ANNUAL MEETING

sERCA’S 2026 annual meeting: Out-of-the-Box!

The Southeastern Regional Conservation Association (SERCA) is thrilled to announce our annual conference, taking place this year in the stunning Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina! The conference will take place at the Museum of the Cherokee People, February 27th-March 1st, 2026.

Dates: Friday, February 27^th – Sunday, March 1^st, 2026

Location: Cherokee, North Carolina

The Southeastern Regional Conservation Association (SERCA) is thrilled to host our annual conference, taking place this year in the stunning Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina!

Attend presentations that explore a variety of innovative and thought-provoking approaches to conservation.  This year’s theme, Out-of-the-Box!, celebrates the bold, the experimental, and the unconventional—methods, materials, and practices that push beyond traditional models of care and preservation. 

Laura Elliff Cruz, Head of Collections at the School for Advanced Research (SAR) Indian Arts Research Center (IARC)is the keynote speaker for our annual conference.  She will provide a virtual presentation on the Indigenous Collections Care (ICC) Guide. This framework honors Indigenous belief systems and practices, centering Tribal sovereignty and intellectual authority over cultural heritage.

Presentations will also include the following:

Clays and Plant Leaves for Cleaning Paintings: Evaluating and Developing Bio-Based, Historically Inspired Methods for Oil Paintings at the Rijksmuseum – Presenter: Victoria Ward, Paintings Conservator

Live Conservation, a Non-traditional Practice: Notes on Art Conservation In the Public Eye – Presenter: Luis Sexas, Objects Conservator

Spin Doctor: A Case Study of the Conservation Treatment of a Damaged Globe – Presenter: Geneva Ikle, Paper Conservator