Photographic Collections Recovery Course in Case of Disaster

May 14, 2025 – The Museu Comarcal de l’Horta Sud will host, from June 9 to 13, a practical and theoretical course aimed at professionals and individuals interested in the conservation of photographic heritage, especially in emergency contexts such as floods.

Over five days, participants will have the opportunity to delve into the protocols and procedures to address emergency situations in photographic collections through theoretical and practical training on real material affected by the DANA last October.

Topics will include disaster prevention, first aid management for wet collections, the logistical needs of a field laboratory, and methodologies for cleaning, drying, flattening, and specific treatment of damaged photographs. There will also be reflection on the emotional and heritage value of these family archives, as well as on the fundamental role played by civil society in their safeguarding.

This training, with a total duration of 26 hours, aims not only to transmit technical knowledge but also to offer an immersive experience in a real project of great human value. The course will be led by Rosina Herrera Garrido and Lucas Momparler, two professionals with extensive experience in photographic conservation and heritage management in emergency contexts. It will also include a guided tour of the laboratory set up at the Castell d’Alaquàs, one of the key spaces of the Salvem les Fotos project.

Priced at 140 euros with a maximum of 30 places available, the course is aimed at people from the fields of culture, conservation, photography, or archiving, as well as students and anyone interested in learning how to respond to the potential loss of a community’s graphic memory. Sessions will take place from Monday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

To register, please send an email with your full name and ID to museu@museuhortasud.com.

Salvem les Fotos

This training initiative is part of the collective project Salvem les Fotos, an initiative promoted by the Network of Valencian Public Universities for Culture, with the collaboration of entities such as l’ETNO, the Mancomunitat de l’Horta Sud, the Fundació Horta Sud, GE-IIC, ACRE, ICOM, Canon, and Hoffman, among others. All of them join forces to safeguard the family and collective memory of the municipalities affected by the DANA that struck the Valencian Community last October.