• Get in touch with an ACA member listed on the contact page. Your inquiry will be answered by the art conservator with the specialized expertise to care for your object (paintings, paper, three-dimensional objects, and textiles).
• Schedule a meeting. Each conservator in ACA has a private studio where you can bring your artwork for a free consultation. If you prefer, an on-site consultation of your artwork or collection can be arranged based on an hourly fee.

• Your concerns and the needs of your art are reviewed with you and a verbal description of the possible treatment is given. If you decide to proceed to the next step, the object is left in the care of the art conservator.

• A written examination report is prepared after the initial consultation. There is a modest fee for the comprehensive report, which describes your object, its condition, outlines the proposed treatment, and provides an estimate along with contractual terms. This report is a necessary part of our professional and ethical approach to art conservation.

• Telephone inquiries and email communications are free.
• The initial in-studio consultation is free. Your artwork’s condition, treatment time, and cost estimates are verbally assessed during the initial consultation.
• An on-site consultation is based on an hourly fee.
• With your approval, a Condition Report and Treatment Proposal is prepared by the art conservator. There is a flat fee for this comprehensive report.
• Estimated treatment costs are based on an hourly rate and materials. Once the owner approves the proposal, the conservator proceeds with the treatment.
• A deposit, based on a percentage of the total estimated cost, is requested upon approval of the treatment proposal.

• Art conservation is a time-consuming process. Completion time depends on the complexity of the treatment and the individual conservator’s schedule of work for other clients. A general time frame can be given to the client upon receipt of the object.

Why do I need a Condition Report and Treatment Proposal?

• A Condition Report is a technical description and physical assessment of an item and the first step in the conservation process. It is similar to a history-and-physical examination from your doctor. Your approval of the Treatment Proposal allows the art conservator to undertake necessary testing and to proceed with the recommended treatment steps.
• The Condition Report and Treatment Proposal is a comprehensive descriptive record of your artwork and an important part of our professional standards as outlined in the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.  Abiding by this ethical code maintains the beauty and value of your art object and helps us to fulfill our responsibility to you, the object, and our profession.

How much is it worth?
Art conservators do not appraise art but will give you an opinion regarding the urgency of treatment. A certified art appraiser can help you with the monetary evaluation of your art object. You can find an art appraiser through American Society of Appraisers. Only you, as the owner, can determine if the item is “worth” the cost of conservation since value combines financial, historical, artistic, and/or sentimental interests. Professional art conservation treatment can recover significant display value for items that can no longer be exhibited because of damage or disfigurement. Contact ART CONSERVATORS ALLIANCE.

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