Amy,
We're a small Special Collections and we do 3 exhibits per year. Our exhibit staff is one person (me) and I plan at least a year in advance. We usually only have one, maybe two, curators working on an exhibit (along with their regular jobs) so I try to give them enough lead time so that they can work on the exhibit with me at a reasonable pace. All our funding comes from in-house. We've only had one outside sponsor, and we got that funding after we'd scheduled the exhibit. The funding was helpful, but didn't decide whether we'd do the exhibit (it mostly paid for a reception). I also do exhibits outside of Special Collections, and in those cases we DO secure funding before supplies, etc. are bought. We also have contingency plans in case we have to scale back the exhibits because of lack of money. Being a state institution we don't have much extra money and while exhibits done within Special Collections fall under our mission, outside exhibits require outside funding sources and can't move forward without it.

Erin O'Malley
Exhibit Designer

From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Amy Gundrum Greene
Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 12:34 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] The Exhibit Process

Dear List,
    We host a number of exhibits every year and are interested in how other museums plan their exhibit schedules.  Do you have money and sponsorships in hand before you schedule your exhibit?  How far in advance do you schedule exhibits?  Do you schedule the exhibit and then look for sponsors?  Do you find you schedule exhibits in one manner and then have to reschedule due to shortage of funding?
    Thank you for your input,
     Amy
--
Amy Gundrum Greene
Curator of Collections and Exhibitions

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