4 TECHNICIANS AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Technicians for media art are of the first importance. Given the complexity of the technology involved and its ephemeral nature, it is unlikely that professional conservators will be able to fill this role. To date, no training programs offer specialties in the conservation of media art. Indeed, employment for conservators with such a specialization is an open question. Technicians may not be interested in becoming professional conservators and, in many cases, are media artists themselves. However, access to skilled technical staff is essential for artists and museum staff. While at this time it may not be possible to define the role of technicians who support media art as a profession in itself, some sort of formalized training geared toward supporting technicians could be organized. For instance, regular refresher courses in relevant technical concerns or workshops for dealing with individual topics could be created. A professional organization or annual conference on the subject, where information could be shared and contacts made, would be invaluable.