The Art School is delighted to announce that Sandra Smith, the Head of Collection Care at the British Museum has accepted our invitation to join the Art School as Honorary Fellow. The title of Honorary Fellow is awarded to individuals who have made outstanding national or international contributions to art, craft, heritage or materiality, education or pedagogy. Sandra joins Professor Roger Kneebone, Director of Imperial College Centre for Engagement and Simulation Science and Rosy Greenlees OBE, Executive Director of the Crafts Council, as the Art School’s third Honorary Fellow.
Prior to taking up her new post at the British Museum in 2019, Sandra was Head of Conservation and Technical Services at the V&A, with an overview of the long term care of the V&A collections including contemporary design. During her 16 year tenure, she fostered research into the conservation and preservation of modern materials and the associated development of conservation practice to ensure the V&A collections would be accessible to future generations. Sandra has also taken a leading role in the development of the conservation profession as the Co-ordinator of the Ceramics and Glass working group of ICOM-CC, participating in working groups within ICON to develop career opportunities and education strategies in conservation. She was the Senior Judge of the Nigel Williams Award for over 15 years, was Treasurer of IIC and ICON and is a Trustee of the Gabo Trust and Vice president of IIC. Sandra is an accredited conservator and Fellow of the International Institute of Conservation (IIC) and the Society of Antiquaries (FSA).
The Art School is particularly grateful to Sandra for her support for our Conservation Department through her role as external consultant during the re-validation of the Conservation courses in 2016 and her contribution as an industry expert during the Art School’s 2017 Quality Assurance Agency Review. We look forward to welcoming Sandra to the Art School’s community.