IFCPP 28TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE UPDATES
Registration is now live for the International Foundation for Cultural Property Protection's 28th Annual Conference, Seminar & Exhibits:
April 10–14, 2027
Baltimore, Maryland
Hosted by the Maryland Center for History & Culture
The International Foundation for Cultural Property Protection's 28th Annual Conference, Seminar & Exhibits will be hosted by the Maryland Center for History & Culture (MCHC), April 10-14, 2027!
The Foundation's 2027 conference will be held at MCHC and Hotel Indigo Baltimore Downtown in the heart of the "Monumental City's" arts and cultural district. This not-to-be missed in-person gathering will include all-new conference sessions presented by industry leaders and local experts, security manager and director certification and re-certification, pre-conference workshops, excursions to several world-renowned cultural institutions, group meals, industry exhibits, out-of-the-classroom educational and networking events at host institutions, and our traditional lineup of outstanding presenters, timely topics, and networking activities.
Registration Just Released!!!
Early bird, discounted conference and lodging registration is now available through August 21 at: IFCPP - IFCPP 2027 Annual Conference, Seminar, Exhibits at the Maryland Center for History & Culture
Schedule-At-A-Glance
Check out next year's initial conference agenda at: Annual Conference Schedule at a Glance
Featured Workshop
Pre-conference offerings include outstanding workshops facilitated by internationally-recognized subject-matter experts, as well as excursions to several local cultural institutions. Our first pre-conference Half-Day Interactive Workshop covers Crisis Communications for Cultural Properties of all size and scope - the first hour of a crisis often determines how the public, employees, stakeholders, and the media will judge an organization's response for years to come. While emergency operations focus on saving lives and stabilizing the incident, leaders must also communicate with accuracy, empathy, and credibility despite incomplete information and intense public scrutiny. This interactive workshop will provide practical strategies for communicating before, during, and after a crisis. Participants will learn how to develop a crisis communication plan, prepare spokespersons, build stakeholder-specific messaging, manage misinformation, and preserve public trust while supporting emergency operations. Presented by world-renowned expert and award-winning author, Dr. Jenni Hesterman, Colonel USAF (retired).
Featured Session
Bridging Fire Protection Design and Insurance Risk Management for Nonprofits
Meeting code requirements is not enough. For nonprofits with valuable assets, engaging your insurance carrier during the design phase can save money, reduce risk and protect irreplaceable collections.
Imagine a heritage museum installs a state-of-the-art storage system to increase capacity, only to discover after construction that it requires additional fire protection not included in the original design. The result: costly retrofits, delayed occupancy and the risk of not getting insurance. Scenarios like this arise when an occupancy change alters the required protection. As an example, adding a storage system increases combustible loading, triggering higher sprinkler design criteria under both code and insurance. A system that once met code may now need upgrades to meet both. For nonprofits managing valuable properties or irreplaceable assets, this difference can create unexpected costs and significant risk. "Bringing your carrier into the design process early aligns compliance and insurability before the design or protection features become difficult or expensive to revise," says Deborah Freeland, Area SVP and Senior Property Risk Engineer, Gallagher.
Key insights:
• Early carrier involvement prevents costly redesigns.
• Design to minimum code requirements may not offer full property protection.
• Understanding how insurers assess potential loss supports stronger design decisions.
• Factors such as building use, construction and hazards need to be considered during design to help meet
property protection standards.
• Having a full emergency response and business contingency plan can facilitate recovery after a loss.
Debbie Freeland is a long-term member and past Chair of the National Fire Protection Association’s Committee on the Protection of Cultural Resources, which writes the National Fire Codes for museums, libraries, places of worship, and historic buildings. The scope of this committee’s work has recently been expanded to include security and protection from other natural and man-made hazards. She is currently chair of the task group working on the next edition of NFPA 909 - Code for Protection of Cultural Properties - Museums, Libraries, and Places of Worship. A fire protection consultant for over 35 years, Debbie has extensive experience in highly protected risk consulting, with special expertise in the protection of cultural institutions and their collections. She has worked with museums, churches, libraries and cultural institutions of all sizes in developing fire protection alternatives and programs to reduce their potential risk, and is at the forefront of developing new standards to address the protection of historic structures while preserving their historic fabric. Debbie joined Arthur J. Gallagher & Company, the world’s fourth largest insurance brokerage, in 1997 after working for 13 years with Johnson & Higgins where she achieved the position of Regional Engineering Manager covering the Western half of the United States. A graduate of the University of Washington, Debbie holds a B.A. in chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry, then picked up additional chemical engineering studies. She is past president of the Southern California Chapter of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers and was elected by her peers as a Fellow in the Institute for the Advancement of Engineering and, more recently, Fellow of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. Debbie has spoken at several National RIMS Conventions, American Association of Museums Annual Meetings, the Smithsonian’s National Conferences on Cultural Property Protection, the International Conference on Cultural Property Protection, Southeast Library Network, and at seminars on protection of collections, museums and historic buildings in Italy, Slovenia, Great Britain, Ireland, Scotland, Austria and several other European countries, and is a frequent speaker at engineering society meetings. She has served on the California State Fire Marshall’s Advisory Committee, and holds the ARM and CPCU designations. [insert Read More...]
Why Attend?
The IFCPP Annual Conference brings together security professionals, emergency managers, collections staff, preservation specialists, administrators, consultants, first responders, and industry partners to address the challenges facing cultural institutions today. Participants gain practical knowledge, professional connections, and actionable strategies in several critical areas. Those practitioners responsible for protecting museums, libraries, archives, historic sites, colleges/universities, live collection institutions, performing arts organizations, and other cultural properties are invited to
register now for this unique educational and networking opportunity!
Participants will gain a wealth of practical knowledge, professional connections, and actionable strategies in areas such as:
- ✅ Cultural property security and safety
- ✅ Emergency preparedness and disaster response
- ✅ Workplace violence prevention and active assailant response
- ✅ Protection of collections, assets and facilities
- ✅ Visitor and staff safety
- ✅ Fire protection
- ✅ Physical and electronic security measures
- ✅ Risk management and resilience planning
- ✅ Protests, civil unrest, and special event security
- ✅ And much more…
A Unique Host Institution Experience
For the first time in years, all conference programming will take place within the host institution.
The Maryland Center for History & Culture is Maryland's oldest continuously operating nonprofit cultural institution. This immersive setting will provide attendees with direct access to real-world cultural property protection challenges, solutions, and best practices.
What to Expect
- Two days of educational sessions led by industry experts
- Pre-conference and post conference networking and professional development opportunities
- Professional certification classes
- Networking and resource-sharing with colleagues from across North America and beyond
- Industry exhibitors showcasing innovative solutions
- Special host institution activities
- Local cultural and historic excursions
Stay Connected
Whether you are a museum professional, librarian, archivist, conservator, security practitioner, emergency manager, consultant, educator, or industry partner, we invite you to join us as we continue advancing the protection of cultural heritage worldwide.
- Watch for future announcements regarding programming, presenter lineup, exhibitor and sponsor information, and conference activities...
We look forward to welcoming you to Baltimore in April 2027!!! Don't wait to register to take advantage of significant discounts!
Looking a bit further into the future - IFCPP's 29th annual conference will be hosted by the Sterling & Francine Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, MA in April 2028 (on the heals of another big renovation). Stay tuned for details...
International Foundation for Cultural Property Protection (IFCPP)
Advancing the protection of cultural institutions, collections, staff, visitors, and communities worldwide.
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