Collecting, Interpreting & Conserving Modern Materials

Conference Announcement & Call for Papers

The Future of the Twentieth Century - Collecting, Interpreting & Conserving Modern Materials

27 & 28 July 2005

University of Southampton,Winchester, England

Modern materials, whether as art or everyday objects, are the basis of the contemporary material world.  This international conference encompasses materials and artefacts, makers and collectors, cultural theorists and conservators.  It will include modern man-made and synthetic textiles, non-textile modern materials found in relation to textiles and dress, and contemporary techniques of textile manufacture.  It is hoped that bringing together such a diversity of interests will provoke debate and facilitate strategic approaches to ensure that evidence of today's world survives for future generations.

Presentations from invited keynote speakers will be complemented by papers from other specialists in a range of disciplines.  Submissions on a wide range of issues and materials addressing issues of making, collecting, researching, analysing, conserving and interpreting are warmly invited

from curators, conservators, conservation scientists, cultural historians and textile artists, designers and makers.  Papers will be selected for presentation and publication in the post-prints through peer-review.

Deadline for abstract submission: 1 February 2005

Notification of acceptance to authors: 7 March 2005

Proffered contributions including a provisional title, the names and affiliations of the authors, the contact address, phone number and email address for the principal author, an abstract of up to 300 words should be emailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Submissions will be considered by the peer review committee and authors will be informed of the outcome by 7 March 2005. If deemed appropriate, some papers may be considered for poster rather than oral presentation. Accepted abstracts will be collated for distribution at the meeting and will be available for consultation on-line after 21 March 2005. The Conference Proceedings will be published, and instructions to authors for preparation of full papers will be available in March 2005.

The conference will be held on the Winchester Campus of the University of Southampton. This is itself a modern site with good travel links by air (Southampton Airport), rail air (Gatwick and Heathrow plus coach or train) and train (approx. 1 hour from London).  Winchester is an historic city famous for its Cathedral and King Arthur's Round Table.  Visits to notable local collections of contemporary material will be offered.  It is hoped that contemporary art and textiles by Winchester School of Art staff and students will be on view during the conference.  The conference fee will be in the region of £100.  Winchester offers a wide range of places to stay and participants will be free to choose their own accommodation.

This conference is the Second Annual Conference AHRC Research Centre for Textile Conservation & Textiles Studies. The Research Centre is a partnership between the Textile Conservation Centre, University of Southampton with the Universities of Bradford and Manchester. For more information, please go to the website: Researche Centre for Textile Conservation

Please follow this link to the news release of the conference.

For information on submitting a paper or to reserve a place on the conference please contact:

The Conference Secretariat, The Textile Conservation Centre, University of

Southampton, Park Avenue, Winchester, Hants SO23 8DL, England, UK

Tel: (+44) 02380 597100

Fax: (+44) 02380597101