Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts' Connect to Conservation program will provide training and professional development for emerging post-graduate conservation professionals; engage a more diverse pool of first and second-year college students to consider pursuing a career in art conservation; and share the collective knowledge of its team of conservation professionals and fellows with museums across the state. The project is intended to develop, through training opportunities, a more inclusive pool of potential applicants for graduate study in art conservation. Internships will be offered to students of color who will be recruited from nearby Virginia and D.C. universities. Training will be provided for 12 students over three years-two post-graduate students, who will serve as two-year fellows, and four undergraduate students who will serve as 10-week paid summer interns each year. Additionally, the museum will partner with the Virginia Association of Museums to develop and present two conservation and collections care workshops for museums statewide.