Evaluation of the function of two thematic networks under the INCCA platform.
INCCA, International Network for the Conservation of Contemporary Art, is a platform for professionals involved in the preservation and conservation of contemporary art. INCCA consists of regional groups and two thematic networks.
First meeting of the PhD and Postdoc Network at the international symposium, Contemporary Art: Who Cares? (Amsterdam, 2010). Photo: Martine Berendsen.
The basic objective of the INCCA platform is the collection and sharing of knowledge on the conservation management of contemporary art. The network exists due to the members' generous sharing of information and their organizations' understanding of its importance. The platform has a steering committee and the central coordination is undertaken by the RCE.
The two thematic networks, INCCA Education and PhD & Postdoc were set up to provide various member groups with targeted information. Both affiliated with INCCA, the two networks came into being during the international research project PRACTICs (2009-2011). In the spring of 2012 an evaluation was made of these networks as part of the optimisation of the entire INCCA platform.
The evaluation provided an opportunity for reflection: what does the setting up and maintenance of such a network entail and is all the effort indeed worthwhile? The knowledge generated here will hopefully be useful to others planning to set up similar networks.