Post Con

Association of Academic Museums and Galleries Annual Conference

This spring, museum mecca Washington, D.C., played host to academics, curators, museum and gallery staff members, and students from across the country.

post conAssociation of Academic Museums and Galleries Annual Conference

May 24–25, 2016
Katzen Arts Center, American University
Washington, D.C.

“We repeatedly heard from those who came that this was a very strong conference, an excellent program with many networking opportunities,” said AAMG President Jill Hartz, executive director of the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at the University of Oregon. “And our student participation keeps growing, too.”

CHALLENGES AMG’s biggest challenge each year is that volunteer board members, rather than dedicated staff, plan the meeting. (Read our Pre Con profile at convn.org/pre-con-aamg.) But the association is looking to change that. “My staff and staff from other museums will organize the event next year,” Hartz said, “and with increased membership dues and conference-registration fees, we are aiming to hire paid staff for the future.”

INITIATIVES A major initiative at AAMG 2016 was an effort to codify best practices for academic museums and galleries to create a guide for members by the end of this year. Hartz is encouraged by the progress made at the meeting. “Our next step is to share the draft with representatives from other museum organizations and our institutional members,” Hartz said, “and then finalize and vote on it at our fall board meeting, after which it will be posted. We’re almost there!”

2016
Washington, D.C.
200 attendees
11 sponsors

2015
Atlanta
165 attendees
12 sponsors

Kate Mulcrone

Kate Mulcrone is digital editor of Convene.