Rufus Leonard identifies IOC

Rufus Leonard has been appointed to develop the brand positioning and visual identity of the Institute of Conservation.

The consultancy was chosen following a three-way competitive pitch last month.

Scheduled for completion this autumn, the branding must cater for a ‘broad church’ of interested parties in the conservation sector, according to Andrew Pinkess, strategy and business development director at Rufus Leonard (pictured above right).

The IOC was created at the end of 2004 to represent UK conservators. It aims to ensure the preservation and protection of UK cultural heritage, while also raising the profile of the conservation community.

‘The IOC’s founder organisations felt they were struggling to be heard,’ says Pinkess. ‘We will use images and context to position them in the cultural heritage space.’

The IOC will act as a central voice for the sector, reaching out to private conservators, as well as museums and galleries. ‘[Conservator groups] often speak about objects but are not necessarily up with what is going on now in the museum and exhibition sector, in terms of the educational focus, for example,’ adds Pinkess.

The Rufus Leonard-designed branding will be applied to all print material and online at www. instituteofconservation.org.uk.

Institute of conservation

• The IOC replaces the National Council for Conservation-Restoration

• It consists of:

The UK Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works;

Care of Collections Forum; Institute of Paper Conservation;

Photographic Materials Conservation Group;

The Scottish Society for Conservation and Restoration