From 12 to 18 October 2026, the European Days of Conservation-Restoration (EDCR) will return for their ninth edition. Initiated and led by E.C.C.O. (European Network of Conservator-Restorers’ Organisations), this established annual event makes the vital, behind-the-scenes work of conservator-restorers visible across Europe.
The artworks you admire and the historic spaces you explore rely on the highly specialised, ethical decisions made by professionals to secure their survival. The EDCR opens the doors of workshops, laboratories, and institutions, inviting the wider public to discover the profound value of cultural preservation.
For most of the year, the highest achievement of our work is its invisibility. But during the EDCR, the silent fingerprint of the conservator-restorer is finally brought into the light. This week is a powerful invitation to the public to step behind the scenes and witness the profound devotion required to protect our shared cultural identity. It is a moment to appreciate the delicate, critical acts of care that keep our collective memory alive, ensuring these vital treasures continue to breathe, inspire, and remain accessible for generations to come.
Building on Last Year’s Momentum
The momentum behind the EDCR continues to grow, and the previous edition demonstrated just how powerful our collective voice can be when we unite to celebrate our profession. In 2025 alone, the campaign achieved immense real-world and digital visibility, with 231 distinct events hosted across 17 European countries. This incredible community mobilisation translated into a massive wave of public awareness, drawing over 72.000 views across E.C.C.O.’s official channels and sparking more than 2.600 active responses, interactions, and meaningful conversations online. We want to bring that same energy, passion, and collaborative spirit into this year’s campaign.
2026 Core Themes
This year’s event will guide participants through a thoughtfully curated journey, exploring the diverse facets of our discipline. Throughout the week, we will open the doors to the spaces where knowledge is forged, sharing the inner workings of institutions, educational centres, and conservation-restoration laboratories. It will also be a moment to proudly pay tribute to the dedicated conservator-restorers whose expertise safeguards our history.
As previous editions, you can expect the following daily themes: sharing an institution, educational, laboratory centre; paying tribute to conservator-restorer; sharing good examples on conservation-restoration of movable and immovable heritage; preservation of tangible cultural heritage in the face of climate change; impact of digital transition on conservation-restoration. The week will finish with the celebration of the European Day of Conservation-Restoration.
How to participate Â
- Organising open visits to your workplaces, ateliers and labs, or cultural heritage sites that can allow visitors to see the Conservation-Restoration works.
- Sharing pictures working at your labs or workplaces.
- Posting on your national association website and sending the post to E.C.C.O. so we can repost it (only in English)
- Using social media to disseminate the themes proposed by E.C.C.O.
- Publishing Press Releases to take advantage of the celebration.
Official E.C.C.O. social media to follow and tag:Â Â
Facebook:Â https://www.facebook.com/ecco.eu
Instagram:Â https://www.instagram.com/ecco.eu/
LinkedIn:Â https://www.linkedin.com/company/ecco-eu
Official hashtags: #ECCO_EDCR, #ECCOCommunity