Sandra Smith, the Head of Collection Care at the British Museum, was presented with an Honorary Fellowship of the Art School in 2019 in recognition of her support for the Art School’s 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.
Prior to taking up her new post at the British Museum in 2019, Sandra was Head of Conservation and Technical Services at the Victoria & Albert Museum, with an overview of the long-term care of 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 Victoria & Albert Museum 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).