NEW Deadline:

Friday, December 19th, 2025, 11:59pm

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Creativity is central to our work as museums and galleries. It guides how we connect with our objects, communicate with our audiences, and collaborate with organizations.

In this year’s conference, we invite proposals that explore the many dimensions of creativity found within academic museums and galleries. We recognize the complex landscape in which we operate—shrinking budgets, increased scrutiny, and competition for our audiences’ attention can feel like ever-present forces. Yet, our museum community continues to adapt, persist, and thrive. We want to hear how you navigate challenges, foster resilience, and reclaim the joy of this deeply relational work. This conference is a space to share how we are:

·      Responding creatively to external pressures while staying true to our missions
·      Building resiliency in ourselves, our teams, and our institutions
·      Creating space for dialogue, healing, and joy
·      Collaborating across disciplines and communities to amplify impact
·      Reconnecting with the purpose and passion that brought us to this field

We encourage proposals that detail best practices or demonstrate creative approaches to the nuts-and-bolts aspects of running a museum, including marketing & communication, finance and fundraising, board governance and advisory councils, operations and facilities management, volunteer and visitor service programs, etc. We welcome proposals rooted in the audience experience, including education, exhibitions, and public programming, and those connected to caring for collections and making collections accessible.

We seek proposals that focus on creativity, whether it is rooted in solitary efforts or in collaborative endeavors. Inspired by our prompt that encourages diverse interpretations, this theme is meant to be expansive and inclusive, just like the work we do.

Proposal Formats May Include:
(find detailed descriptions of each format in the pdf linked below)

·      Session
·      Panel Discussion
·      Problem Solving Workshop
·      Facilitated Roundtable

Submission Guidelines:

·      Proposal Deadline: Tuesday, November 25, 2025, 11:59pm
·      Submit via: https://forms.gle/ojSMZdJeDaN5HxzZ8
·      Include: Title, Abstract (250 words max), Format, Presenter(s) Bio(s)

Share a success story, a work-in-progress, or a lesson learned; your voice matters. Let’s come together to celebrate the power of creative expression and the strength of our community.

Some questions to start (but not limit!) your proposal

·     What out-of-the-box strategies have you used to solve challenges in your museum or gallery?
·     How have artists and creatives influenced your work in your institution?
·     Where have you found unexpected alliances and alignments that inform your work?
·     How are you using creativity in your exhibitions, programming, partnerships, scholarship, or internal practices?

We aren’t alone.
We remember why we do this.
We move forward, together.

Download and view the full call for proposals here.

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