The Balboa Art Conservation Center (BACC) is set to continue its Art Conservation Train-the-Trainer Program. The program is supported by grants from Price Philanthropies and Washington DC-based Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC).
First piloted during the 2022-2023 academic year with funding from the Prebys Foundation, the program is part of BACC’s larger workforce development initiative, which seeks to build awareness among educators and their students about conservation and its role in the larger arts ecosystem.
Last year, BACC partnered with three San Diego schools to introduce youth to conservation principles. BACC conservators collaborated with Hoover High School’s Sustainable Academy of Building and Engineering, engaging students directly in the research and conservation of a Works Progress Administration (WPA)-era sculpture located in the school’s library. At Freese Elementary, BACC employed a train-the-trainer model to teach conservation and preservation principles to teachers, aiding them in incorporating these concepts into their curricula. The third collaboration developed curricula with professors and provided direct instruction to students at San Diego Mesa Community College’s Museum Studies Program. All three projects were highly successful, earning BACC the Creative Leadership Award from the San Diego Unified School District Visual and Performing Arts Department for their partnerships with Freese Elementary and Hoover High.
“It is critical that our region’s youth understand the power they have to ensure the survival of our unique cultural heritage,” said Leticia Gomez Franco, BACC Executive Director. “From family heirlooms to public art sculptures, the culture that surrounds us will be safeguarded by the next generation. This program is inviting our youth to learn about the technical practice of art conservation and the fascinating intersection of art, history, and science through our most capable partners- teachers! This investment by Price Philanthropies and FAIC is an investment in preparing the future to safeguard our past.”
This year, the Art Conservation Train-the-Trainer Program will build on the previous success with formalized conservation and preservation curricula for elementary and high school classrooms. Participating educators from Freese Elementary, High Tech High, and Hoover High will attend “boot camp” sessions to explore the best ways to integrate cultural heritage preservation concepts in the classroom. As part of the program, students will also have the chance to tour BACC’s laboratories.
To learn more about the Balboa Art Conservation Center, please visit their website.