Announcing INCCA-NA’s 2014 Artist Interview Workshops:

Lunder Conservation Center
Washington, DC
March 20-21, 2014

Dallas Museum of Art
Dallas, TX
April 10-11, 2014

Applicants interested in attending either of these professional workshops can find the application at http://incca-na.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/INCCA-NA-Interview-Workshop-Application.pdf

Alternatively applicants can email INCCA-NA’s Program Assistant, Margaret Graham assistant(at)incca-na.org for additional information.  The application deadline is Wednesday, January 15, 2014.

The Artist Interview Workshops are comprised of a pair of annual two-day events aimed at providing conservators, curators, educators and other arts professionals at all stages of their careers with a greater understanding of the methodology and skills needed to conduct successful artist interviews.  As artists have increasingly experimented with an unprecedented range of new materials and technologies–often with untested longevity and built-in obsolescence leading to instability–the gathering of knowledge through interviews with artists, studio assistants and other relevant voices has become a critical tool in preserving contemporary art for future generations.  Educating our colleagues on the methods and best practice for interviewing is a crucial component of this process.

The structure of the workshops has been crafted by INCCA-NA on a model developed by Professor Richard Candida-Smith and SFMoMA conservator Jill Sterrett, whose respective experiences in oral history and museum-based interview programs shape a rigorous, instructive, and interactive agenda.  Over the course of the two days, various presenters conduct a series of lectures and case studies which are then analysed via roundtable discussion and tested in small group exercises.  Speakers also facilitate conversations with other presenters and attendees, addressing their own experiences with interviewing artists, the different approaches interviewers can take, and common challenges in the process.  Topics covered can range from legal and ethical concerns to interpersonal skills, archiving methods, and applicable technology.

2014 guest speakers will include Michael Auping, John Campbell, Jed Morse, Steven O’Banion, Anne Reeve, Gabrielle Ritter, Sarah Roberts, Gwynne Ryan, and L.H. Shockey Jr.

The Artist Interview Workshops have been made possible by the continued support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, whose generosity has enabled us to offer this program tuition free. However, please be aware that participants are responsible for their own cost of travel, some meals, and hotel accommodations.  Also, each workshop is limited to 25 participants.

Applicants can apply to either one or both of the workshops, but will only be allowed to attend one.  Successful applicants for both professional workshops will be notified by February 7, 2014. We look forward to receiving your application and having you become a part of the ever-growing INCCA-NA network.

International Network for the Conservation of Contemporary Art – North America