Amelia International Conservation Studies(AICS) is now accepting applications for our summer 2025 field school in Italy). The deadline for applications is March 1, 2025.
With over two decades of expertise and a global alumni network from over 190 colleges and universities, AICS is dedicated to the preservation of cultural heritage.
During this immersive program, students will have the unique opportunity to study and travel in Italy, gaining invaluable hands-on experience in restoration and conservation.
Courses are designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the science, ethics, and practical skills necessary for art conservation and historic preservation.
Program Details:
Stone Conservation: Science and Ethics in Historic Preservation
– Restoration of Historic Monuments
– History, Theory, and Ethics of Restoration
(Program includes lectures and restoration field projects*)
Preserving our Past: Paper Conservation for Art and Archives
– Paper Media and Restoration Methods for Artworks
– Manuscripts and Printed Archival Materials Restoration Methods
(Program includes lectures and restoration workshop*)
Experiencing Traditional Painting Materials, Methods and Restoration Issues – in the workshop of a Maestro
– Traditional painting, techniques, materials and methods
– History, Theory, and Ethics of Restoration
Session Two (July 14 – August 8, 2025)
Analyzing, Documenting and Restoring Archaeological Ceramics
– Analyzing, Documenting Archaeological Ceramics
– Restoring Archaeological Ceramics
(Program includes lectures and restoration field projects*)
Unlocking the Secrets of Historical Bookbinding: Structures, Preservation and Book
Conservation
– History and the making of early bookbinding structures
– Conservation and preservation of books
(Program includes lectures and restoration field projects*)
Architectural Painted Surfaces: Conservation & Restoration of Fresco and Secco Wall Paintings
– Introduction to Fresco and Secco Wall Paintings
– Conservation and Restoration Techniques for Fresco and Secco Wall Paintings
(Program includes lectures and restoration field projects*)
*Field Projects:
· Historic Archives of the Municipality of Amelia: A unique opportunity for students to study and conserve archival documents, promoting an understanding of historical data preservation.
· Restoration and conservation of artifacts from the Archaeological Museum of Amelia.
· In the courtyard of Amelia’s Town Hall, there is a small open-air Lapidarium that houses a collection of significant architectural artifacts. These relics serve as a testament to the rich history of Roman Amerίa, as well as the medieval and Renaissance periods.
· Participants of the Painted Surfaces Program will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills and to understand the unique opportunity to work on a historically significant site, at the 13th-century cloister of San Francisco church in Amelia. The cloister, built in 1287 A.D., provides an exceptional example of fresco and secco paintings from the medieval period.
AICS is a program of the Art Restoration and Conservation International Field School (ARCIFS), based in Amelia, Italy. We have established cooperation agreements with the Municipality of Amelia to study and conserve artworks and archaeological objects held in their museums, as well as a collaboration with the Historic Archives of the Comune di Amelia for AICS participants to study and conserve archival documents.
Since June 2024, we have also formed a significant cooperation with the Accademia di Belle Arti in Naples, further expanding our reach and opportunities for art conservation and restoration.
Our program is not just for art historians or preservationists. We encourage students from architecture, archaeology, library science, chemistry, museum studies, classics, anthropology, and related fields to apply, emphasizing the interdisciplinary nature of art conservation and historic preservation.
Our courses are open to students from various disciplines, both undergraduate and graduate, to join us for this incredible learning experience. All lessons are taught in English.
If you know any students, scholars, or others interested in this type of study, please inform them about our program. We would appreciate it if you could list our program on your organization’s website as an available educational resource.
For further information, including application deadlines and requirements, please visit our website at Art Restoration and Conservation International Field School.
