​2024 NYSCA/GHHN Conservation Treatment Grant

The NYSCA/GHHN Conservation Treatment Grant is a collaborative initiative between the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the Greater Hudson Heritage Network (GHHN). This program offers financial assistance for treatment procedures aimed at stabilizing and preserving objects held in the collections of museums, historical, and cultural organizations across New York State. The grant's mission is aligned with supporting the arts and cultural heritage by safeguarding significant artifacts and ensuring their longevity for public access and historical record. Additional funding from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation specifically supports projects from Long Island and New York City, further extending the reach and impact of this conservation effort. The grant targets nonprofit organizations, including museums, historical organizations, and other cultural institutions that are incorporated in or registered to do business in New York State and own, care for, and exhibit collections to the public. This includes institutions of all sizes, with encouragement for those with smaller budgets to apply. The impact goal is to aid in the stabilization and preservation of cultural objects, thereby contributing to a more inclusive narrative of New York State's history and diverse cultural expression. The program explicitly prioritizes objects involving historically marginalized and underrepresented communities, such as African American/Caribbean, Latino/Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, Native American/Indigenous, LGBTQIA, and people with disabilities, to tell a more inclusive story of the state. The funding priorities of the NYSCA/GHHN Conservation Treatment Grant embrace a wide spectrum of cultural expression and artistic pluralism. Organizations are encouraged to demonstrate a holistic commitment to DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, and access). The program believes that the objects chosen for conservation reflect what an organization values, therefore, objects and stories that contribute to a more inclusive narrative of New York State are highly valued. This focus aims to ensure that a broader range of cultural heritage is preserved and made accessible to the public, fostering a richer understanding of the state's diverse past. Expected outcomes include the successful conservation of various 3D objects, such as paintings, works on paper, textiles, furniture, frames, sculpture, historical, ethnographic, and decorative objects. Measurable results will be seen in the number of objects treated, the types of communities represented by the conserved objects, and the adherence to professional conservation standards. The grant also supports related costs such as in-state transportation, insurance for treated works, and treatment costs for integral supports, stands, and mounts. For outdoor sculptures, a description of an existing or planned maintenance program is required, indicating a commitment to long-term preservation. The grant operates under the strategic priority of promoting cultural preservation through professional conservation practices, while also advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and access within the cultural heritage sector. The theory of change is that by providing financial support for the conservation of diverse cultural objects, the program will empower New York State's cultural organizations to tell more inclusive narratives, preserve valuable historical artifacts, and make these collections accessible to a wider public. This will ultimately enrich the understanding of New York's cultural landscape and foster greater engagement with its varied histories.