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Presentation to the 5th Annual ARCA Art Crime Conference June 21-23, 2013

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on May 3, 2013 at 7:56 AM

I will be speaking at the 5th annual Art Crime Conference held by ARCA (Association for Research into Crimes Against Art) in Amelia, Italy between June 21-23, 2013. My talk will address Holocaust restitution litigation in the United States, similar to the paper I gave in Maastricht in March but covering important more recent developments as well (notably the Hungary case).

From the conference website:

2013 Interdisciplinary Art Crime Conference

Providing an arena for intellectual and professional exchange, the annual Art Crime conference is integral to ARCA’s mission and serves as a forum which aims to facilitate a critical appraisal of the protection of art and heritage worldwide and a forum to highlight the work of important achievers in this field.

This interdisciplinary event brings together those who have an interest in the responsible stewardship of our collective cultural heritage. Past year’s presenters have discussed a variety of topics ranging from the display and sale of looted objects; strategies to combat the illicit trade in cultural property; current law enforcement investigations; and the problem of art fraud and forgery.

ARCA’s annual conference takes place in Umbria in the city of Amelia, the seat of ARCA’s Postgraduate Certificate Program. The two day event is held within Amelia’s Sala Boccarini inside the cloister which also houses the city’s Archaeological Museum.

During each year’s event, ARCA presents four awards to outstanding individuals for their service to cultural heritage protection and research

The awards categories are:

Art Policing and Recovery

Past winners: Vernon Rapley (2009), Charlie Hill (2010), Paolo Giorgio Ferri (2011), Stuttgart Detective Ernst Schöller (2012)

Art Protection and Security

Past winners: Francesco Rutelli (2009), Dick Drent (2010), Lord Colin Renfrew (2011), Karl von Habsburg and Dr. Joris Kila (Jointly – 2012)

Eleanor and Anthony Vallombroso Award for Excellence in Art Crime Scholarship

Past winners: Norman Palmer (2009), Larry Rothfield (2010), Neil Brodie (2011), Jason Felch and Ralph Frammolino (Jointly – 2012)

Lifetime Achievement in Defense of Art Award

Past winners: Carabinieri TPC collectively (2009), Howard Spiegler (2010), John Merryman (2011), Dr. George H. O. Abungu (2012)

Topics: cultural property, Vernon Rapley, Charlie Hill, Art Crime Conference, Howard Spiegler, Maastricht, Carabinieri TPC collectively, Association for Research into Crimes Against Art, John Merryman, Neil Brodie, Jason Felch, Larry Rothfield, Dick Drent, Karl von Habsburg, Restitution, World War II, Lord Colin Renfrew, Foreign Sovereign Immunities, Paolo Giorgio Ferri, Stuttgart Detective Ernst Schöller, Francesco Rutelli, Amelia, Ralph Frammolino, ARCA, Italy, Norman Palmer, Dr. Joris Kila, Dr. George H. O. Abungu

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About the Blog


The Art Law Report provides timely updates and commentary on legal issues in the museum and visual arts communities. It is authored by Nicholas M. O'Donnell, partner in our Art & Museum Law Practice.

The material on this site is for general information only and is not legal advice. No liability is accepted for any loss or damage which may result from reliance on it. Always consult a qualified lawyer about a specific legal problem.

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