The NGV Conservation department provides a broad scope of outreach and digital engagement programs. We offer a unique perspective on artworks with our talks and tours for school groups, corporate partners and gallery supporters, and the general public. We also regularly contribute to the NGV’s social media channels.
NGV Conservation staff collaborate to support regional, national and international colleagues through consultancy, advice and skills sharing, and are frequent contributors to conservation and collection care training programmes. We have held symposia and public lectures on a range of conservation topics, for example; The ‘Collecting the Now’ conference which focused on contemporary art to coincide with the 2017 NGV Triennial, a Digital print workshop hosted by NGV in partnership with Image Permanence Institute, Rochester, New York and AICCM, and a rehousing workshop at State Library of Victoria which involved glazing, construction of profile on the reverse and backing boards. Other activities include the symposium FRAME: Concept, History and Conservation in partnership with AICCM, and workshops on traditional gilding techniques and cleaning and preserving finishes on furniture.
Learning opportunities including internships, volunteering and work placements for conservation students, and workshops for practicing conservators and technicians, are also offered by the conservation department. Due to the nature of our working environment these placements are restricted to Museum professionals and advanced Conservation students. The NGV Conservation department is unable to assist with treatments of personal works of art. We recommend visiting the Professional Members page, operated by the Australian Institute of Conservation (AICCM), for personal advice on your precious belongings. Many NGV Conservation outreach programs have been made possible through collaborations with other groups such as Public Galleries Association of Victoria (PGAV), Australian Institute of Conservation of Cultural Materials (AICCM), Getty Conservation Institute (GCI), and Creative Victoria.