Save the Textile Conservation Centre

From the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (IIC)

IIC President Jerry Podany spoke last Sunday on the BBC Radio 4 program The World this Weekend about the closure of the UK Textile Conservation Centre. The closure of the centre has recently hit the headlines in the wider media, including features on the BBC and in the Times. Jerry Podany spoke out about the closure condemning it as “a betrayal of trust”.

To see the Times online article about the Textile Conservation Centre, go to: http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article6087500

From Heritage Crafts Association news HCA

The Textile Conservation Centre was founded in 1975 by Karen Finch OBE and was based at Hampton Court Palace for nearly 25 years. It is of international importance having trained over half of the textile conservators working in the world today.

In 1998, the Centre merged with the University of Southampton, one of the UK’s top research-led universities, and in 1999 relocated to a purpose-designed building on the University’s campus in Winchester. Now, less than ten years later, it is set to close

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From Robin Wood Woodcraft

The Textile Conservation Centre was founded in 1975 by Karen Finch OBE and was based at Hampton Court Palace for nearly 25 years. It is of international importance having trained over half of the textile conservators working in the world today.

In 1998 the Centre merged with the University of Southampton, one of the UK’s top research-led universities, and in 1999 relocated to a purpose-designed building on the University’s campus in Winchester. Now less than 10 years later it is set to close. This represents a sad loss of skills and a world class example of skills teaching too. In some ways it is not the universities fault as it is not self financing as a part of the school of art and design.

It seems strange at a time when new schemes are being set up and money poured into heritege building conservation skills that such a success story as the textile conservation centre should be closing.

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From Knitbuddies

The Textile Conservation Centre closes Nov 2009 confirmed

About 2 years ago I read that the University of Southampton was looking for additional funding and or moving there Textile Conservation department to another University. The Textile Conservation department at the University of Southampton has been responsible for the training probably half of the leading textile conservators in the world. And those that they did not train were probably taught by former students. I know I worked under several of there former students.

Some of the most significant textile restoration projects in the world have all used there services. The Staff, Minds, Skills, all in one place under one room at The University of Southampton can not be found elsewhere. But the Department will be closed November 1, 2009. The staff will be shattered to the wind and the world will loose one of its most precious resources.

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From the BBC News

A number of textile specialists are to be made redundant when a conservation centre shuts amid a funding crisis.

Winchester School of Art’s Textile Conservation Centre (TCC) in Hampshire, which is part of the University of Southampton, will shut on 31 October.

Earlier, the university told the BBC it could no longer “cross-subsidise” it.

The centre’s foundation hoped some of the work would be transferred to Oxford University but said that was “not feasible”.

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From Matthew More, Telegraph.co.uk

The entire staff of the Textile Conservation Centre will be laid off in November after the University of Southampton decided that it could no longer afford to host its work.

The closure brings to an end decades of preservation work by the organisation, which had become a centre of excellence for textile conservators.
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From Ben Hoyle, Times Online

Bagpuss, Freddie Mercury’s fake leather trousers and Henry VIII’s football boots would all be in a much worse state without a British group of conservation experts.

Now the Textile Conservation Centre, which has restored thousands of historically significant bits of fabric and trained about half the leading textile conservators in the world, faces becoming history itself.
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TCC CLOSURE
As recipients of earlier updates about the future of the Textile Conservation Centre will be aware, the University of Southampton has decided to close the TCC on 31st October 2009. The Centre’s supporting Trust, the TCC Foundation, has for some months been discussing the possibility of transferring elements of the Centre’s work to the School of Archaeology, University of Oxford. Although there were many benefits to be gained from such a move, it is now clear that a transfer will not be feasible. The pressure on creating new student places at the University of Oxford meant that a viable plan proved impossible.

The Textile Conservation Centre will therefore be closed by the University of Southampton on 31st October 2009 and its staff will be made redundant with effect from 1st November 2009.

TEXTILE CONSERVATION CENTRE FOUNDATION
The TCC Foundation will continue to make every effort to ensure that the TCC’s work, accumulated knowledge and expertise will not be completely lost as a result of the University of Southampton’s closure decision. The Foundation Trustees are meeting shortly to review options and will issue a further statement in due course.

Speaking on behalf of the Foundation, Peter Longman, Deputy Chairman, thanked those responsible at the TCC and the Universities of Oxford and Southampton who had worked hard to explore the possibility of transfer. Longman said ‘this closure will have serious implications for the conservation and museum sector in terms of career-entry education, CPD and research.’ These pressing issues are highlighted in Demos’ It’s a Material World report, initiated by the TCC Foundation. This report can be downloaded from Demos Report, It’s a Material World

NEXT FEW MONTHS
Until 31st October 2009 all the TCC’s activities will continue as normal: the two MA programmes (MA Textile Conservation and MA Museums & Galleries), commercial work and research by staff and PhD students.

Time will also be made to celebrate the huge achievements of the Centre since it was founded by Karen Finch OBE in 1975. To that end the TCC is organising two open days (18th & 19th June) for supporters, former clients, graduates and the Centre’s friends to see the work of the current staff and students for one final time before closure. A major reception will also be held in London for those who have funded and supported the TCC over the past 34 years.

Statement issued 21st February 2009
For further information:

For more information about the closure or about the TCC’s June Open days please contact Nell Hoare, Director of the TCC, at tccuk@soton.ac.uk

From Nell Hoare, Director of the TCC

The last update about the future of the TCC was widely circulated in late spring 2008. It is now timely to provide a further bulletin on the progress of efforts to find a future for the work of the internationally renowned Textile Conservation Centre

The TCC joined the University of Southampton in 1998, since when its staff have achieved much success. Such were their achievements that the University identified the TCC as one of its 14 ‘centres of special excellence’.

However, after an extended review and long consideration the University decided, in December 2007, to close the TCC at the end of October 2009. Those unfamiliar with the background can find more information at www.textileconservationcentre.soton.ac.uk.
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From Andrew Napier at the Southern Daily Echo

THE Government has refused to intervene over the threatened closure of the world-renowned Textile Conservation Centre in Winchester.

The centre trains most of the world’s fabric conservation experts and among the historic textiles it has preserved have been the topsail of Nelson’s HMS Victory, Freddie Mercury’s imitation leather trousers and Henry VIII’s football boots. Continue Reading »