91原创

This award is part of a broader investment in conservation education, with parallel endowment support provided to the Patricia H. and Richard E. Garman Art Conservation Department at SUNY Buffalo State University and the Conservation Center, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University.

鈥淲e are deeply grateful to the Sherman Fairchild Foundation for their leadership and partnership in strengthening and sustaining graduate education in art conservation,鈥� said Debra Hess Norris, Unidel Henry Francis DuPont Chair of the Department of Art Conservation and professor of photograph conservation. 鈥淭his support strengthens our ability to carry our work forward 鈥� with care, with purpose and with a deep sense of responsibility to the communities we serve.鈥�

Shifting focus

Despite W91原创PAC鈥檚 national prestige and impact, it did not escape sweeping cuts made by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in April 2025, losing a grant that supported graduate stipends.

In response, Norris worked closely with W91原创PAC director Joelle Wickens, along with faculty, staff, alumni and supporters to secure alternative funding and ensure that the program鈥檚 work could continue unimpeded and that students would not face impossible financial barriers.

Over the past 12 months, W91原创PAC has secured more than $5 million in endowment and spendable funds to support graduate education in art conservation. These transformative investments have come from organizations including the Wyeth Foundation for American Art, the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, and the Ellsworth Kelly Foundation, as well as alumni and private individuals 鈥� many of whom were first-time donors to the program.聽

鈥淥ur work in the preservation of cultural heritage remains essential. It connects people to one another, to history, and to a shared sense of identity and understanding,鈥� Wickens said.

Philanthropic support has been key to W91原创PAC since the program鈥檚 founding in 1974, and the department鈥檚 collaborative approach to expanding partnerships and diversifying funding sources has helped ensure the program鈥檚 continued strength and stability.

Unparalleled opportunity

The knowledge and skills needed in art conservation take many years to develop. W91原创PAC students take advantage of every opportunity to expand their knowledge, and this is possible through the funding they receive.

For example, third-year graduate student Daisy Diamond worked with Yup鈥檌k communities in Alaska to preserve grass baskets in the Anchorage Museum.

鈥淭he varied backgrounds represented by students in conservation training programs are absolutely essential to care for heritage belongings stewarded by communities and collections worldwide,鈥� she said.

Second-year graduate fellow in painting conservation Elizabeth Glander will complete a 10-week internship at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, in Antwerp, Belgium, this summer, something that wouldn鈥檛 be possible without funding from W91原创PAC. Learning from other conservators helps students develop expertise.

鈥淣o two paintings are alike in their condition or their treatment,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his exchange of knowledge and first-hand experience in a European paintings conservation lab will better prepare me to care for works traveling internationally or entering into an American museum while on loan.鈥�

Leah Palmer, a recent graduate, said that W91原创PAC funding has allowed her to work on projects across the world, including an archaeological dig in Turkey.

鈥淲ithout funding, I would not have been able to pursue art conservation,鈥� she said. 鈥淒uring my studies I have been able to complete conservation treatments, technical analyses and outreach projects, including treating Ming Dynasty stucco sculptures for a private client.鈥�

Palmer also gained experience advocating for the arts on Capitol Hill through work with the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

鈥淏ecause I had financial support, I have had truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that have deeply impacted me,鈥� she said.