National Trust Curators
A recent history
Where once the presentation and conservation of NT properties was guided by specialist committees made up of world-leading experts, management is now delegated to individual property managers appointed for managerial skills rather than historical knowledge.
In addition to this relentless diminution of standards, a political agenda has further undermined curators’ efforts to reveal these beautiful places at their best.
Problematic faces? A curator’s experience of redundancy
Andrew Loukes was made redundant as House and Collections Manager at Petworth House because he was not deemed capable of attracting “new and different audiences”, even after staging a series of innovative and successful exhibitions.
Fortunately, Lord and Lady Egremont (the resident donor family at Petworth) immediately made him Curator of their private collection, while the Trust has increased the salary for his replacement.
Interview with a former curator, Alastair Laing
Alastair Laing, former Curator of Pictures and Sculpture at the National Trust, was interviewed by Dr Annette de Vries for Codart in 2013.
He spoke about how the National Trust's care for the art collections in its 120-odd country houses, which is second only to the Royal Collection in number and quality, developed over the twentieth century.
