NEW YORK, NY.- Eli Wilner & Company is currently accepting applications from museums and other non-profit cultural organizations for partial funding towards frame restoration projects. This is made possible in part by a continued commitment of funds from several generous private benefactors who wish to support projects of significant historical importance. Framing needs are often considered a low priority within overall conservation budgets, and due to the labor-intensive and highly specialized processes of carpentry, carving, and gilding that are involved, proper frame restoration can be extremely costly.
The current deadline to submit frame restoration projects for this partial funding offer is February 15, 2022. Institutions are urged to send their applications at their earliest possible convenience as the funding is limited and the pool of submissions can be highly competitive. Please be advised, this opportunity only applies to the restoration of a frame, and does not include treatment of the artwork it houses.
Here are the application guidelines:
● Entries should be emailed to: info@eliwilner.com
● Subject line of the email should read: [Name of Institution] 2022 Frame Restoration Partial Funding Grant Application
● At least one image of the frame and approximate sizes.
● A brief description (3-4 sentences) of why the frame is historically and culturally significant to your institution.
● Please include basic contact information.
● Any questions about this opportunity can be directed to info@eliwilner.com or by calling the Wilner gallery at 212-744-6521
Recent recipients of Wilners ongoing frame restoration grant and matching funds opportunities have included the Museums at Washington and Lee University, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Lynden Sculpture Garden, and the James A. Michener Art Museum, among many others.
Current projects at the Wilner studio include the restoration of the 19th century gilded frame with applied ornament that houses an animated tableau of a Venice canal with the Ponte di Rialto, attributed to Xavier Tharin (active in Paris, mid-19th century) for the Morris Museum in Morris Township, New Jersey.
Eli Wilner & Company has completed over 10,000 framing projects for private collectors, museums, and institutions including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and 28 projects for The White House. In 2019, Wilner was honored by the Historic Charleston Foundation with the Samuel Gaillard Stoney Conservation Craftsmanship Award, for their work in historic picture frame conservation.