BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Further evidencing the emergence of Buffalo as a national and international center of arts and culture, cultural leaders from the U.S. and Canada will gather in the Queen City for two important meetings being held June 16-17. 

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Conservation Forum will host “Stewardship of America’s Legacy: Answering the Call to Action,” at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery and the Burchfield Penney Art Center at Buffalo State College.  The forum, organized in cooperation with the Art Conservation Department at Buffalo State College, and Heritage Preservation, is the fourth in the Connecting to Collections series.  Bringing together front-line leaders in the movement to save America’s collections for future generations, previous meetings have been held in Atlanta, Denver and San Diego. 

Opening remarks will be delivered by the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Dr. Anne-Imelda Radice, herself a Buffalo native.  Tours of the Buffalo State Art Conservation Department and the Albright-Knox Art Gallery will be conducted for participants, a group of approximately 300 experts from throughout North America. 

Also on June 16, the Association of Art Museum Directors will hold part of its Annual Meeting at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.