Michigan Heritage Guardian Award

2006 Winner: Mark A. Coir

The Michigan Alliance for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage (www.macch.org) is pleased to announce that Mark A. Coir, Director of Cranbrook Archives (http://www.cranbrook.edu/) has been awarded the 2006 Michigan Heritage Guardian Award. Mark has been active in the area of conservation of cultural heritage in Michigan, predominantly for Cranbrook and in the Detroit area for over twenty years. The MACCH Award recognizes his long held commitment and productive work for conservation and his most recent contributions.

Mark is recognized for his work documenting the history of Cranbrook and the Detroit area landscape, architecture, sculpture and art. To note just a few of his most recent successfully funded projects:

Getty Grant to document the current condition for the historical landscapes and associated hardscapes for some Cranbrook areas to assist future landscape architects in developing future landscape renovation,
IMLS challenge grant to support the Cranbrook Homestead Catalogue Project,
Save America's Treasures grant for the restoration of Cranbrook House,
Assisted on 2002 NEA grant to develop a conservation plan for the Saarinen House and the adjoining Milles House.

Currently in process is the nomination of Cranbrook as a World Heritage site. Mark has been instrumental in this process, which recognizes Cranbrook and provides protection from development to assure the campus's historical setting.

Through his own efforts and his commitment to educating future archivists of the importance of cultural heritage through lectures and exhibits, Mark Coir has extended the reach of conservation far beyond Cranbrook. Examples of such efforts include:

Yearly guest lecture in the Wayne State University Archival Program on "Electronic Records,"
Lectured two years at the Detroit Historical Museum on "Architects We Knew" dealing with Detroit History,
Helped develop 2006 exhibition and wrote the a chapter in the book entitled "Eero Saarinen: Shaping the Future,"
Bloomfield Cable TV: 2 Programs - Cranbrooks Historical Costume Collection, The History of Cranbrook 2005 featured 5 years ago in "America's Castles series" on A&E. Cranbrook house featured,
75 tours a year to visitors on "The History of Cranbrook" including the House, Campus and Conservation Projects,

The Michigan Alliance for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage is a statewide 501©(3) organization composed of libraries, archives, museums, historical societies and preservation networks that was founded in October 1988 with the support of the Michigan Humanities Council. The purpose is to promote the protection and preservation of Michigan's cultural and humanities resources for the enjoyment, education and benefit of present and future generations. Cultural resources include archival materials, records, objects, artifacts of every day life, historic sites, buildings and landscapes held privately or publicly or collected by libraries, archives and museums.

For over 20 years Mark Coir has worked to develop the archives and preserve the cultural properties of Cranbrook. MACCH pays special tribute to his commitment and successful efforts by presenting him with the Michigan Heritage Guardian Award for 2006.

Award to recognize efforts in the preservation of cultural heritage in Michigan: The Michigan Heritage Guardian Award

The Michigan Alliance for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage has created this award to recognize outstanding accomplishments of individuals or organizations in the preservation of cultural heritage in the state of Michigan. The Michigan Alliance for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage encompasses preservation efforts across all cultural heritage organizations including historical societies, archives, libraries, museums and other organizations that hold or care for Michigan cultural heritage from landscape to objects, paper records to historic buildings.

The Michigan Alliance for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage is a statewide 501(c)(3) organization composed of libraries, archives, museums, historical societies and preservation networks that was founded in October 1988 with the support of the Michigan Humanities Council.

The purpose is to promote the protection and preservation of Michigan's cultural and humanities resources for the enjoyment, education and benefit of present and future generations. Cultural resources include archival materials, records, objects, artifacts of every day life, historic sites, buildings and landscapes held privately or publicly or collected by libraries, archives and museums. The Alliance's efforts are unique because it unites the broadest interests representing cultural heritage in Michigan.

This Heritage Guardian Award seeks to recognize the efforts of countless people and organizations to "save the past for the future generations" so that our history will not be lost, will not fade, but will remain a vital part of the state resources, which attract visitors from all over the world. Deadline for submission of nomination is March 15 each year.. The formal presentation of the award will be during Michigan Week.

What is Conservation of Cultural Heritage?

Action taken to minimize deterioration of objects through Proper storage, treatments to arrest of Prevent Physical or chemical damage, and the retention of information content.

Anyone may submint a nomination:

Nominations should be postmarked by March 15. Nominees should meet the following criteria:

Projects should be completed within the past two years.
The project involved collections, sites, or objects that are part of Michigan's cultural heritage and that are located within the state.
The work meets currently accepted standards for conservation.

Eligible projects may include:

Conservation of objects or documents, including works of art, scientific, or archaeological collections, historic sites, historic objects, photographs, etc. Award-winning projects will involve professional conservators, historical architects, or other trained specialists, or efforts by non-professionals that imply currently accepted standards of treatment appropriate for the materials conserved.
Public education promoting cultural heritage conservation, providing training in conservation techniques, or raising awareness of the value of protecting Michigan's cultural resources.
Advocacy of the conservation of cultural resources through political process, working with professional organizations, or with communities.
Research resulting in advances in methods and techniques for conservation of materials.
Other activities or programs that advance the conservation of the collections, sites, and objects that embody Michigan's cultural heritage.

Projects that are not eligible:

Preservation of natural features and habitats.
Projects that primarily involve interpretation of the past, such as exhibits, plays, books, tours, or education about history.
Employers of currently serving MACCH Award Committee members are not eligible for institutional awards.
Currently serving MACCH Board members are not eligible for individual awards.

Deadlines

The deadline each year is March 15.

Nominations should include:

Name, mailing address, e-mail and phone number of the nominee. If the nominee is an organization, the name of the current director or president, and one other contact person should be listed.
Description and images of the project(s) and achievements that merit the award (limited to two pages).
Description of conservation methods and techniques used.
References.
Resumes of key project personnel, such as consultants, conservators, and the person who directly supervised the work.
Name and contact information for the person submitting the nomination.
Supporting documentations, such as condition reports, before-and-after photos, press releases, etc. (optional)
Letters of support. (optional)
Three copies of all required information, and one or more copies of optional items.

Send questions to macchaward@umich.edu

Send Nominations to
Michigan Heritage Guardian Award
Michigan Humanities Council
119 Pere Marquette Drive, Suite 3B
Lansing Michigan, 48912-1270

Past Awards

2004
2005