FOCAL International Awards Lifetime Achievement Award
We are very proud that Senior Curator (Film), Jane Fish is the recipient of the FOCAL International Lifetime Achievement Award 2026.
The FOCAL International Lifetime Achievement Award is given by the FOCAL International executive board to an individual who has contributed to and supported the audiovisual archive industry within their career and through their body of work.
Join us in congratulating Jane at the 23rd FOCAL International Awards on Thursday, 18 June 2026, at Church House Westminster, London.
Jane Fish is a trusted advisor to researchers, archive producers, and broadcasters in the UK and internationally, guiding them on content, historical context, and copyright, and overseeing research, access, supply, and licensing. Across decades of technological change and organisational restructure, she remains a constant source of expertise, adapting processes from analogue to digital and developing new approaches to meet complex project demands.
Jane has led and contributed to major initiatives to improve access to IWM’s film holdings, including successive developments of IWM Film, and continues to be a thoughtful advocate for the ethical use of archive footage, presenting on the subject and helping shape policy.
A longstanding supporter of FOCAL International, Jane has served on its Executive Council, Events Committee, and FOCAL International Awards jury, championing the responsible and creative use of archive film. More recently, she focuses on cataloguing IWM’s original film paperwork, enhancing understanding of both the historical context of film production and the evolution of the museum’s collections.
After dedicating over forty years to the Imperial War Museums (IWM), Jane is fully retiring at the end of June. Over the last few months, Jane has been sharing her expert knowledge with film curator and licensing colleagues. She will be very much missed by all.
Some of the Image & Film Licensing team with Jane at the FOCAL International Awards 2025
