Image linked from UCBS site, www.uscbs.org/haiti.htm
FAIC has been working closely with the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield (USCBS) to send members of the AIC Collections Emergency Response Team (AIC-CERT) to assist with relief efforts in Haiti. NEH, NEA, IMLS, and PCAH have committed funds for assistance. These will help cover travel expenses and some supplies. AIC-CERT members volunteer their time.
The first team will deploy to Haiti from May 4-8. AIC and the USCBS are working in conjunction with the Smithsonian. An MOU between the Smithsonian and the Haitian Ministry of Culture has been completed, and a liaison has been assigned to us.
Two representatives of AIC-CERT will join the first trip to assess the situation: Sue Blakney, paintings conservator at West Lake Conservators in Skaneateles, NY, and Vicki Lee, senior conservator at the Maryland State Archives. Vicki and Sue will accompany Hugh Shockey, a conservator from the Smithsonian American Art Museum; Cori Wegener, President of the USCBS; and a team of construction/engineering personnel from the Smithsonian Institution. They will be looking at a proposed building to house the Cultural Heritage Recovery Center, and recommending equipment and layout for a conservation/stabilization lab there. They will also tour some sites in order to determine future needs for personnel, equipment, and schedules.
We expect to deploy a second team for about a week starting May 15th. While we know that there is work to be done to stabilize paintings (some are paintings on cardboard), we don’t know what other types of collections will be included once permissions are obtained (potentially murals, sculpture, and paper items). Once this initial team returns, we’ll know more about conditions on the ground and what our plans should be moving forward.