Preservation Services: A Wide Variety of Professional Services
Our conservators are ready to assist clients with assessments, surveys, and inspection of collections, as well as assist with disaster planning, response, and recovery. ICA also has professional staff that can provide custom framing, crates, and installation.
Art Transportation
ICA – Art Conservation offers comprehensive object/exhibition travel logistics beginning with object assessment and conservation recommendations for safe handling and transport of client artwork. Available services include condition reporting, deinstallation, packing/crating, transport, courier service, and reinstallation of artwork, including everything from mounted artifacts to outdoor sculpture, as needed.
ICA is able to arrange fine art ground transportation solutions throughout the United States. Within our network of providers, ICA can arrange the safe transport of your art work or exhibition. We can assist with fine art shuttle and exclusive use transport services.
All vehicles are dual driver, equipped with air-ride, climate controls, lift-gates, and GPS tracking. In addition to straight trucks, tractor trailers, and high cubes, ICA can arrange for specialty flatbed equipment including Conestoga, drop deck, and roll-back flatbeds as well.
Courier Services
The ICA recommends the use of courier services for transporting high value and/or fragile pieces, particularly when the handling of the object requires special supervision and guidance. We offer “door to door” fine art courier services in which a conservator or registrar travels with an object at all times. ICA couriers can also oversee installation and de-installation of artwork. Condition checking—prior to departure and upon arrival—can be supplied as needed.
Custom Crate and Vitrine
Our highly trained technical staff is capable of building virtually any shape or size crate necessary for storage or transport. All of our crates are built to comply with international materials restrictions. Crate interiors are lined or padded as needed with the safest and most archivally appropriate materials available, while making every effort to work within each client’s budgetary needs.
We also design and fabricate custom display cases, sculpture bases, dust-protective plexiglass vitrines, recessed “shadow-box” display units, and custom picture frames for objects large and small. Our paper conservation lab includes a matting and framing department capable of handling any matting and framing project a client might desire.
Disaster Assistance
If you need disaster assistance call 216-658-8700. Our business hours are 9 am – 5 pm EST Monday through Friday.
ICA was one of the founding institutional members of the Alliance for Response Ohio (AR-OH) formerly the Northeast Ohio Alliance for Response (NEOAFR), part of a national initiative of Heritage Preservation, which also co-sponsors the Heritage Emergency National Task Force, a partnership of 40 national service organizations and federal agencies. ICA staff sit on the steering committee of the Performing Arts Readiness initiative which provides planning, training, and disaster assistance to performing arts organizations.
ICA is committed to aiding cultural institutions in their disaster preparedness and response efforts. In addition to offering ongoing educational opportunities, ICA provides disaster services including remote consultation and suggestion of resources, On-site surveys that include recommendations for disaster preparedness, immediate response, as required, conservation treatment for objects damaged by fire, smoke, flooding, mold outbreaks, insect infestation, etc., technical information to aid in insurance claim filing.
Frames and Mat Packages
ICA staff is pleased to assist clients in the preparation and presentation of their fine art. We offer the finest materials and custom frame options, including contemporary hardwoods, welded aluminum, and faithful period reproductions in gilt, carved, and compo moldings. Our conservators and preparators will gladly discuss mounting options and suggest appropriate archival materials, stressing long term safety and reversibility, and aesthetic considerations. The ICA also specializes in the restoration of period frames, and can prepare complete exhibitions and/or collections.
Insurance Claims
ICA actively participates in providing treatment for artwork that has been damaged in circumstances covered by insurance policies. Private clients are required by the ICA to provide insurance information for documentation purposes. The conservation staff, for an initial fee, can submit estimate costs for treatment to an insurance company.
Following the estimate, the client has 90 days to secure payment from the insurance company in order for the treatment to be carried out. Deliberation with insurance companies that takes longer than 90 days will incur a pro-rated storage charge for housing the artwork at the ICA facility.
ICA is also prepared to facilitate the resolution of damage assessment and coordinate efforts directly with an insurance agent.
Photography and Documentation
The ICA staffs document the condition of objects before, during, and after conservation treatment. ICA converted to a digital format for documentation of conservation treatment several years ago, but can provide film photography as needed. In addition to photographic documentation of artwork for treatment, the ICA can also perform: photography of artwork for collection assessment, re-housing collections, and insurance policy/claims purposes and technical examination of artwork including infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV).
Surveys and Assessments
Object-by-object condition surveys describe the condition and preservation/conservation needs for individual objects and help establish priorities for collections care. They include time and cost estimates for treatment, rehousing, and appropriate storage. Survey reports are valuable tools for curatorial decision making, establishing a preservation strategy, and determining priority care. Importantly, many federal and state granting agencies require assessments and collection-based surveys before funds will be allocated for the conservation of individual works in a collection.
ICA conservators can also make annual or seasonal visits to your institution, to monitor changes in preservation conditions and make recommendations for improvement as necessary.
