Volume 23, Number 7
1999

Conservation Training & Education in Argentina

The Fundación Antorchas in Buenos Aires has been financing the conservation of colonial paintings, maps and works on paper for years. This year, for the first time, it has organized a seminar in preservation of bibliographic and archival materials. The Fulbright Commission is helping by providing grants for instructors, some of whom have to travel from the U.S. and possibly other countries, for a minimum of two months to teach. It began in April, and will run to September 2001.

Américo Castilla, the Cultural Manager at Antorchas, sent a letter February 23 to the Abbey Publications office, saying in part, "The main goal of the program is to improve the conservation and access conditions of valuable collections by training a selected number of conservators, archivists and librarians from cultural institutions from Argentina, Chile and Brasil." If the present plan works, it may become the basis for a university level program.

Up to 20 participants will be selected, on the basis of their educational background, experience in the field, place of work and duties, manual skills, knowledge of English, attitude toward their work and formal permission from their institutions to complete the program with paid leave of absence. The seminar will be taught in two 21-week segments.

The four-page curriculum forwarded by Mr. Castilla looks modern and well-thought-out. Maria Esteva, a conservator who lives in Buenos Aires, also described the Fulbright grants and the curriculum in the Conservation DistList February 14. She said the application deadline was between May 1 and August 1, 2000, but it is not clear whether this is for the students or potential faculty.

A brochure lists a total of about 45 professors and instructors for the library/archive and museum parts of the program. These include Carolyn Rose, Mary Lou Florian, Dave Erhardt, Mark Gilberg, Dianne van der Reyden, David von Endt, Mary Striegel, and Toby Raphael. Elaine Schlefer has also been given a Fulbright grant to travel there to teach.

For more information, visit http://www.fundantorchas.retina.ar/ or contact Maria Estava at <mesteva@fundantorchas.retina.ar> or Mr. Castilla at <info@fundantorchas.retina.ar> or Casilla de Correo 5295, C1000ZAA Buenos Aires, Argentina.