
$ 6230 for treatment of a hand-drawn, hand-watercolored "Map of the Western Hemisphere drawn by Elizabeth Mount, 1822" on linen; work to be done by paper conservator Minah Song, Center for Conservation of Art & Historic Artifacts.

Town of Greene Historical Society, Greene (Chenango County)
$ 2397 for conservation of an 1823 town land grant map, hand-drawn by Joseph Julliand; treatment to be done by paper conservator Dan Cochrane of West Lake Conservators, Ltd.

Yager Museum of Art & Culture, Hartwick College, Oneonta (Otsego County)
$ 6923 towards the conservation treatment of five ceramic pottery vessels from the Anasazi, Tiahuanaco, Chimu, Nazca and Middle Woodland cultures; work to be done by archaeological and objects conservator Barbara Moore.

Greater Hudson Heritage Network's Conservation Treatment Grant Program is made possible with funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, celebrating 50 years of building strong, creative communities in New York State's 62 counties.

Click here for past Grant Recipients or Grant Guidelines (pdf)

Grant Guidelines

Applicant Eligibility
Applications will be accepted from non-profit museums and historical organizations or other cultural institutions that own, care for and exhibit collections to the public. Grant awards will be made to institutions lacking in-house conservation staff with expertise in the area for which support is requested. Collections owned by state or federal agencies are ineligible for grant support.

Organizations may submit only one request, which may involve a single object or a group of related objects, all owned by the applicant institution.

Eligible institutions of all sizes are welcome to request support from this state-wide program; those with small budgets are encouraged to apply. Priority consideration will be given to applicants who have not yet received three consecutive treatment grants.

What We Fund

• Support is available for conservation treatment of paintings, works on paper (including individual drawings, watercolors, prints or photographs), textiles (including costumes, domestic textiles and upholstery), furniture, frames, sculpture, historical, ethnographic and decorative objects.

• Support is also available for treatment costs for supports, frames, stands and mounts that are integral to the treatment of the object.

• Grants will support in-state transportation costs for the objects and/or the conservators, and the cost of insurance for the work(s) to be treated.

What We Do Not Fund

• Grants will not support staff salaries.

• Grants will not support out-of-state transportation, or the cost of obtaining the treatment estimate for this proposal.

• Grants will not support conservation of archival collections.

• Funds are not available for preventive care, such as rehousing or reformatting of objects, purchase of storage furniture, monitoring or upgrading of environmental systems.

Application Deadline: June 1, 2010
Complete grant applications must be postmarked or hand-delivered to Greater Hudson Heritage Network by 5 p.m. on Monday, June 1, 2009.

Panel Review Process
Applications will be reviewed competitively by a panel of conservation, curatorial and museum professionals.

Range of Grant Awards
Individual grant awards will not exceed $7,500.A total of approximately $120,000 is available in 2010.

Schedule of Completion
Next awards will be announced in mid-August. Funded conservation work must be completed within one year of the grant award.

Final reports of completed 2010 treatment grants must be received at Greater Hudson Heritage Network by August 1, 2011.

Application Checklist
Please submit 8 sets of the following, collated in this order

  Application Cover Sheet (download here) (1 with original signature)

  Narrative Project Description (maximum 3 pages)

  Conservator's Condition Report

  Conservator's Treatment Proposal & Cost Estimate

  Conservator's Resume (maximum 2 pages) and Letter of Commitment, acknowledging AIC Code of Ethics, Guidelines and Commentaries

  Project Budget

  Visual Support Material: original CD or set of prints and 7 copy CDs or 7 sets of color photocopies or digital prints. Each image, photo or CD file must be clearly identified with the name of the institution, the grant year (2010) and the title or accession number of the object.

Submission Format
Please submit 8 sets of your complete application collated on 8.5" x 11" single-sided pages. Number all pages and include your organization's name on all materials. Applications may be clipped, but not stapled, and without covers or fasteners. No faxed or e-mailed applications will be accepted. Please mail or hand-deliver to Greater Hudson by 5 p.m., June 1, 2010 addressed to:

Conservation Treatment Grant Program
c/o Greater Hudson Heritage Network
2199 Saw Mill River Road
Elmsford, New York 10523

Complete Applications Must Include

Application Cover Sheet (download here)
Completely filled-in and signed. Use the form provided, or photocopy and fill it in, or re-create the information in the same order on your computer.

A Narrative Description of the Project
Describe your conservation project in a narrative, (maximum 3 pp) addressing all the following, by number:

Describe your collections, generally.

1. What object(s) are to be treated?
2. What is the object's aesthetic, cultural or historical significance?
3. How does the object proposed for conservation treatment relate to your organizational mission?
4. What is the date of your most recent collections management policy or written conservation plan?
5. What is the (brief) history of your institution's conservation activities?
6. Have reports from Conservation Assessment Program (CAP), Museum Assessment Program (MAPII), or other conservation surveys of your collections recommended or prioritized treatment of the object(s) proposed for conservation in this application?
7. Have recommendations from those reports been implemented, or why have they not yet been implemented? Please attach those pages of survey or consultant's reports relevant to the object(s) proposed for conservation treatment.
8. What is the urgency for treatment at this time?
9. How will the proposed treatment impact the interpretation, exhibition and/or public access to your institution's collections? Long range, how will the public benefit from this project?
10. Describe the physical environment in which the treated object(s) will be housed or exhibited. What provisions already exist, or are planned, for preservation-minded storage and/or exhibition of the treated object(s)?
11. What provisions will you make for the proper handling of object(s) to be treated?
12. What training has your curatorial, volunteer and/or maintenance  staff received in conservation principles for care & handling of collections?

Note: Requests for treatment of outdoor sculpture must include the description of an on-going maintenance program already in existence, or one to be implemented, at your institution.

Attach the Following to Your Cover Sheet & Narrative

The Conservator's Condition Report
Noting the object's material(s), construction, size, historical alterations, previous repairs, and the extent and severity of deterioration.

The Conservator's Treatment Proposal and Cost Estimate
Prepared within the last year, including treatment goals and an outline of proposed treatment steps, specifying materials, equipment and techniques to be used.

The Conservator's Resume and a Letter of Commitment
Please attach a resume (maximum 2 pp) and a letter of commitment from the conservator who supplies the treatment proposal and cost estimate. The conservator's letter of commitment to the project should be addressed to the applicant, and should acknowledge that all documents and work provided will be in accordance with the AIC Code of Ethics, Guidelines for Practice, and Commentaries. Include resumes of any other conservation professionals who will participate in the proposed treatment. Eligible conservators may be in private practice or associated with a regional conservation lab.

Note: Conservation professionals cannot be contracted for grant work in their capacity as employees of state or federal agencies.

The Project Budget In 1 – 2 pages, submit a project budget incorporating the following eligible expenses:

A professionally prepared conservation treatment estimate, consisting •  of direct expenses such as the conservator's or the conservation lab's fees & materials. (The cost of obtaining a treatment estimate for this proposal cannot be included in this request)

Costs of frames, supports or mounts integral to the treatment of the • object(s)

Shipping and insurance fees, and in-state travel•

Note: Matching funds are not required. However, if you expect to receive funding from other sources, or will allocate funds from your operating budget to complete a project costing more than $7500, please indicate so in a distinct budget column for income, specifying each source.

Visual Support Material
Submit one original set of photographs and 7 photocopied sets – or an original CD and 7 copy CDs – of at least one overall and one detail image of each object proposed for treatment. Images should show the condition problems of the object(s), and each must be labeled to identify the object and the applicant (owner) institution. Digital images submitted on CD are preferred, but not required. Color photographs or digital color prints should be submitted on 8.5" x 11" pages, appropriately identified. Images cannot be returned.

Click here for past Grant Recipients or Grant Guidelines (pdf)