The Indian Conservation Fellowship Program

In June 2016, The Met and the Ministry of Culture of the Government of India affirmed their willingness to establish a long-term cooperative relationship by signing a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that established a two-way partnership to share knowledge and expertise between The Met and cultural institutions in India.

As part of the MOU, The Met and the Stichting Restauratie Atelier Limburg (SRAL), with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Government of India and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, launched the Indian Conservation Fellowship Program. Following a one-year planning phase in 2012, the program successfully completed a three-year pilot phase (2013–2015) during which 18 Indian Conservation Fellows trained at The Met and SRAL.

With a second grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Met, and SRAL, along with a new partner institution, the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the Indian Conservation Fellowship Program launched in 2016. This new phase reinforces and expands upon the goals and essential structure of the pilot phase.

In order to apply, prospective fellows must be conservators with daily responsibility for the care of objects. Fellows must be Indian citizens who have strong knowledge of spoken and written English. Preference will be given to conservators in the early stages of their professional careers (approximately three to eight years of conservation experience) who are employed by museums or other institutions in India concerned with the study, conservation, and display of the country's artistic and cultural heritage. A good knowledge of conservation principles and basic academic background in conservation practice and artists' materials is expected.

Fellowships last three to six months and include a stipend to cover housing, food, and other living expenses during the fellowship. The stipend is not intended as a replacement for the fellow's salary. Deductions such as income tax, national insurances, and pension contributions are subtracted from the stipend as required by the host country. It is expected that the fellow's salary will continue at their home institution, and the employer must provide a letter of support confirming this (see How to Apply below).

Fellows receive up to $6,000 for approved travel, which includes travel to the host institution as well as travel for conferences, seminars, and visits to other conservation laboratories or cultural institutions. Health care coverage, visa expenses, and costs for residence permits are also covered by the fellowship.

Fellows receive $1,000 to purchase tools, equipment, and supplies for use at their home institutions.

Candidates must submit applications online.

The application requires the following:

• Name, home address, phone number, and email address
• Host institution to which the applicant would take like to apply
• Current employer: contact name, position and title, institutional address, email address, and telephone number
• Applicant’s position or title
• Full curriculum vitae of education, professional experience, honors, awards, and publications
• A statement not to exceed 1,000 words describing what the applicant hopes to accomplish during the fellowship period and how the program will benefit the applicant in the performance of his or her duties upon return to the home institution. Please include any preferences or restrictions regarding the length of the fellowship (between three and six months) or the start date.
• Official undergraduate and graduate transcripts or a photocopy
• IMPORTANT: A letter of support from the employer which must include a statement that the applicant is guaranteed his or her regular salary during absence, as well as confirming the return to his or her current position on completion of the Fellowship
• Two letters of recommendation from individuals who are well acquainted with the applicant’s academic or professional work
• For applicants to Paper and Photo Conservation: Two conservation reports describing the treatment or preservation project and the rationale for all phases of the course of action.

For general inquiries about the Indian Conservation Fellowship Program:

Savita Monie
Manager for Indian Conservation Program
Education Department
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10028-0198
savita.monie@metmuseum.org

For questions about fellowships at the Stichting Restauratie Atelier Limburg:

Kate Seymour
Stichting Restauratie Atelier Limburg
Avenue Ceramique 224
6221 KX Maastricht
The Netherlands
k.seymour@sral.nl

General inquiries may also be directed to:

Vinod Daniel
Plot No 212, New No 45
Palkalai Nagar 7th Link Road
Palavakam, Chennai 600041
Tamil Nadu
vinod.daniel.am@gmail.com
Phone: 91 7893985353
Skype: vinod.daniel.am

Download a PDF of the ICFP Alumni Record for contact information and details about alumni conservation projects and workshops.

Every November the ICFP partners with an Indian cultural institution to hold a seminar in India. Recent graduates of the program present reports on their fellowship experience and how they applied their training after returning to India. The seminar includes an open forum discussion with ICFP alumni and other invited conservators and students from Indian institutions. The goal is to create a network that supports the field with jobs, career training, and resources.

The ICFP also holds an annual workshop in India to train those who are in charge of collection care and museum collections but are ineligible for the fellowship. The ICFP works with an Indian State Museum and invites collections managers from regional museums for the two-day training workshop. Recent workshops have been held at the Victoria Memorial Hall Museum in Kolkata and the Directorate of Museums and Zoos in Thiruvananthapuram. The workshop covers preventive conservation techniques and principles, how to prioritize resources, and how to train personnel for the maintenance of vast museum collections.