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Calls for contributions will open in early November 2026

From the moment they were introduced, photographs were seen as fragile objects and their instability soon attracted the attention of scientists and photographers. During the industrial revolution, manufacturers took up the challenge of developing sensitive surfaces; and by the end of the 20^th century, conservation institutes were conducting their own research into the conservation of this new heritage object. The use of photography in a wide variety of processes, and its materialization on different media, raises many questions about the characteristics of objects and their preservation, at a time when the need for green transition is forcing us to open up new research paths into the conservation of cultural heritage artefacts. Therefore, photography is now facing technical, scientific, ecological, and societal challenges. This symposium intends to build a narrative of 50 years of research into the preservation of photographic heritage, while taking part in the development of a forward-looking approach to these new conservation challenges.

It is aimed at conservation scientists, curators, collection managers, conservators of photographs and photography historians. It is part of the French Ministry of Culture's bicentennial celebration of photography, which is taking place in 2026-2027. The conference languages are French and English, and simultaneous interpretation will be provided.

The program is structured into three sessions. The first one seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the evolution of concerns regarding the materiality of photographs. The goal is at the same time to enhance our knowledge of the collections and to understand the objects themselves, with the aim to improve their conservation. The second session will explore the evolution of conservation practices with a focus on the consideration of the objects’ degradation as a component of their historical significance. Preventive and remedial conservation as well as restoration will be studied in terms of methodological differences, particularly at international level. The third prospective session will examine considerations relating to the ways in which photographs are acquired and exhibited. The conservation and exhibition conditions will be discussed from the first official recommendation of the 1980s, till the recent reassessment in the context of ecological transition.

We invite the whole community to submit contributions in French or English before January 15, 2026, either for:

- an oral communication, the content of which should explore the recent history of photograph preservation or its future prospects

- a poster presentation that focuses on a more specific research topic, in line with one of the above-mentioned themes.

We recommend that you register as soon as possible.
  

The symposium aims to bring together the international photographic heritage conservation community for respectful scientific exchange. Our goal is to ensure that anyone interested in the symposium can participate safely and without suffering any form of discrimination, whether racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic or ableist. Anyone who witnesses or experiences such incidents or any other unprofessional behaviour should contact the organisers. All complaints will be handled as confidentially as possible.

  
We are keen to take into account the difficulties faced by parents, and are committed to making our event as accessible and inclusive as possible. To this end, we would like to inform participants that baby-wearing is permitted during the symposium and that a breastfeeding area will be available. To use this area, please send us a message to reserve a space. We are also currently seeking funding to provide childcare.