Museums Matter!
2011 SC Federation of Museums Annual Conference
March 9-11, 2011
Columbia, SC
Conference Information:
Please plan to join us March 9-11, 2011 in Columbia for the 2011 Annual Conference of the South Carolina Federations of Museums!
The 2011 conference theme is Museums Matter! This theme is especially timely as across South Carolina our arts, cultural and heritage organizations are facing severe cuts and even elimination of funding. In these times of economic crisis it is important that we come together as a unified and dedicated group, accepting the challenge to become more effective advocates for our institutions, programs, collections and the museum community at large.
SCFM and the Columbia community invite you to converge with your peers for networking, idea sharing and camaraderie as we raise our voices in unison that Museums Matter!
The South Carolina State Museum will be the event venue for sessions, keynote and business luncheons and the awards ceremony.
Seeking Session Proposals for 2011:
We all know that museums matter. But how do you articulate the intrinsic value of your institution? What keeps your visitors coming back for more? Why are museums worth funding? What would we lose as a society if your institution was no longer funded? What is special about your collection? Why should we care about the ideologies, events, or people represented in your museum? How does your institution fit into the big socioeconomic picture? Questions like these are being asked at the local, state, and national level…how well can you answer them? As funding shrinks and competition for visitors grows fierce, can you show how your institution impacts tourism, education, the economy, and the quality of life of the members of your community?
The theme for the conference is simple, but the meaning resonates, Museums Matter! Join us and share your ideas on why museums are important cultural institutions that provide unique experiences, preserve our natural and cultural history, and create educational opportunities for our visitors. Share ideas about building local constituency, creating advocacy among legislators and community leaders, engaging and educating young and old alike. This year is all about highlighting a project, program, or campaign that demonstrates why museums matter for the citizens of South Carolina and beyond.
Fill out the Session Proposal Form and tell us why your museum matters!
General Session Topics (we may suggest collaborations among submitters if topics overlap):
Event/Program Planning
Fundraising
Program Evaluation/Visitor Studies
Disaster Preparedness
Volunteer Recruitment
Conservation/Preservation
Heritage Tourism
Curatorial Methods
Museums and the Community
Controversial Subjects
Social Media & Websites
Internal/External Collaborations
Education Initiatives
Exhibition Techniques
Friends Groups/Boards/Networks
Collections/Acquisitions
Marketing & Branding
Choose your own! Be creative!
We look forward to hearing your ideas! Please submit your proposals by October 8, 2010 to:
Joy Raintree
jraintree@scprt.com
181 Redcliffe Road
Beech Island, SC 29842
Hotel Information:
The host hotel for the conference is the Sheraton Columbia Downtown Hotel at 1400 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201. This is also where the evening hospitality suite will be on
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