*CAMOC - The International Committee for the Collections and Activities of
Museums of Cities *

* *
*I N V I T A T I O N*
****
*CAMOC – COMCOL – ICOM/Europe Joint Conference* 2011, Berlin, Germany

*31 October – 3 November 2011* **

*Theme: **“*Participative Strategies in Capturing the Changing Urban World”
**

*Contact:* Marlen Mouliou (*[log in to unmask]**) *

CAMOC will organize its 2011 Conference in collaboration with COMCOL and
ICOM-Europe. The main theme of the conference, shared by all three
committees, is “Participative Strategies”, whereas the phrase “Capturing the
Changing Urban World” reflects CAMOC’s focus on urban matters.

The ICOM International Committee for the Collections and Activities of
Museums of Cities (CAMOC) has the pleasure of inviting you to participate in
the International Conference on Participative Strategies in Documenting the
Changing Urban World, which they will organize in Berlin, 31 Oct.-3 Nov.
2011. The first two days of the conference will be organized jointly with
the International Committee on Collecting (COMCOL) and the ICOM Regional
Committee for Europe.

During the first two days the meeting will be jointly held at the Museum of
European Culture (*Museum Europäisher Kulturen**)* at Dahlem, in south
western Berlin and, on the third day, CAMOC will meet at the Kreuzberg
Museum (www.kreuzberg.m*useum de* ) and the Bookshop Pro qm, (www.pro-qm.de)
*, *a themed bookshop on the city of Berlin, politics, pop, economic
commentary, architecture, design, art & theory, which is meant to be a forum
for public discussion and movement. Evening museum visits and receptions are
planned at the Museum of Asian Art, Ethnological Museum, the Deutsches
Historisches Museum and the Nikolaikirche of the Stadtmuseum Berlin.

International keynote speakers will set the context for discussion and
the exchange
of experience on the first day of the conference, and CAMOC delegates are
invited to submit proposals for presentations reflecting the three
specificthemes of the conference set
out in detail below.

The programme will be also enriched with site specific tours and discussions
moderated by CAMOC members.

Our aim and wish is to organise a memorable meeting in Berlin. Come and join
us!

* *

* **DEADLINES**
*
*June 30**, 2011**:* Deadline for submitting abstracts of presentations as
well as for grant application

*Ju**ly** **30**, 2011**:* Deadline for response by Programme Committee
regarding submissions
*August** **1, 2011**:* Deadline for early registration
*September 25**, 2011**:* Deadline for registration

*October **15**, 2011:* Deadline for late registration
*October 20**, 2011**:* Deadline for submission of complete text

 **
* **“**Participative Strategies in Capturing the Changing Urban World**”***

Documenting the past is never straightforward.  Whose truth are we telling
and who is doing the telling?  What do we document and why?  It is inevitably
a selective process to capture traces of a world no longer with us.

Yet, if documenting the past is problematic, how does a city museum document
the present ?  The present is now, it is all around us and we are active
participants in a drama which is constantly changing.  How do we know what
is significant today, and will be significant for future generations? How do
we select and, then, how do we preserve and manage what we select?  Cities
are not only artefacts we can see and touch: they are complex environments
made up of people who are in a constant state of change - a mix of the
tangible and the intangible, of buildings, spaces, power, wealth, poverty,
ideas, innovation and energy.

What are the criteria for city museums when they collect and document the
city today? The relative permanence of the tangible or the fluidity of the
intangible? Where do they place their priorities? And by what means and with
what aims do they document and collect? Then, there is the concept of the
city museum as an urban forum enabling people to share their experiences and
help shape their city, and indeed the museum itself.

The Internet has served to accelerate social change. We now have a
remarkable range of information technologies at our disposal and many of us,
though very far from all, live in societies where participative democracy
is the norm.  We are less willing to accept received opinion, we question
authority more, we are our own history.  What are the implications for a
museum about a city?  Can we have a participative museum?  If so, what is
it, or what should it be?

These are some questions for us to consider. To address them, we propose *three
broad** **themes *which correspond to the three main sessions of the
conference programme:

   1. Capturing *urban change*: the engagement and involvement of citizens
   in collecting and documenting the changing city around them; the media
   used for creating, sharing and connecting people; the different strategies
   and priorities used in different city museums.
   2. Recording and celebrating *the experience of city people* with a
   special emphasis on the experience of migrants to cities: memories, ideas,
   knowledge, spirit and feelings, testimonies expressed in writing and art,
   and much else.
   3. Reflecting on *urban policy and regeneration projects*: what
   determines urban success and what is the impact of urban crisis and decline
   (for example, natural disasters or social upheavals), and the roles of city
   museums in this debate.

This year’s conference is a joint meeting with two other ICOM international
committees, COMCOL (the International Committee for Collecting) and
ICOM-Europe, which is an exciting prospect. We look forward to your
contributions, and to your active participation in our conference.

We aim to accept a handful of proposals, which will be divided between the
themes, and allocate a maximum of 10 minutes to each presentation depending
on the session in order to allow sufficient time for discussion.  If you
wish to make a contribution, please contact Marlen Mouliou (CAMOC
Secretary), at [log in to unmask]

Abstracts should be in English and not more than 250 words long.  There will
be a selection panel to review each proposal received.

The closing date for receiving abstracts is *June **3**0, 2011.*

*
*Further information on the conference fee (which will not exceed €200 for
ICOM members), accommodation choices and registration form will be available
on the CAMOC website shortly (http://camoc.icom.museum/index2.php).

Note that you will be able to follow us on Facebook also.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*CAMOC** LAUNCHES A GRANT FOR YOUNG MEMBERS OF ICOM**
*
To encourage young colleagues to participate in CAMOC activities, we
announce *one* Travel Grant of five hundred euros (€500) for young members
of ICOM who want to take part in the Berlin Annual Conference in 2011.
*Preference
will be given to young members from developing countries.***

Applicants must be

1. Less than 35 years old, and;
2. An Individual member of ICOM for a minimum of 1 year as of the grant
application date; and
3. Actively working in a Museum for a minimum of 2 years as of the
application date.

The awardee is required to write a report about the Annual Conference for
publication in the CAMOC Newsletter & website. Note that the report must be
in English.

To apply, send a C.V. with a cover letter explaining why you wish to attend
the Berlin 2011 conference. Applications should be submitted to Marlen
Mouliou. Mail to: *[log in to unmask]* by June 30, 2011. The
successful applicant will be informed by July 30,  2011.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Change ICOM-L subscription options, unsubscribe, and search the
archives at:  http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/icom-l.html