Networks past and present: a reflection on IFAR’s collaborative, resource-based approach to provenance research education

After 55 years of service providing essential research resources and guidance to the provenance field, the International Foundation for Art Research (IFAR) ceased operations in the summer of 2025. In its final year, the organization launched an education initiative providing a practical resource-based training program serving a diverse cross-section of art-related disciplines and professions. The Introduction to Provenance Research course embodied IFAR’s longstanding commitment to supporting the ethical documentation of fine art and cultural heritage while serving as a conduit for the network building and cross-disciplinary collaboration essential to the future of the discipline.