Press Release: New Head of School of Conservation at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation
Elizabeth Neville MA ACR has been appointed the new Head of School of Conservation at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation. Elizabeth has over thirty years' experience as a book conservator, interspersed with teaching conservation to Graduate and Masters students.
"My role as Head of the School is to ensure that the College continues to be recognised as a world leader for training in conservation and historic craft practice and that students have the opportunity to gain the appropriate academic qualifications to pursue the next stage of their careers. I want to bring the lessons I have learnt from delivering work-based training into the studios at West Dean to enhance the College's reputation for practice led learning."
The College announced its ten year vision late last year, underlining a commitment to both conservation and arts education, including ambitious growth in student numbers. The School of Conservation attracts students from across the UK, Europe and internationally. Students learn in a unique historic house environment with its own collection and archive, and with the involvement of practicing accredited conservators and external heritage and craft specialists, in teaching delivery and mentoring of courses, to ensure teaching is contemporary and consistent with current conservation practice.
About Elizabeth Neville
Elizabeth taught on the Graduate Diploma in Books and Library Materials and the MA Conservation Studies courses at West Dean College (2004-10), and the MA in Paper Conservation at Camberwell School of Arts and Craft (1996-7). She returns to West Dean after eight years in the private sector running HLF funded, work-based traineeships for junior professionals in book and archive conservation. Elizabeth has held significant positions of responsibility with the Institute of Conservation (Icon) and the Institute of Paper Conservation (IPC) with a strong emphasis on training and professional development. She is also a V&A assessor for the level 4, Conservation and Collections Care Technicians Diploma. Research interests are conservation ethics and decision-making, work-based learning, and artists' books.
"I came to conservation via an early career in archaeology. This was where I first experienced that sense of amazement at holding in your hands something that is a physical link with the past, made and used by people I could never know, yet providing a window onto how things were. Being a conservator is a continuous process of discovery, investigation and application of technique, all undertaken for the purposes of helping people to understand and appreciate history and preserving what is valued today for future generations." Elizabeth Neville
The appointment follows the retirement of previous post-holder David Dorning who will continue as a part time Science Tutor in his semi-retirement.
College Open Days: Friday 7 December 2018 and Saturday 9 February 2019
Notes to editors:
West Dean College of Arts and Conservation is part of The Edward James Foundation, a charitable trust also comprising West Dean Gardens, West Dean Estate and the West Dean Tapestry Studio. Charity No. 1126084.
All photography is copyright free for editorial purposes.
For all media enquiries please contact:
Annie McGrath, Golden Squared Consulting
+44 (0)207 439 2822
West Dean College of Arts and Conservation, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 OQZ
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