CA25156 - Sharing Practices for a Sustainable Future in the Conservation of Modern Art (SHARE-ART)

The conservation of modern and contemporary art, particularly works created after 1950 using industrial and synthetic materials, represents one of the most urgent and complex challenges in the cultural heritage field today. Many of these materials, such as plastics, synthetic pigments, and industrial paints, degrade rapidly, while artists often embrace fragility, impermanence, and transformation as part of their creative intent. Conservators must navigate the intersection between material preservation, ethical responsibility, and artistic meaning. At the European level, conservation practices remain fragmented, with knowledge often confined within individual institutions and limited opportunities for structured collaboration and data sharing. The SHARE ART- Sharing Practices for a Sustainable and Fair Future in the Conservation of Modern Art Action addresses this gap by establishing a sustainable, interdisciplinary, and transnational network that unites researchers, conservators, artists, museums, and policymakers. Its mission is to develop reproducible methodologies, open-access tools, and shared frameworks for sustainable and fair conservation practices. The Action is structured around six interconnected Working Groups: policy and ethics (WG1), practical conservation methods (WG2), sustainability metrics (WG3), digital and green transitions (WG4), education and training (WG5), and societal impact and equity (WG6). Each WG will contribute to joint Training Schools, STSMs, and dissemination activities, ensuring active knowledge exchange and broad engagement across sectors and countries. Together, they will generate guidelines, training opportunities, and a European Knowledge Hub consolidating conservation data, case studies, and best practices. By promoting interdisciplinarity, inclusiveness, and sustainability, SHARE ART will reinforce Europe’s leadership in the conservation of modern and contemporary art.