Willowbank Fall Lecture Series — 27 September to 22 November — Seven Expert Talks on 'Intersections in Heritage Conservation'

We are delighted to announce the resumption of a fall lecture series at Willowbank, open to the public. Seven remarkable speakers from Canada and abroad will explore this year’s theme of intersections in the heritage conservation field – intersections between traditional and contemporary, between tangible and intangible, between place and place-making, between conservation and social justice and sustainability. We will be hearing from people who live these intersections in their lives and careers, and who are enriching the field as a result — and we’d love for you to be part of the conversation.

Fall 2025 Lecture Series Schedule: Intersections in Heritage Conservation

Saturday mornings from 10 am - 12 noon, Bright Parlour at Willowbank - 14487 Niagara Parkway, Queenston, Ontario.  Light refreshments and discussion to follow.

Saturday 27 Sept. – Nathan Schafer (Hamilton) Fine woodworker, and valued Willowbank instructor, talking about craft knowledge and social sustainability.

Saturday 4 Oct. – Mallory Wilson (Montreal) 2018 Jacques Dalibard prize winner, and founder of the remarkable nonprofit Entremise, talking about heritage conservation and social justice.

Saturday 11 Oct. – Thanksgiving weekend – no talk

Saturday 18 Oct. – Brian MacKay-Lyons (Halifax)One of Canada’s most brilliant and celebrated architects, talking about contemporary design in historic settings.

Saturday 25 Oct. – National Trust Conference – no talk

Saturday 1 Nov. – Hussain Ali (Lahore)Aga Khan Foundation specialist, documenter of the Lahore Fort UNESCO World Heritage site, talking about recording ‘place’ and recording ‘place-making’.

Saturday 8 Nov. – Mark Laird (Toronto)The world’s foremost landscape historian, and restorer of some of the world’s greatest gardens, talking about botanical art of the past, and environment today.

Saturday 15 Nov. – Jean Dendy (Toronto)Art conservator at the Royal Ontario Museum, with previous experience in the U.S. and Quebec, talking about art conservation and architectural conservation.

Saturday 22 Nov. – Brett Sherlock (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

International Consultant, Christie’s, former Board Member of the Gardiner Museum and The Niagara Foundation, sharing stories from the international world of auctions.

Tickets and registration:

This is an in-person event only and tickets are $25 per person or $150 for the full series. To reserve your seat, please send an e-transfer to willowbank@willowbank.ca with the date(s) you plan to attend, and kindly email us to confirm your attendance. Tickets will also be available at the door, though we recommend purchasing in advance to secure your spot.

We are grateful for the support of INTBAU – the International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism who provided a small grant to help put on this series. INTBAU was founded in 2001 and operates, as does Willowbank, with the patronage of its founder, His Majesty King Charles III. Willowbank is the Canadian Chapter of INTBAU.

Help spread the word!

If you know someone who is passionate about heritage, architecture, traditional trades, art history, sustainability or cultural landscapes, please let them know about this series.

Willowbank: Where Education Meets Heritage Conservation.

Willowbank is a place, a school, and a mission: a nationally designated 13-acre historic estate, an independent school focused on academic and apprenticeship training in heritage conservation, and a non-profit with a broad mandate to explore the best ways to sustain valued human habitats