Book excerpt: In order to preserve and maintain contemporary artworks, we need authentic, content-related and technical information which we can obtain by interviewing the artists who produced them. The SBMK (Foundation for the Conservation of Contemporary Art) and RCE (Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands) worked together for years to develop guidelines and good practices. In 2012 a book will be published: "The Artist Interview". For conservation and presentation of contemporary art. Guidelines and practice. This handbook provides a scenario including tips and checklists for conducting artist interviews, as well as ten sample interviews that give an insight in the (im)possibilities of an artist interview as a tool.