Boston MFA to Host First Alliance for Response Forum

The first of four Alliance for Response Forums will be held November 17 at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The purpose of the forums is to build partnerships between stewards of cultural heritage and first responders and to nurture emerging cultural heritage networks. One-day forums will be held in four cities in the coming months – Boston, Cincinnati, Dallas, and New York.

Working closely with emergency managers has been a long-term goal of the Heritage Emergency National Task Force and professional conservators. The need for partnerships is clear, and to be effective, they must be forged in the communities they will benefit. Whether there is a leaking pipe or major disaster, the primary response will be local.

The Northeast Document Conservation Center has hosted two planning sessions to develop program content for the Boston Forum, and a third meeting is scheduled for June 27th. Members of the Ohio Preservation Council (OPC) will also meet in late June to plan the Cincinnati program and select a site and date. In Dallas, local planners will gather in mid-July at Amigos Library Services to begin their planning process. It is anticipated that both the Dallas and Cincinnati meetings will be held before year’s end.

Watch the Heritage Preservation Web site for future news on this significant initiative. Click here for a PDF file of the project summary.