43rd Annual Meeting
The theme for AIC’s 43rd Annual Meeting in Miami, FL May 13-16, 2015 was Practical Philosophy, or Making Conservation Work. All aspects of conservation, from preventive care to in-painting, include both theory and practice. In most cases, theory supports practice. Nonetheless, conservation professionals are sometimes challenged in their efforts to smoothly meld the two. Many factors, ranging from available resources to questions of public access and politics, can thwart even the best treatment plans and noblest intentions. The transition from what we initially envision as ideal to what we eventually acknowledge as realistic often requires compromise. But, are less than satisfactory outcomes inevitable? Or, can better solutions evolve from necessity? Presentations in the general session and throughout the meeting discussed how philosophical principles can be successfully translated into workable—even superior—practice.
Because UNESCO proclaimed 2015 the International Year of Light, the Program Committee selected presentations discussing practical solutions that take advantage of optical technology to examine and preserve cultural heritage. Read the UNESCO International Year of Light Prospectus 
for more information.