Eryl P. Wentworth
Executive Director
Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works (FAIC) www.conservation-us.org
How long have you been at your organization? I’ve been at AIC and its Foundation now for over eight years and have greatly enjoyed our work in advancing both organizations and strengthening the ways in which they support each other.
How has AFG helped you at your organization? AFG has opened fabulous networking opportunities and provided invaluable resources through its website and presentations.
What’s the best advice you can give as fundraising professional? Enthusiasm is contagious! Be ready with compelling stories of your accomplishments, listen carefully, and look for the gleam in the eye.
What keeps you up at night? In past couple of years, in particular, I have been obsessed with securing an unrestricted endowment for FAIC that will allow us to take full advantage of the energy and talents of our AIC members and expand our international activities. We are facing so many challenges in our field. For instance, nearly a quarter of all the 21 million paintings, sculptures, and works of decorative art in U.S. collections need conservation treatment or improved care and conditions. 80% of collecting institutions do not have an emergency plan that includes collections with staff trained to carry it out. 70% of institutions need additional training for their staff and volunteers that are involved with conservation/preservation activities. And, only 30% of collecting institutions have a current survey of the general condition of all of their collections. Raising awareness of the importance of preserving our cultural heritage is a tremendous challenge—one that also gets me up each morning!
What’s the biggest single gift you’ve raised? I’m pleased that since I’ve been at FAIC, we have increased individual contributions and secured significant grant funds. Most recently, we received a gift of $3.46 million from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Share a fundraising story (good, bad or ugly) On a whim, knowing how much of a long-shot it was, I sent background material and a request to a major individual philanthropist who had given large gifts to the arts, including to conservation projects. His very quick and personal response was “Sorry. I can’t kiss all the girls.” On another note, we recently began receiving a number of donations in honor of one of our local members from notable figures in the Washington Metro region. My first concern was that this member had come to an untimely end, but it turned out that she was asking her clients to make a donation to FAIC in lieu of payment for small conservation projects. While we often bring in members to assist us in fundraising, this creative, generous initiative warmed my heart.
If on Twitter, who do enjoy following the most? I have to confess that I don’t follow anyone on Twitter at this time. I do, however, subscribe to Twilert so that I can follow twitter posts on art conservation and our association (AIC). I’ll add that AIC has a twitter account, where we follow Tyler Green@TylerGreenDC, a journalist, art critic, and editor of Modern Art Notes; board member Nancie Ravenel@NancieRavenel, an objects conservator at the Shelburne Museum in Vermont; and member Walter Henry@walterhenry, the manager of FAIC’s Conservation Online resource.
Personal quote: “Conservation is the antidote to the disposable world.”
