The program included: Condition Reporting for Small Cultural Organisations – Michelle Berry, freelance conservator; Handling and installing works of art– Joel Arthur, National Gallery of Australia; Time-based Media and Audiovisual artwork handling and installation – Scot Cotterell, Museum of Old and New Art; and Museum and Exhibition Lighting Philosophies, Techniques and Considerations – Mark Colegrave, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. Each presentation was followed by a Q&A session.

Condition reporting of incoming and outgoing art works and artefacts is an important part of managing both loans and exhibitions. Tasmanian freelance conservator Michelle Berry will discuss the methods of examining and documenting changes to artworks and other loaned objects while they are in the care of the presenting organisation. Berry has spent twenty years at Museums Victoria as a senior conservator and in the last years focused on strategic preventive conservation. Since moving to Tasmania she has worked closely with a number of clients providing conservation advice, training, hands on treatment of art works as well as consulting on larger projects. Clients include Mona, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Australian Antarctic Division as well as other public institutions and private individuals.

National Gallery of Australia Preparator, Joel Arthur discussed the approaches and protocols used by the National Gallery of Australia when handling, preparing and installing works of art. Arthur’s role covers varied modes of handling works of all mediums from internal movements within the institution to installation for display. The presentation included information on best practice methods of installing works on paper, paintings and objects.

Mona Time-based Media Manager, Scot Cotterell provided an overview of the key concepts relating to Time-based Media and Audio-visual artwork handling and installation. Media carriers, file types and conservation concerns, documentation and project planning will be discussed through a range of contexts from studio practice through to small and large organisations. In addition to his role at Mona, Cotterell is co-director of Private Projects, Moonah and is an inter-disciplinary artist who has performed and exhibited nationally and internationally. Within his art practice he uses mixtures of sound, video, images and objects in gallery and live contexts to create experiences that reflect upon cultural phenomena.

A partnership event presented by Devonport Regional Gallery and Contemporary Art Tasmania with support from National Gallery of Australia.