Museum/gallery conservator : Employers and vacancy sources

There are over 2,500 museums and galleries in the UK. These range from small, independent or specialist museums, which rely mainly on volunteers, to large national institutions, which employ large teams of specialist staff. There are museums and art galleries in both the public and private sectors. Typical employers include:

• national museums and galleries, which receive central government funding;
• municipal organisations, which may fall under the leisure/cultural services department of the local authority;
• a university gallery or museum;
• independent organisations, which may have a more commercial emphasis. They are unlikely to employ permanent conservation staff, but may have specific items treated by a freelance conservator as necessary;
• heritage bodies, such as English Heritage  and the National Trust , which employ a small number of conservation staff;
• private conservation studios.

Self-employed freelance conservators may include any of the above as clients and may also work for art dealers, auction houses, the antiques trade and private collectors.

Conservation departments in museums have been severely cut back in recent years. With the exception of national museums, full-time, permanent posts (and even part-time posts) for conservators in museums are comparatively few and there is fierce competition for all posts. Provincial museums have taken the brunt of the cutbacks. In some instances conservation laboratories have been closed and replaced with area services that provide assessment services and then subcontract the practical conservation work to private practices. However, there have been corresponding increases in the availability of project and private sector work.

Sources of vacancies

• The Institute of Conservation (Icon)  - vacancy details available to members.
• Museum Jobs  
• Museums Association (MA)  
• Guardian Jobs  
• ArtsHub  
• artsjobsonline  
• Conservation course notice boards/members of staff.

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