PROPOSAL DEADLINE IS TODAY, JANUARY 25

 

Join us at MPMA's Annual Conference 

in Denver, Colorado:   October 15-19, 2017


proposal form here:  http://mpma.net/
Submit a proposal - Have something to share?

Proposals now being accepted for workshops, sessions and poster sessions

 

                               Poster Session Proposal Deadline:  February 17th  - form 
 

CALL-OUT FOR PANELISTS

 

 

Wanna join a panel? SEE BELOW ALL THE REQUESTS

Check out the following requests for panelists ...then contact the submitter directly.   

  

*Session Title:  Changing Communities
Description: 
Many communities in the MPMA region experience large influxes of refugees from all over the globe due to violent conflict or environmentally induced catastrophe. The resulting demographic changes pose challenges as well as opportunities for museums.

This session will pose four major questions and I am looking for panelists who are dealing with or have dealt with these issues: 
  1. Who are our new neighbors? How do museums identify their new potential audience? What resources exist to gather the necessary statistics regarding the refugees in your state and community? Once this information is gathered, how can museums use it to their advantage?
  2. How do museums best create a safe and inviting space for refugee families? What does this look like? How do museums make contact with refugees to gather input in creating this ideal space?
  3. How do museums best design programs that create proximity between the established community and new refugees? How does the museum involve refugees in this process, taking into consideration language, material objects, cultural traditions, etc.?
  4. How do museums go beyond the "one-off" event or exhibit in order to maintain lasting relationships that encourage these visitors to return and socially invest in future activities and programs?
 Contact:  Sharon Kennedy,  [log in to unmask]

 

 

*Session Title:  When the Old and New West Collide
Description:
Many of our museums and historic sites in the MPMA region are dedicated to the early history of American expansion and settlement in the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains. Popularized by Hollywood and dime novels, the myths of the frontier, the railroads, and rugged individualism have long captivated public audiences and romanticized a complex and often very contested history. The history of the "New West" challenges many of these cherished narratives through a focus on the histories of race, class, gender, and/or environment in the western region. What does that mean for our institutions, especially those that were established to enshrine the pioneer/frontier narrative? How can we negotiate between the history our visitors want to experience and the more nuanced portrayals of the New West coming from academia and other circles?
 
I'm looking to form a panel with a few speakers who are actively working to redefine what Western history (and "Western attitude," as the theme goes) means for their institutions. This could be a project you've just completed, one in process or development, or even one that failed you!
 
William F. Stoutamire, Ph.D.Graduate Lecturer, History
Director, G.W. Frank Museum  /University of Nebraska at Kearney 
[log in to unmask]    308) 865-8284  
 

 

*Session Title:  Wrangling Volunteer Schedules

Description:

Volunteer scheduling can eat up a disproportionate share of time leaving volunteer coordinators with little time for creating a better volunteer program. Using an on-line scheduler can not only make the scheduling portion of our jobs easier, but volunteer management software (VMS) can be a low cost way to streamline a whole host of tasks IF you know how to use it correctly. We will introduce different online schedulers, and explain how they are used at different types and sizes of institutions. We'll then lead attendees through the process of setting up various functions and explaining how it is different/better than what we did prior to the on-line system. For those attendees who already use a VMS but suspect they could do more with it, we will spend the last section of the workshop answering their questions and demonstrating how we use our systems to tackle similar problems.

 

We'd like to find one more facilitator with experience using an online scheduler, preferably NOT Volgistics such that we have multiple views.

 

Contact:              Kim Popetz, Volunteer & Events Coordinator

                                   Historic Denver Inc.'s Molly Brown House Museum

                                    303-832-4092 ext.16     [log in to unmask] 

 

 

*Session - Leveraging the Experience

Description:  

We are looking for a 3rd panelist to focus on successful, experience-based exhibits for this session. You will have approx. 20 minutes to describe your example, how it was developed, and audience reactions. See session description for more info. We already have the program and event example. 

 

Session description:  Audiences are seeking unique experiences, and museums are adapting to provide them. How can museums craft mesmerizing offerings out of current educational content to harness this interest? This session will highlight exhibits, programs, and events that have been specially engineered to feed visitors’ hunger for experiences while still offering excellent, mission-driven content.

 

Contact:    Lauren Hunley,Education & Outreach Coordinator 

         Carbon County Museum 

[log in to unmask] 

307-328-2740 

 

 

*Collections Management Swapmeet  FILLED
  

*Avoiding the Pit-Falls -  State Archaeological Collections, Changing Practices   FILLED


 

*Stack the Deck in Your Favor  FILLED

 

*Session Title (pending): Fundraising or Community Outreach or Programming or Interactive or  Problem Solving for ED's - let's choose one of these

Description:

Howdy, I am interested in presenting something that is specific to small museums.  I could do one on fundraising, community outreach, programming or interactive one on problem solving for ED's.  I would like 1 or 2 presenters to join me.  Any takers?? Cheers Glo Cunningham

Contact:     Glo Cunningham   [log in to unmask] 

 


*Session Title (pending):  Museum Programming for People with Special Needs

 

Description:
Bethany Cheshire  and I are  looking for folks who can talk about their experiences creating programs or exhibits specifically with special needs in mind.  This could be anything from autism to Alzheimer's.  If you'd like to participate and discuss learning theory or something related instead, let me know. 
This presentation will discuss the challenges and benefits in working with people with special needs and the surprising ways in which these adaptations create a better museum experience for the 'normal' museum audience. 

 

Tentative outline:

How to make your museum more welcoming for people with special needs

  1. Talk about how many people there are in the US with 'special needs', how they are part of our audiences
  2. Problems of access (cognitive and physical) and benefits (to visitors and institutions) of programing that works for people with special needs
  3. Talk about awesome programs we know about and some basic ideas that would work across different sized museums. - where we need panelists.
  4. Break into groups to brainstorm ways to make your own museum's programs more accessible  (with worksheet and hands-on items) 
  5. Discussion

 

Contact:    Kristjana Eyjólfsson, Director of Education

Historical Museum at Fort Missoula

(406)728-3476 x. 3       [log in to unmask]



*Western Justice in Museums  FILLED

*Unique Programming  FILLED

 

    REMEMBER:  YOU CONTACT THE CONTACT DIRECTLY TO JOIN A PANEL. 

  

Submit a proposal - Have something to share?  

Proposals are now being accepted for workshops, sessions and poster sessions

PROPOSAL DEADLINE:  January 25, 2017

  

Not sure how to get started?

Check our website for suggested topics

Go here for the proposal form for sessions, workshops, poster sessions

Can't find panelists? Ask MPMA for help. 

We keep a list of folks from around the region who want to join a panel.  So, maybe we can help you fill out your panel.  Contact us: [log in to unmask]
 
Bookmark this date:  October 15-19, 2017  

MPMA's regional museum conference is a great place for anyone who works in a museum of any kind to get ideas on current practices for their programs and buildings. It is where they can mingle with peers, learn about the latest techie stuff, get the straight talk on current standards, and hear new ways for reaching visitors of all ages and abilities. MPMA is also a professional network to help you when the going gets tough.

 

Let MPMA help you create a successful proposal and find the best panelists.
Contact us about a Call-Out for you!!!

 

MPMA: A Ten-State Museum Network
Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma,
South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming

Mark your calendar:

2017 MPMA Conference October 15-19 Denver, CO

Mountain-Plains Museums Association
7110 West David Drive
Littleton, Colorado 80128-5404
303-979-9358

 

www.mpma.net

 

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