The New Zealand Conservators of Cultural Materials Pu Manaaki Kahurangi Incorporated (NZCCM) was formed in 1983 with a vision to be an organisation where cultural materials are treasured and the development, awareness and support of conservation is upheld and respected. They achieve this vision by encouraging education and networking for professionals, allied professionals, and individuals interested in supporting conservation.
NZCCM organise a conference annually with a different twist and this year the aim was to explore the ways in which conservation connects with taonga, communities, and the wider heritage sector. Titled Beyond the Bench: Connecting with Our Heritage, this conference was held in the historic city of Dunedin at the Otago Museum. The conference committee consisted of Eva Forster – Garbutt, Fiona McLaughlin, Marion Mehrtens, Nyssa Midwaters, Jenny Sherman, Catherine Smith and Lisa Yeats. This team did a fantastic job, their communication, organisational skills and passion for the sector was reflected at the conference and it was great to see there were delegates who travelled internationally to participate.
NZMS are keen supporters of NZCCM and value taking part in these events, we gain new conservation information, techniques as well as an understanding of the current conservation trends and learn more about the challenges the sector faces.
We are also very passionate about hearing all the incredible projects people have worked on throughout the year. In particular we were delighted to learn about how organisations and conservators work together through research and sharing knowledge to achieve some amazing outcomes.
Our NZMS representative Leigh Rout who attended the conference came away feeling inspired. From the keynote speaker Robyn Sloggett who illustrated ways in which challenges of decision making in relation to other people’s cultural material both inform and develop conservation, the wide range of topics covered in the full talks and lightening sessions, right through to the closing presentation from NZCCM president Diana Coop about her travel to China to meet fellow conservators on a Winston Churchill Trust and NZ China Friendship Society travel grant kept us all engaged – not to mention the social events, workshops and tours available before and after the conference.
NZCCM is a very rewarding conference that NZMS are proud to support and we encourage you to visit their website for more information and discover how your historical material can be preserved and cared for properly for generations to come.