Dear ICOM members:

It is not too late to submit paper proposals for the 
ICOM-ICME conference "CONNECTIONS, COMMUNITIES AND 
COLLECTIONS" in Miami Beach, Florida July 10-12, 2006.

By popular demand, the proposal deadline has been extended 
until MARCH 30th. This means that YOU can still join ICME 
in discussing museum-community relationships, "expanding" 
the museum, "difficult" social topics, collections policy 
and more!

***
REMINDER

Call for papers
"CONNECTIONS, COMMUNITIES AND COLLECTIONS"
ICOM-ICME annual meeting
Miami Beach, Florida July 10-12, 2006

Museum-community relationships have been a prevalent theme 
at ICME conferences, as well as at ICOM general 
conferences. For example, during the 1995 conference in 
Stavanger, the ICOM general assembly passed a resolution 
concerning 'Museums and Communities' which noted that 
"local museums all over the world which are undertaking 
innovative activities focusing on everyday topics of 
community life, trying to challenge traditional models and 
reaching beyond the limits of exhibition spaces, are 
facing threats of closure and lack of support from their 
governing bodies". Further, the resolution encouraged the 
development of strategic planning initiatives leading 
towards "coordinated action for the benefit of museums, of 
museology and the communities which they serve." 
http://icom.museum/resolutions/eres95.html

More than ten years after this resolution (and precisely 
60 years since the founding of ICME), do we find 
differences in how museum ethnography approaches the 
issues of community dialog and collecting objects? 
Conversely, are there any resonant themes from our 
'founding fathers', which are equally relevant today?

Should we ask:
How far can we expand 'museum' boundaries in terms of 
physical space or social influence?
What makes the 'local' museum a focus for community 
dialog, projects and activities?
Can museums act as discussion forums for 'difficult' 
social topics?
Should museum collection policies reflect community needs 
and interests?
Are there basic changes in relationships between museum 
indigenous constituencies and the public domain?

ICME therefore invites papers discussing "Connections, 
Communities and Collections" for the 2006 ICME conference.
Paper proposals of up to 250 words may be submitted to 
[log in to unmask] until the extended deadline of 
March 30, 2006, which is also the deadline for 
registration at the reduced "early bird" rate.
  
Registration forms, general information and the tentative 
Conference schedule is available on the ICME website - 
http://icme.icom.museum

Regards from
Daniel Winfree Papuga
ICME president
[log in to unmask]

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