Virginia Association of Museums 2015 Annual Conference
March 7-10, 2015
Omni Richmond Hotel in Richmond’s Historic Shockoe Slip
#HaveYouSeenUsLately?

The Virginia Association of Museums invites you to submit a session proposal to help craft an exciting program for the 2015 Annual Conference. Applications are currently being accepted through Monday, August 4, 2014.

Our goal is to feature trends in the museum field and a program that provides thoughtful, interesting and interactive sessions that cover best practices, techniques, or models. And who better to make an impact on the success of the conference than our members! Share your success stories and lessons learned, your renowned programs and resourceful partnerships, your tried and true documents and policies that you simply can’t live without.

As we travel to Richmond over March 7-10, 2015 we examine how the capital city on the James has changed, especially since our last visit five years ago. With a booming arts and foodie scene, multiple museum renovations and expansions (completed and underway), increasing accessibility and use of the James River, and an advanced mindset of risk taking and inclusiveness, “RVA” offers the perfect location to explore the theme #HaveYouSeenUsLately?

The annual conference is VAM’s premiere program devoted to education, networking and information sharing. To encourage interaction throughout the conference, Exhibit Hall and at the evening events, we require speakers to register (and pay for) a one-day or full conference registration. The Program Committee will waive this requirement for speakers who are from outside the museum field and unable to stay beyond their session.

Pointers for developing a successful conference session proposal:

• Presenters should be involved in the museum, library, archives, academic fields or governmental agency, be it as staff, board, volunteer, or business supporting these fields.
• Program Committee gives preference to session proposals submitted by VAM members.
• Deliver ‘best practices’ in the museum field and strategies for achieving them.
• Present successful case studies that are relevant to museums of all sizes.
•  Share lessons learned; mistakes or false starts can provide better learning experiences than a success story not to mention provide a base of commonality between colleagues.
• Feature what makes the diverse museum communities of Virginia and Washington, DC so unique.
• Lecturing and reading from a long presentation can be deadly to a good topic, so engage the audience in the discussion or include a fun activity to get people up and moving and ideas churning.
• Include experts in the field who can provide useful insights as well as prestige.
• Consider VAM’s diverse audience, which represents differences in geography, size and focus, to age and years in the field plus race/ethnicity and gender.
• Present a clear and relevant concept. Would others reading your proposal understand what you are trying to convey?
• Businesses that serve the museum field are welcome to propose or participate, and should be involved with VAM as a member or sponsor. We respectfully request that sessions are not used to sell products or services.

Submit a conference session proposal

For additional information or questions, please contact Christina E. Newton at cnewton@vamuseums.org or 804.358.3173.