Hi Cynthia,

We’ve had what we call our “Exhibits and Public Programs Group” in place since 2008.  The main reason we began meeting was to coordinate schedules to avoid overlap and to just be aware of what programs/exhibits/events different departments were planning.  The group also took on the standardization of loan forms and wrote an exhibitions guideline handbook.  We meet every other month, right after a second, spin-off group dealing with just scheduling now deals with the calendar and marketing, leaving the EPPG to discuss larger issues.  Our development and publicity staff have limited us to one program a week.

 

We ask staff who are planning exhibitions to submit an exhibition proposal to the group.  The group doesn’t have veto power (our director does) but the discussion gives the larger group a chance to brainstorm and discuss concerns or possible collaborations.  Everyone who is involved in public programming attends these meetings, including curators, assistants, development, and publicity staff.  A chair (me) convenes the group and comes up with the agenda.

 

I’ll be happy to discuss this further if helpful.  We believe the group has been successful. 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

 

In an attempt to rein in staff members who dream up last minute events and programs  and then add them to our already packed schedule, we decided to explore the idea of a programs/ events committee here.  This group would develop, schedule and oversee the running of events and programs related to exhibitions.    The main goal is to take pressure off staff who are burnt out from back to back events that aren’t well attended, fully developed or sufficiently funded because there is no time to achieve decent publicity/marketing, event development or sponsorship. 

 

Does anyone have such a committee or a policy in place that  they would like to share or discuss? 

 

We are looking for suggestions on structure, who participates, how decisions are made,  if there are limits on the number of events and is there an accepted time frame where go-no go decisions are made?

 

Also interested in finding out if anyone tried this type of committee or policy and it didn’t work or didn’t work as well as you expected. 

 

Appreciate any advice you can offer.  Feel free to contact me off list. 

 

 

Cynthia Verser

Collections Management Specialist

 

The Mariners' Museum

100 Museum Drive

Newport News, Virginia 23606

757-591-7760

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