Cultural Materials Conservation in Australia: critical reflections and key issues in the twenty-first century

The conservation profession in Australia has a tradition of thoughtful, collaborative and innovative work that has continuously sought to improve techniques, explore new developments and respond to changes in heritage and the wider world. The interim constitution of the Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material that established the AICCM in 1972, the Museums in Australia 1975 (Pigott) Report and the 1998 National Policy and Strategy for the Conservation of Australia's Movable Cultural Heritage began a tradition of broad engagement. This was continued with interactions with other significant Australian heritage influences such as the Burra Charter, Significance 2.0, and an increasing awareness of Indigenous issues. The pace of change has continued to accelerate, and even before the extraordinary events of late 2019 and 2020 it was apparent that it was time to take stock again, leading to the call for papers for this volume.