National Conservation Service

The National Conservation Service is a new organisation whose core
focus is on archives, libraries and museums without access to
conservation advice and guidance.   A membership company, Nationwide
Conservation Service Ltd, was formed late in 2009 to deliver the
service to not-for-profit institutions following an extensive
consultation across the archives and libraries sector with support
from the University of the Arts, London, Camberwell College, and is
now based from its headquarters at the Royal Institution of Great
Britain in London.  NCS has conservation studio space at the RI and
in additional regional centres within the Midlands, South West and
Wales.

NCS members subscribe annually or for a three year term at a chosen
level of annual conservation support.  The aim is to provide an
accredited conservator to support custodians consistently over a
period of years, to plan and improve the care of their collections
and to develop and seek funding for conservation programmes and
projects arising from this advisory support.  The NCS members'
subscriptions go towards the provision of fees paying consulting
conservators.  In addition, further fee paying conservation works,
arising from the advisory support, can be commissioned in direct
contract with conservators who tender for work.

Membership of the NCS is steadily growing, with 15 archives and
libraries across England and Wales, including several in London, and
more potential members expressing an interest each month.  Fee rates
for consultant conservators taking on the support of a member
collection range from UKP225 - UKP250 per day for not-for-profit
institutions and UKP337.50 - UKP375 per day for commercial clients,
all inclusive, with subscription contracts of between 2 and 10 days
per institution per annum.  Additional project works are paid for by
the member at the level agreed for the project.

In addition to seeking interested accredited conservators with
archive and library collection expertise, NCS is also seeking an
enthusiastic individual or individuals with the appropriate
conservation knowledge and experience to join the board of NCS
directors and develop and market the NCS for museum object and arts
collections.

NCS has been founded in order both to improve the care of
collections and to enhance the capacity of conservation practice in
the private sector, by promoting a greater and more consistent level
of ongoing expenditure for conservation planning and projects.  The
membership company was founded by conservator Chris Woods, whose own
company, Conservation Ltd, is steering its establishment with the
aim that it will become entirely independent once it has sufficient
members.

If you are interested in offering your services to members of the
National Conservation Service or want to know more please write to
enquiries<-at->ncs<.>org<.>uk or go to

 <URL:http://www.ncs.org.uk>

Chris Woods PGDipCons BAhons CertCons RMARA ACR FIIC
Director
Conservation Ltd
21 Albemarle Street
Mayfair
London W1S 4BS


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 24:27
                Distributed: Tuesday, November 30, 2010
                       Message Id: cdl-24-27-001
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