AIC's 52nd Annual Meeting

The SBMK Project Photography was launched in October 2020 and finished in December 2023. Within the project a knowledge infrastructure was built to assist Netherlands cultural institutions with the preservation of their modern and contemporary photograph collections. Within this project workshops supported by a sample set made with the collaboration of printers internationally, were organized. Dutch terminology was standardized and the acquisition process within institutions was examined and streamlined.

Together, knowledge gaps were surveyed and research in preservation and conservation was initiated in collaboration with students, researchers and the community, to find practical answers to challenges that collections struggle with. These activities provide key insight into process, materials and techniques and help institutions and private collections understand what modern and photography is, it’s value and its individuality. With this knowledge clear decisions can be made surrounding modern and contemporary holdings and institutions not having specialist knowledge in house can build a foundation to assist in giving proper care to collections.

The information gathered within the 3-year period is available online in Dutch and in English and will be added to in the future. This paper provides a summary of achievements and reflects on the lessons learned when establishing a project. What worked? What could have we done differently? What are the ingredients needed to interest funding organizations for a project? What failed and why? Finally, number of knowledge gaps that have yet to be addressed will be discussed. By discussion our achievements and reflecting on the past 3 years, the author hopes to provide behind the scenes insight to assist others in combining their strengths and organizing projects that will aid the preservation of photographs for the future