Making Space
Introduction to Woodworking for Conservators
The Chairmaker’s Toolbox, The Wooden Artifacts Group (of The American Institute of Conservation), and North Bennet Street School have teamed up to produce an in-depth traditional woodworking program for emerging art conservators who identify as historically excluded in the field of woodworking and/or art conservation. Historically excluded identities may include but are not limited to those who identify as BIPOC, gender-nonconforming, and/or female.
The curriculum is uniquely tailored for emerging conservators, providing them with skills and knowledge that they can apply to projects in their field. The specialized training combines two of North Bennet Street School’s woodworking fundamentals courses—one based on hand tools, the other focused on machines—and will be taught by skilled instructors from The Chairmaker's Toolbox community.
Applicants do not need previous woodworking experience, but must be a pre-program, current undergraduate or graduate student, or postgraduate up to 5 years out from graduation in the field of art conservation.
This program is being offered as a fellowship, which covers full tuition, free housing, and a travel and living stipend. The program runs from June 10th - June 21st, 2024.
Deadline to apply: 11:59pm on March 1st, 2024, with awardees announced in mid-March.
Presented by: The Chairmakers Toolbox, Wooden Artifacts Group of the American Institute for Conservation, North Bennet Street School
Sponsored by: The Chairmakers Toolbox and North Bennet Street School with further generous financial support from the University of Delaware Department of Art Conservation and the Department of Art Conservation Professional Venture Fund, and the Wooden Artifacts Group of the American Institute for Conservation.
The ORGANIZERS
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The Wooden Artifacts Group is a specialty group within the structure of The American Institute of Conservation that consists of members who conserve objects that generally contain wood, including furniture, frames, architectural woodwork, decorated surfaces, musical instruments, and polychrome objects. WAG is actively seeking to promote a more diverse future for the wooden artifacts specialty and for the field of art conservation more broadly.
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The Chairmaker’s Toolbox designs and facilitates programming to increase access and equity in the field of chairmaking. CMT highlights makers of tools used in traditional chairmaking - spokeshaves, drawknives, froes, axes, etc. - makers who are underrepresented and historically marginalized such as female-identifying, gender nonconforming, or BIPOC. The program aims for “educational equity” which comes in the form of free or sliding-scale classes and workshops, free online chairmaking resources, and more.
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As America’s first trade school, North Bennet Street School is internationally known for its programs that help students to achieve meaningful lives and livelihoods. For more than a century—since its founding in 1881 as a settlement house for immigrants—the exceptional programs, expert faculty, and inspiring community have encouraged individual growth, curiosity, technical mastery, and commitment to excellence.
NBSS offers accredited career training programs in Bookbinding, Carpentry, Cabinet & Furniture Making, Jewelry Making & Repair, Locksmithing & Security Technology, Piano Technology, Preservation Carpentry, and Violin Making & Repair. The School also provides over 120 short classes to beginners and more advanced students every year. The School is committed to community engagement, with offerings that include career discovery programs for youth, preservation projects with civic partners, and programming and exhibitions for the public. NBSS is located in an award-winning 64,000 sf facility in Boston’s North End neighborhood, the community in which it was originally founded. For more information, visit nbss.edu.
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The Chairmakers Toolbox and North Bennet Street School with further generous financial support from the University of Delaware Department of Art Conservation and the Department of Art Conservation Professional Venture Fund, and the Wooden Artifacts Group of the American Institute for Conservation.