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FCG International Award for Restoration and Conservation 2004: Miguel Àngel Corzo

 For “His arduous work in favor of restoration, conservation and valuing the world’s cultural heritage; for the importance of his work as a restoration theorist; as well as for his ample career in obtaining and managing the resources allocated to restoration".

According to the jury that met in Valladolid on July 16, 2004, chaired by, Mr. Francisco Javier León de la Riva, Mayor of Valladolid;  and made up by the following members: Dr. Salvador Andrés Ordax, Professor of Art History of the University of Valladolid; Mr. Juan Mª García Otero, Founder of the magazine R&R; Mr. René Jesús Payo Hernanz, Professor of Art History of the University of Burgos and Member of the Fernán González Institution; Mr. José Miguel Santiago Castelo, Sub-director of ABC and director of the Real Extremadura Academy.

Miguel Àngel Corzo - Biography

Miguel Angel Corzo is the President and ceo of The University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

Mr. Corzo has been an international consultant in the arts, education, culture and sustainable development working in projects such as the Grand Louvre in Paris, the Museum of Black African Civilizations in Senegal, the Museum of Egyptian Civilization and the Nubia Museum in Egypt   He was Director of the Getty Conservation Institute in Los Angeles, conceiving and managing cultural heritage projects in 43 countries.  He served as President and ceo of the Friends of the Arts of Mexico Foundation where he organized highly successful exhibitions, including: Mexico Splendors of Thirty Centuries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and over 400 arts- related events in New York, San Antonio and Los Angeles.

Mr. Corzo was, in Mexico, the Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Tourism; Technical Advisor to the Minister of Human Settlements; and the founding Dean for Academic Affairs at the prestigious Metropolitan University. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1992.

After receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Mr. Corzo did his doctoral work at the Technische Universität in Munich, Germany and was a Fulbright Scholar at Harvard University.  He is the recipient of many honors including unesco’s distinguished Medal of Patron of the Arts previously bestowed to Vaclav Havel, Yehudi Menhouin and King Juan Carlos of Spain; an honorary doctorate from the University of Lecce in Italy; and several awards from educational, cultural and political institutions as well as foreign governments.

He is the author or editor of over twenty books, the producer of 13 television documentaries and the creator and organizer of over 15 museums exhibitions around the world. He has taught at various universities in the Americas and Europe.

He was twice appointed by President Clinton to serve on his Presidential Advisory Committee on Cultural Property.  He is a member of the Arts Commission in Philadelphia and serves on cultural boards including the Philadelphia Cultural Fund; Avenue of the Arts, Inc.; the Marian Anderson Award; Public Television station WYBE; and the Arts and Business Council

Mr. Corzo is also the Founder and President of The Global Alliance for Conservation, an international foundation dedicated to the protection of the world’s cultural heritage.

He is married to Allison Sampson, Executive Director of the Colburn Foundation.  He has three grown children.