Museums, galleries, studios, archives, heritage sites and logistics companies all share one responsibility:

Safeguarding objects of cultural and historical significance.

So riddle me this…

We invest in climate control.

We invest in security systems.

We invest in insurance.

But the most important protective measure is often assumed rather than actively developed:

The skills of the people physically handling the object.

Art technicians manage the physical life of culture and history. They install exhibitions, move fragile artworks, fabricate supports, pack for transport, assess condition, fabricate artworks, frame documents — and a lot more — often under pressure.

Art and artefacts don’t protect themselves.

They rely on the skilled hands of technicians.

And skills are not automatic.

They are not guaranteed by job title.

They are not absorbed simply by being “around it.”

They are not consistent just because intentions are good.

They must be taught.

They must be standardised.

They must be refreshed and supported.

In many organisations, technical knowledge is still passed down informally — learned on the job, held by a few experienced individuals, rarely documented or embedded across teams.

That’s how I started.

I volunteered.

I learned by watching.

I built confidence slowly over many (many) years.

And I’m still learning. Contemporary art, design and fabrication constantly challenge us. The work evolves. Materials evolve. Methods of making evolve. The skill is not knowing everything — it’s having the judgement and confidence to work it out safely.

But confidence without foundation is risk.

Because in this line of work, sometimes things go wrong.

Damage is rarely dramatic.

It is often incremental.

It is often preventable.

And it is usually rooted in inconsistency rather than carelessness.

If we are serious about safeguarding culture & history, we need to treat technical skills with the same seriousness as environmental controls or security systems.

Insurance protects you after something goes wrong.

Skills and knowledge prevent it from going wrong in the first place.

If you’re responsible for collections, exhibitions, logistics or technical teams, I’d genuinely like to know:

How does your organisation actively develop and standardise technical skills?

Are your standards documented — or inherited?

What would happen if your most experienced technician stepped away tomorrow?

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