Honest Repair: 150 Years On - SPEAKER BOOKING LINK

Wednesday 6 October 2027

The Playfair Library, Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh EH8 9YL

Next year is a big one in our long history: our 150th anniversary.

Founded by William Morris, the SPAB established a philosophy of conservation grounded in repair, honesty, and respect for the accumulated fabric of historic buildings.

A century and a half later, these principles are widely embedded across the heritage sector. But what do they mean in practice today?

Our one-day conference, Honest Repair: 150 Years On, hosted by SPAB Scotland at the beautiful and historic Playfair Library in Edinburgh, will explore the relevance, application, and influence of the SPAB Approach in contemporary conservation.

We welcome contributions from practitioners, researchers, and students. Topics may include:

• The SPAB Approach in current practice: successes, tensions and limitations
• The influence of SPAB on policy, organisations and everyday conservation decisions
• Repair as a sustainable approach: environmental, cultural, and economic perspectives
• Reinterpreting SPAB principles in new contexts

Any other questions? Email lucy.stewart@spab.org.uk 

Photos and filming:We may take photos or videos at this event to be used in future promotion, including in print and online. Participants may take photos and short videos for personal use, with permission of the course leader and all other participants in frame. If you want to post on social media, please message SPAB's Comms Team (press@spab.org.uk or @spab1877) for permission. If your material is good, we might ask to share it with our followers.

All bookings are subject to our Terms and Conditions.

Photo credit: SPAB Scotland