C o m m o n w e a l t h  
A s s o c i a t i o n   o f  
M u s e u m s

Conferences, Workshops, and Other Initiatives

Disaster Risk Management Workshop for Caribbean Museums, Bahamas, dates to be confirmed

CAM is collaborating with the National Museum of the Bahamas to provide a workshop on Disaster Risk Management (dates to be confirmed). The workshop will include information about identifying and mitigating risks to heritage buildings and moveable property as well as case studies of recent situations in the Caribbean. CAM is able to cover travel expenses for a number of participants from Commonwealth nations in the Caribbean; participants from non-Commonwealth nations are welcome to attend at their own cost. The Prince Claus fund may provide transportation costs www.princeclausfund.org. We are working towards a broad representation of participants from throughout the region, such as decision-makers, facility managers, security staff, conservators, curators, collections managers, archivist and librarian. CAM is committed to supporting gender balance within the workshop. If you are interested in participating, or for further information contact the Secretary-General CatherineC.Cole@telus.net or Kim Outten-Stubbs CAM Board Member and Curator, National Museum of the Bahamas kouttenstubbs@ammcbahamas.com

Taking it to the Streets
Commonwealth Association of Museums (CAM) and Glasgow Museums
Scotland Street School Museum, Glasgow
May 14-17, 2014

May 14-15: International symposium
May 16: Visits to Community Outreach Programs & Glasgow Museum Tours
May 17: Invitational Workshop on Museums & Participatory Governance, limited to 30 delegates

Museums are increasingly engaged in civic debate and developing exhibitions and programs to extend the reach of the museum beyond four walls throughout the community and, by extension, increasing their benefit to the society. Museums take an active role in presenting timely, sometimes controversial issues to improve public awareness and understanding and provoke changes in behaviour. In the past 25 years, traditional audiences have broadened to include community groups (such as seniors, marginalized groups, cultural communities, and clubs of various sorts). And rather than considering them to be just an audience, community groups may now be partners in developing exhibitions and programs. Some museums are encouraging deeper community engagement – participatory governance – in which citizens are involved in all aspects of decision-making. In these institutions there is a commitment to enabling individuals and groups to engage more fully in political issues, in public policy and in the governance of the museum at all levels. These relationships pose challenges for museums committed to sharing authority whether on a project basis or considering sustained changes.

CAM and Glasgow Museums invite proposals for papers, panels, roundtables, Ignite! sessions, workshops, posters, and presentation forms such as performance art, that deal with community engagement and outreach. Interested participants, whether panel chairs or individual presenters, should send a proposal of 300–500 words accompanied by a 200-word biography by September 15, 2013 to: Catherine C. Cole, Secretary-General, Commonwealth Association of Museums, 10023 93 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA, T5H 1W6; 1-780-424-2229; CatherineC.Cole@telus.net; http://www.maltwood.uvic.ca/cam/about/index.html

Suggested topics include:
The role for museums in developing off-site exhibitions
    - What is the museum’s legitimate role? How far can museums go?
Engaging communities by going to them, rather than waiting for them to come to the museum
    - Overcoming barriers to visitation
Partnerships with community groups to develop exhibitions and programs
    - Potential partners, consultation versus co-creation, how to structure, giving up authority, crowdsourcing
New approaches to outreach
    - Case studies of what works and is innovative, e.g., contests, yarn bombing, social media
Challenges in forging new relationships with communities
    - Resistance within the museum, differing expectations, new changing skillsets required by museum professionals

2014 Museum themes:
International Museums Day, May 18, 2014: theme Museum Collections make Connections
    - Iconic/signature artifacts: museum mascots as community liaison, providing opportunities for visitors to get involved, e.g., adopt an artifact
Museums and sport: community-based projects to commemorate the Commonwealth Games
Museums and peace: the 100th anniversary of the beginning of WWI, the war to end all wars; engaging the community in commemorating the contributions of Commonwealth nations to the war

All Delegates: Please Bring
1. A traditional game from your country, to play with delegates in recognition of the Commonwealth Games.
2. An item to donate to a silent auction to raise funds for the CAM Distance Learning Program (e.g., museum publication, indigenous craft, textiles).
The Commonwealth Association of Museums (CAM)
CAM was established in 1974 as a Commonwealth professional association and an international non-governmental organization (NGO) working towards the betterment of museums and their societies in the Commonwealth family of nations and globally. For nearly 40 years CAM has worked with museums and museum workers throughout the Commonwealth who share a common history and perspective on the role of museums as places for civic engagement and participatory governance rather than simply places of passive learning. CAM members create dialogue and action on a variety of contemporary issues including human rights, peace, the environment, issues affecting women, education, literacy and poverty. With more than 300 members in 44 countries, CAM creates thematic and regional networks to support innovative projects encouraging action and increasing the impact of museums throughout the Commonwealth.
Why Glasgow?
Glasgow is known internationally for its outreach service, the Open Museum, based at Glasgow Museums Resource Centre, which for more than 20 years has taken Glasgow's museum collections beyond the museum walls and out into the community. The Open Museum program includes reminiscence and handling kits containing artifacts, photographs and interpretive materials, and displays and exhibitions available for loan to community groups. There are more than 40 reminiscence kits that may be used to trigger memories for educational, recreational, or therapeutic purposes. The more than 30 handling kits are geared toward different age groups and interests. The program offers both free-standing displays and table top exhibits. Many of these projects have been developed in partnership with community groups. In 2014 Glasgow is hosting the Commonwealth Games, providing a unique focus on the Commonwealth.

Funding
Funding assistance may be available for CAM members from Commonwealth developing countries. Please advise whether funding is required. Criteria will take into account geographical and gender representation, professional competence and museum experience, and available matching funds. Particular consideration will be given to those who meet the above criteria and whose papers are selected for presentation. The selection of those who receive funding will be determined by the Steering Committee, based on a CV with a written statement of interest to be submitted by September 15, 2013.

Registration
There will be an application and selection process for all delegates to ensure solid participation from Commonwealth nations outside of the UK.
Early bird rates before March 31, 2014: symposium and community/museum visits £175 for CAM members/£200 for non-members; (£75 for CAM members of Commonwealth developing nations/£100 for non-members); Participatory Governance Workshop (invitation only, n/c). Fees include refreshment breaks and most lunches but not dinners or accommodation.

To join CAM, go to: http://www.maltwood.uvic.ca/cam/about/membership_info.html