BPG Business Meeting, San Diego, Saturday June 14, 1997

Publications Issues

The BPG Publications Committee has been given the following charge:

"The BPG Publications Committee is asked to draft a general policy statement on BPG publications, outlining the mission of our publications program (why we publish), and setting at least a broad policy for matters such as peer-review, etc. The committee should coordinate its work with the AIC publications committee."

To draft and implement the policy, the committee's membership should be being expanded (Chaired by Robert Espinosa, the committee currently consists ex officio of people in charge of the Annual, the Catalogs, and the Web pages).

This charge arises from the Exec's consideration of several publication related proposals received from members, both requests that BPG publish particular works, or contribute funds to external publication projects. Examining these proposals brought us to the realization that it was extremely difficult to evaluate a publication-related request without situating it in a programmatic context. Specifically, the lack of a clearly defined publications mission statement made it virtually impossible to equitably evaluate proposals. Moreover, we are anxious that our efforts mesh with and reinforce the publication goals of AIC.

A notable example (now happily moot, because the project has been funded without our help): We received an inquiry about publishing a manual on identification of photoreproduction processes. We hadn't seen this work, but had every reason to presume that it will be "publishable", and under different circumstances, we might be very excited at the opportunity to publish it ourselves, since (a) it is on a topic of considerable importance to our members, (b) the topic is one of good "scope" for BPG (too big for a JAIC articles; very specific to our specialty
But since right now we are not ready to take on a project of this type, and since doing so would involve a number of issues (e.g. content review) that really should be resolved in coordination with the AIC Publications Committee, we were forced to pass.

Examining our situation, a couple of observations suggest themselves:

while publication (or, more generically, information sharing) has consistently been a very high priority for the BPG membership, we have never built the organizational infrastructure--administrative, operational, and most importantly editorial (including content review)--to support ambitious publication efforts (infrastructure for the Paper Conservation Catalog, having dissolved).
our existing volunteer base is already stretched, and incapable of taking on ambitious new projects without some kind of support. We do, however, have a very large pool of members who have not yet been heavily involved in BPG projects, especially people in the early stages of their careers. (Does this sound like you? Do you have a bit of energy free? If so, come to the business meeting and be prepared to volunteer!)
honoring a request to publish or fund publication creates a precedent, which absent a clear set of criterion for selection, is likely to become problematic for future Execs. At this meeting, we are seeking guidance about how to handle requests of this type.
BPG does not want to act simply as a funding organization, but this stance is sometimes at odds with our desire to support worthy proposals. Again, the matter of setting precedent by ad hoc decision-making is disturbing.

Meeting Action:

Gather opinions about the purpose and focus of our publications program (for developing a mission statement).

Get expressions of interest in serving on Publications Committee.

Paper Conservation Catalog

There appears to be considerable interest in beginning to revise the PCC, especially early chapters, but we have not had anyone stepping forward to take on the work. There is a sense that the original participants are not interested in continuing the work but that this effort offers a good opportunity for people who have joined the field in recent years.

Meeting Action:

Assemble volunteers to serve as a core working group; Get expressions of interest in compiling/contributing to chapters.

Gather suggestions for guiding principles in considering future requests for funding of "outside" conferences and publications.

Funding issues

In Sept, 1996, AIC received a request for support of the following conference. Sarah Rosenberg requested additional information from the organizers and then, in October, after consideration by the AIC board, passed the request to BPG. The funding could be either direct grant, a loan, or a contribution to the-conference publication. This proposal raise some of the same issues as the publications requests.

Conference Title: Chainlines and Watermarks: Paper Evidence in Western Art
Conference Organizers: John Slavin, John O'Neill
Program Support: Toronto Area Conservation Group, University of Toronto Centre for the Book, Toronto Area Archivists Group, Canadian Association of Bookbinders & Guilders
Venue: Royal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
Tentative date: Spring 1999
First call for papers: July, 1997
Papers to be published in full before the conference
Sponsors: IPC ($2500), CAC (Tentative $2500), CCI (publication support)

Excerpts from the proposal:

Description: A three day conference/workshop program featuring an international group of speakers describing recent research in the analysis, history and usage of paper by artists and the significance of this research in the interpretation of their work. Presentations will cover historical contemporary western papers--European and North American.

Each of the first two days will consist of seven presentations and one panel discussion period. The third day will consist of two investigations outlining the methodology of paper 1historians' investigations and its significance and application in the study and preservation of fine art on paper. Two instructional sessions will follow where a variety of interesting antique papers will be examined by the participants. Special audio visual equipment and displays will be used and the audience will be encouraged to participate.

Targeted audience includes art educators and students, art historians, artists, conservators, dealers and collectors, curators, archivists, bibliophiles, librarians, papermakers.

Program goals:

To educate the audience abut the nature and significance of paper supports used in the fine arts.
To promote understanding of the importance of preserving the character and integrity [of] artists' papers.
To bring together a rather diversified audience with a shared interest and encourage the exchange of perspectives and information.
To use conference promotion, publicity, publications, and associated programming to raise public awareness of the importance of paper in our cultural history.
To use all aspects of the program to promote a greater sensitivity and higher regard for the research and preservation of paper-based collections within the arts community at a time when economics is subverting this goal

Recent update: The first call for papers is going out in July and all sponsors will be mentioned. If the BPG agrees to be a sponsor we would like to have a member participate on the panel selecting speakers for the conference, or perhaps doing some editing for the publication. There will be an IPC and a CAC member with appropriate expertise on this panel.

Meeting Action:

Vote on

(a) whether to support the conference and/or its proceedings and, if so
(b) whether support be in the form of a loan or a grant
(b) the dollar amount

Gather suggestions for guiding principles in considering future requests for funding of "outside" conferences and publications.