The Lower Hudson Conference of Historical Agencies and Museums in association with the Museum Program of the New York State Council on the Arts has awarded a grant of $6,090 to the Cayuga-Owasco Lakes Historical Society (COLHS) in Moravia for the conservation treatment of the Moravia Grange Theatre curtain. The curtain had hung in the Moravia Grange for nearly 70 years, until last year, when the building was sold and the curtain was donated to COLHS. Due to the size of the curtain, Sylvan Lodge donated wall space to COLHS and the curtain is now hanging there.

Forty-six applications in 26 counties of New York state requested funding from LHC in 2007, and 22 were granted for a total of $111,030. Awards were recommended by a peer panel of conservators, curators and museum professionals.

Lower Hudson Conference strives to provide support for conservation treatments that are executed on the highest professional level. The group acknowledge practitioners who have demonstrated high levels of proficiency and advanced knowledge, adherence to the ethics and standards of the American Institute of Conservation (AIC) and is recognized for its expertise in the museum field.

The conservation treatment for the Moravia Grange Theatre Curtain will be done by Susan Blakney, Diane Falvey, Margaret Sutton and John Sutton of West Lake Conservators in Skaneateles.

Susan Blakney will speak at the Sept. 27 meeting of COLHS, and the meeting will be held at Sylvan Lodge, so that the public will be able to view the curtain.