SCAA/CCI Introduction to Preventive Conservation Workshop

Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI)
Introduction to Preventative Conservation
In-Person Workshop

Tuesday September 15th and Wednesday September 16th, 2026
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Wanuskewin Heritage Park, RR#4 Penner Road, Saskatoon, SK

Session description:
This workshop introduces participants to preventive conservation. It prepares participants to recognize how collections can be adversely affected by the ten agents of deterioration and advises how to protect against these agents in a thoughtful way that balances collection use with access. The workshop equips participants to be able to communicate preventive conservation concepts to collaborators, colleagues and decision-makers. It also provides an introduction to hazards related to working with collections to help keep people safe.

Format:
The format is interactive, with facilitated group discussions, activities and individual exercises for participants to apply learned concepts within their institutions. Participants will use the Framework for Preserving Heritage Collections: Strategies for Avoiding or Reducing Damage throughout the workshop and can refer to an annotated list of resources to explore topics in greater detail. Participants are encouraged to share their questions and experiences from within their cultural heritage institution throughout the workshop.

Learning objectives:
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
• recognize hazards and protect themselves and others so they can work with collections safely
• name the ten agents of deterioration and recognize how they can affect collections
• recognize, identify and describe layers and stages of control for collections
• identify and describe issues or gaps in preventive conservation in their heritage institution
• propose options to solve preventive conservation issues and challenges and begin to think about their impact
• communicate about preventive conservation concepts to collaborators, colleagues and decision-makers
Target Audience:
This workshop is best suited for participants who:
• have had minimal training or have not yet had training in preventive conservation
• work (paid or volunteer) in a museum, gallery, archives, cultural centre or library
• work with or make decisions that affect collections, or work in spaces with collection
Facilitator: Evelyn Ayre, Preventive Conservation Advisor
Evelyn Ayre earned her Master of Art Conservation (Artifacts) at Queen’s University in 2013 and her Bachelor of Fine Arts with distinction in Studio Arts at Concordia University in 2005. She has treated delicate entomological collections, diverse Canadian historical objects, archaeological gold at the Staffordshire Hoard in England and objects on display at the Canada Science and Technology Museum.
Evelyn joined the Canadian Conservation Institute in 2013 and has worked in various capacities on comprehensive collection risk assessments, workshop development and instruction. She has also provided client services and advice and has lead content development for video projects about the museum environment. She became a preventive conservation advisor in 2017.

Minimum # Attendees: 10 Maximum # Attendees: 20

Registration Deadlines: Early Bird by August 24, 2026
Regular Rates by Sep. 2, 2026