Preliminary Program

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM

SUNDAY, OCT. 7

MONDAY, OCT. 8

SUNDAY OCT. 7

MONDAY OCT. 8

11:00 am – 3:00 pm PRE-CONFERENCE OFF-SITE TOUR: OXFORD HERITAGE & CULTURE TOUR Meet Robert Saarnio at 11:00 am at The University of Mississippi Museum (University Avenue & 423 South 5th Street, Oxford): William Faulkner’s Rowan Oak (916 Old Taylor Road); L.Q.C. Lamar House (616 North 14th Street); The Burns-Belfry Museum & Multicultural Center (710 East Jackson Avenue) Coordinator: Robert Saarnio, Executive Director, University of Mississippi Museum, Oxford, MS On your way to Jackson, tour and experience the widely-varying collections and interpretive strategies of four major Oxford museums and heritage sites. Enjoy lunch on Oxford’s historic town square and visit Square Books.

7:30 am – 11:00 am HHMAG HANDS-ON HELP PROJECT: OAKS HOUSE MUSEUM AND MANSHIP MUSEUM Meet in lobby to carpool. (823 N. Jefferson St. & 420 E. Fortification St.) Coordinator: Katie Burlison, Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic Houses, New Orleans, LA Those with special interests or talents associated with historic house museums are invited to participate in this workshop at one of two locations. At the Oaks House Museum, a Greek Revival cottage built about 1853, volunteers will be numbering and entering records into Past Perfect; helping with historic housekeeping, and gardening. At the Manship House Museum, a Gothic Revival cottage built in 1857, volunteers will clean exterior shutters and help with garden work and grounds keeping. (Sponsor: HHMAG) (pre-registration required)

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm PRE-CONFERENCE OFF-SITE TOUR: DISCOVER THE MAX Bus leaves at 11:00 am from the Jackson Marriott or stop by Meridian on route to Jackson: Mississippi Arts & Entertainment Experience (2155 Front Street, Meridian); Mississippi Industrial Heritage Museum (1808 4th Street, Meridian) Discover the innovative exhibitions at Mississippi Arts & Entertainment Experience (The MAX) that recently opened in historic Meridian. There will be food and beverages. After experiencing The MAX, the Mississippi Industrial Heritage Museum will give a tour of historic Soulé Steam Feed Works, one of the oldest remaining late 19th/early 20th century factory sites in the United States. Historic Soulé is a step back in time as visitors discover how hard people worked and how things were made. (Preregistration required for bus)

8:00 am – 5:00 pm REGISTRATION Windsor Pre-Function Area

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm SEMC COUNCIL MEETING Warwick Room 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm PRE-CONFERENCE EVENT: THE SMITH ROBERTSON MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER Meet bus outside the Jackson Marriott’s lobby: The Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center (528 Bloom Street) The Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center will host a pre-conference event on Sunday evening. This event will include light refreshments and music entertainment. (Pre-registration required)

8:30 am – 11:30 am SEMC COUNCIL MEETING Warwick Room 8:30 am – 11:30 am EDCOM’S ONE GOOD THING PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP: CURATING CONVERSATIONS: FACILITATING DIALOGUE IN OUR MUSEUMS Meet at Two Mississippi Museums (222 North Street) Moderator: Michelle Schulte, Independent Curator VA Presenters: Julian Rankin, Director of Center for Art & Public Exchange, Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, MS; Monique Davis, Current Director of Participation, Mississippi Museum of Art; Betsy Bradley, Executive Director, Mississippi Museum of Art; LaTanya Autry, Curator of Art and Civil Rights, Mississippi Museum of Art; Von Gordon, Youth Engagement Coordinator, Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation; Pamela Junior, Director, Mississippi Civil Rights Museum; Rachel Myers, Director, Museum of Mississippi History; Allison Pena, Director of Education, Museum of Mississippi History; John Spann, Museum Manager of Education, Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, Jackson, MS Our institutions serve as public venues for exploring and confronting complex topics from a range of experiences and views. How are we encouraging conversations about challenging or divisive topics surrounding social, political and economic inequality in our communities among staff and then with visitors within our institutions? Facilitators from the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation will join staff from the Two Mississippi Museums and Mississippi Museum of Art (MMA) to lead this hands-on, highly participatory workshop. Participants will first engage in their own dialogue circles, learn the practices and interventions developed

by MMA staff surrounding their immersive exhibit “White Gold,” model facilitated conversations within galleries of the Two Mississippi Museums, and determine ways to cater programs like these to meet the needs of their home institutions. (Sponsor: EdCom)

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SUNDAY, OCT. 7

MONDAY, OCT. 8

MONDAY, OCT. 8

MONDAY, OCT. 8

MONDAY, OCT. 8 11:00 am – 12:30 pm JIMI LUNCHEON (Pre-registration required, $30) Newbury Room 11:30 am – 12 noon PROGRAM COMMITTEE MEETING Warwick Room 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm DIRECTOR/TRUSTEE LUNCHEON & LEADERSHIP FORUM PROGRAM “DISRUPT THE BOARDROOM” Windsor IV/V Rooms Moderator/Presenter: Mary Baily Wieler, President, Museum Trustee Association, Baltimore, MD Presenters: David Butler, Executive Director, The Knoxville Museum of Art, Knoxville, TN; Sandra Kidd, Alexander Haas, Atlanta, GA Join directors and trustees from around the region to network and share concerns, successes, and challenges with your peers. Discuss ways to mix up our traditional methods of Board recruitment by using the power of LinkedIn and other social networks to meet, cultivate, and recruit a pool of potential Board leaders for the future. Demographics alone tell us that our tried and true ways are fast becoming obsolete, if they haven’t already. This Roundtable will start with some new ideas to shake up old models, and then will open the door to share your ideas and experiences.

(Sponsors: Alexander Haas, Museum Trustee Association, Travelers) (Pre-registration required, $40) 1:00 pm – 5:30 pm RESOURCE EXPO OPEN Windsor I/II/III 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm WORKSHOP: Meaningful Interpretation: Reflections on NMAAHC’s Interpretation Workshop Churchill II Room Moderator/Presenter: Jennifer Zazo-Brown, Museum Program Specialist, National Museum of African American History & Culture, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC Presenters: Part 1 – Shawn Halifax, Cultural History Interpretation Coordinator, Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission, Charleston, SC; Part 2 – Katie Burlison, Chief Curator, Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic Houses, New Orleans, LA; Stephanie Fallon, Adult Education Manager, Roanoke, VA; Patricia Shandor, Lexington County Museum, Lexington, SC; Stephanie Thomas, Chief of Education and Interpretation, The Charleston Museum, Charleston, SC; Lance Wheeler, Museum Manager of Exhibitions, Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, Jackson, MS; JoAnne Zeise, Curator of History, South Carolina State Museum, Columbia, SC Workshop will provide an in-depth look at Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture’s Interpretation Workshop and some interpretive concepts and methodologies used to help interpret sensitive topics. Session will include case studies from past participants and a content-rich poster presentation from this year’s cohort members/ SEMC member sites. (Sponsors: EdCom, NAME)

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1:00 pm – 2:15 pm CONCURRENT SESSIONS Museums as Economic Engines Windsor IV/V Rooms Presenters: Melissa Buchner, Manager, C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa, Memphis, TN; Laura Lott, President & CEO, American Alliance of Museums, Arlington, VA; Gloriaann Gushue-Sanders, Executive Director, Calico Rock Museum Foundation, Calico Rock, AR American Alliance of Museums (AAM) recently released the new Museums as Economic Engines report. Museum leaders and particularly trustees will find the data in this report critical for the next round of budget battles and advocacy. Museums and strategic partnerships can revitalize small towns with rundown buildings and make them turn arounds, through the creative economy. Learn about “Stand for Your Mission” — helping board members expect, learn, and perform their duties re: advocacy. In the Southeast region, several museums have done their own economic impact statements. Get empowered with this economic impact study!

Escape the Session Room Winston I/II Rooms Moderator: Robin Person, Site Director, Mississippi Department of Archives & History, Historic Jefferson College, Washington, MS Presenters: Andrew Gurstelle, Academic Director, Wake Forest Museum of Anthropology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC; Stacey Everett, Historic Education Specialist, Mississippi Department of Archives & History–Manship House Museum, Jackson, MS; Marilynn Jones, Site Director, Mississippi Department of Archives & History–Manship House Museum, Jackson, MS This session will look at the current interest in “escape rooms,” and see how three museums created their own, using elements of their own exhibits, collections, and site history. It’s a little harder to design than it looks! Participants will attempt to “escape the session room” with a scaled down program, using puzzles, locks, and clues.

Talking Race: The Power, Influence and Responsibility of Museum Professionals Surrey I Room Moderator/Presenter: Janeen Bryant, Consultant, Facilitate Movement, Charlotte, NC Presenter: Kate Whitman, VP of Public Programs, Atlanta History Center, Atlanta, GA Join speakers as they co-facilitate our candid exploration of race and racism in museum practice, strategy, and future commitments. Our understandings of diversity, equity, and responsibility in the museum field are all shaped in different ways. This experience is designed to create a learning space through frank and respectful dialogic exchange in an anti-oppression framework. We will share strategy and resources to grow participant competencies related to Museums and Race.

Collections Sharing: The Extroverted Museum Surrey II Moderator/Presenter: Sarah Dickerson, Collections Manager, Oak Alley Foundation, Vacherie, LA Presenters: Matt Farah, Associate Curator of Traveling Exhibitions, The Historic New Orleans Collection, New Orleans, LA; Shelbe Johnson, Distance Learning Specialist, The National World War II Museum, New Orleans, LA; Vero Rose Smith, Assistant Curator, University of Iowa Museum of Art, Iowa City, IA

MONDAY, OCT. 8 As museums explore new ways to fulfill their mission, different challenges present themselves: among the challenges are the relationship between a collection’s emotional or controversial content and the public, museum accessibility, and the logistical issues of traveling exhibits. Join us as we rise to the challenge of reconciling collection preservation and interpretation.

Collaborating on Community-Wide Events Churchill I Room Moderator/Presenter: James Quint, Director of Education, Historic Columbia, Columbia, SC Presenters: Andrea Patterson, Marketing Director, Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, and President, LeFleur Museum District, Jackson, MS; Patti Reiss, Director of Museum Experience, Mississippi Children’s Musuem, Jackson, MS; Lasley Stever, Director of Programs, Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC; Nicole Smith, Event Planner, Naturalist, Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Jackson, MS While museums regularly implement successful stand-alone programs, linking into community-wide events provides opportunities for entire cultural arts communities to have a greater impact. This session explores various types of partnerships as well as obstacles to success. Panelists will guide discussions on public/private partnerships, regionally known anniversaries and events, and instances where avoiding collaboration may be best. (Sponsor: EdCom) Mid-Career Management: Executive Recruiters, Self-Promotion and More!

Canterbury Room Moderator/Presenter: Zinnia Willits, Director of Collections and Operations, Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC Presenters: William U. Eiland, Director, Georgia Museum of Art, Athens, GA; Marilyn Hoffman, Executive Search Consultant and Principal, Museum Search & Reference, Executive Search for Museums, Manchester, NH; Howard J. Kittel, President and CEO, Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage, Nashville, TN This session will address mid-career management including marketing oneself for upward movement and the use of executive search firms to fill senior level positions. Through structured presentation/conversation, the panel will discuss their experiences with search firms (as both client and provider) and give insight on how to use search firms and maximize one’s marketability for leadership positions.

Interactives in Galleries: Don’t Break the Bank Newbury Room Moderator/Presenter: Heather Marie Wells, Digital Project Manager, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR Presenters: Glenna Barlow, Manager of Education, Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC; Paul Scoggan, Senior Digital Developer, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR Museums strive to make exhibitions that teach all different kinds of learners. Some guests learn better through interactive experiences. But how can we, as non-profits who are concerned with making the almighty dollar stretch as far as it can, integrate interactives in our galleries without breaking the bank? Learn about low-cost hardware (both digital and not) that might be the solution to your interactive needs. As well as some tips and tricks for discovering these items on your own. (Sponsor: NAME)

2:15 pm – 2:45 pm ICED TEA & COOKIE BREAK IN RESOURCE EXPO Windsor I/II/III Ballroom

2:30 pm – 4:00 pm OFF-SITE SESSION: SEMC EXHIBIT REVIEW International Museum of Muslim Cultures (201 E. Pascagoula Street) Meet in Marriott lobby to walk to museum Moderator/Presenter: Michael Scott, Curator of Education, High Point Museum, High Point, NC Presenter: Cynthia Torp, Owner, Solid Light, Inc., Louisville, KY Come have a discussion about the museum exhibit field with representatives from fields of museum education, curation, exhibit design, and others while actually visiting one of the local museum’s exhibit galleries.

Then meet up with some of the staff that worked on the exhibit and hear about their process, their proudest achievements, and where they wished they had more resources to work with. Following that there will be a general discussion on the role of each field and how they all fit into and shape the exhibits process. (Sponsors: CurCom, NAME)

2:45 pm – 4:00 pm CONCURRENT SESSIONS The Politics of Confederate Monuments & Commemoration in the 21st Century Windsor IV/V Moderator/Presenter: Brenda Tindal, Director of Education, Detroit Historical Society, Detroit, MI Presenters: Sheffield Hale, President & CEO, Atlanta History Center, Atlanta, GA; Joy Bivins, Vice President and Chief Curator, International African American Museum, Charleston, SC What drives people to create monuments and memorials? This question is at the center of the current debate over controversial monuments that have recently attracted attention, including Confederate monuments.

How can museums help audiences (or visitors) put Confederate monuments in historical perspective and foster dialogue about the future of these monuments? “While many early memorials were erected to honor Confederate dead, most monuments were created during the Jim Crow era to stand in opposition to racial equality. Veneration of Confederates symbolized white racial dominance. If the monuments are not removed, then they need to be reinterpreted in an accurate historical context which plainly states why they were erected and what they were intended to represent” (Atlanta History Center’s Confederate Monument Initiative online toolkit). Across the country, communities are deciding the future of Confederate monuments and symbolism. Museums are often identified as potential repository sites for these artifacts in the event of removal, but museums can offer more than storage sites; museum professionals also have the unique ability to step into the public sphere as experts in historical context. Many of the objects are quite large and would overwhelm museum spaces or landscapes. Is this solution practical or desirable? As public historians, how can we confront this issue and serve as a resource for communities while continuing to serve the mission of our museums?

What role do we have to play in these conversations?

IGNITE SEMC: Inspired Professionals Speak Winston I/II Room Moderator/Presenter: Erica Hague, Collections Manager, Atlanta History Center, Atlanta, GA Presenters: Matthew S. Davis, Director of Historic Museums, Georgia College, Milledgeville, GA; Kathleen Pate, President, Arkansas Women’s History Institute, Little Rock, AR; Cindy Gardner, Administrator, Two Mississippi Museums, Jackson, MS; Jolie Johnson, Marketing/Membership Manager, Hilliard University Art Museum, Lafayette, LA; John Fields, Curator, Abroms/ Engel Institute for the Visual Arts, Birmingham, AL; Laura Jane Ramsburg,

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MONDAY, OCT. 8 Assistant Director, Eleanor D. Wilson Museum, Hollins University, Roanoke, VA; Jana Perry, Director of Education and Programs, Mississippi Children’s Museum, Jackson, MS; Elise Solomon, Director of Learning & Engagement, Taft Museum of Art, Cincinnati, OH Looking for a mix of practical and inspiring ideas? Tired of 75 minutes on one topic? Looking to get an overview of what is happening at institutions across the Southeast? In this session, professionals share concise, practical, and inspiring thoughts for 5 minutes with group discussion at the end.

Who Ya Gonna Call?

Phonebank Outreach After Natural Disasters Manchester Room Moderator/Presenter: Lauren O’Neill, Panama Canal Museum Collection Assistant, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Presenters: Fletcher Durant, Preservation Librarian; Elizabeth Bouton, Exhibition Associate, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL During the 2017 hurricane season, the University of Florida piloted a program to reach out to cultural organizations potentially impacted by Irma across Florida and connect those organizations with FEMA resources and conservation help. This panel will discuss the resources available in the aftermath of disasters. Presenters will discuss the use of freely available digital tools to facilitate a volunteer-led phone-banking project; share initial findings from the data collected; and reflect on some lessons to take into consideration for future projects and hurricane seasons. (Sponsor: SERA) How A Library Transforms into an Exhibit Experience Surrey I Room Moderator/Presenter: Terence Healy, Principal, HealyKohler Design, Washington, DC Presenters: Ryan P. Semmes, Associate Professor, Archivist, Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, Mississippi State University Library, Mississippi State, MS; Holly Croft, Assistant Professor, Digital Archivist, Ina Dillard Russell Library, Georgia College, Milledgeville, GA; Brandon Wason, Curator of Archives and Manuscripts, Pitts Theology Library, Emory University, Atlanta, GA Exhibits have been created over the past decade that transform the passive history of highlighting collections into an engaging and enticing experience. Library staff has been placed into a position of creating exhibitions that are much more robust and must compete with other museum experiences in their community. This session will address the navigation of the institutions’ vision and commitment to stakeholders, the maintenance of the collections, updates and sustainability of the experience, and media experiences and their relationship to the library and institution. (Sponsor: NAME) Building Capacity for Evaluation in Your Institution Surrey II Room Moderator/Presenter: Erin Wilcox, Research Associate, RK & A, Alexandria, VA Presenter: Lauren McMurtray, Assistant Director of Development, Mississippi Children’s Museum, Jackson, MS An in-house evaluator and an evaluation consultant discuss the value of growing capacity for conducting audience research and evaluation.

Panelists will define capacity building, explain the basic elements of evaluation, and give tips for museums looking to conduct evaluation studies. Attendees will be invited to plan an evaluation scenario. (Sponsor: EdCom)

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Emerging Museum Professionals Roundtable Discussion Churchill I Room Moderator: Katie Ericson, Senior Manager, School and Volunteer Programs, Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory University, Atlanta, GA Presenters: Kali Mason, Registrar, Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, MS; Blair Kossen, Director of Development, Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, MS; Lance Wheeler, Manager of Exhibitions, Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, Jackson, MS Hosted by EMP’s like you, the concerns and challenges of emerging professionals will be discussed, creating a safe space for conversation among peers. In the first ten years of your career, the field can be exciting, but it is also easy to feel overwhelmed. Bring your questions and prepare to collaborate! (Sponsor: EMP) Raising the Roof: Historic House Sites Working Together to Solve Problems & HHMAG Business Meeting Canterbury Room Moderators: Ashleigh Oatts, Education Coordinator, T.R.R. Cobb House, Watson Brown Foundation, Athens, GA; Marian Inabinett, Curator of Collections, High Point Museum, High Point, NC Historic house professionals are often Jacks and Jills of all trades, but rarely have the opportunity to discuss issues pertaining to their sites with other professionals. This session will allow historic house employees to share problems pertaining to their sites and attendees can discuss potential solutions. The HHMAG Business Meeting will open this session, and moderators will lead discussion from there. (Sponsor: HHMAG) Making Sense of Mobile Tours Newbury Room Moderator/Presenter: Stasha Boyd, President, Q Media Productions, Inc., Winter Gardens, FL Presenters: Mike Lutz, Vice-President, Q Media Productions, Inc., Winter Gardens, FL; Tomas Dunne, CEO, OnCell, Pittsford, NY; Samantha Diamond, CEO, CultureConnect, New York, NY This unique session will convene a panel of award-winning mobile tour industry experts, from multiple firms and with a wide range of professional experience, to address issues and answer questions about the increasingly complex matter of mobile tours. (Commercial Session) (Sponsor: NAME) Making Art Relevant and “Accessible” Oxford Room Moderator/Presenter: Cybelle Jones, Principal and Executive Director, Gallagher & Associates, Silver Springs, MD Presenter: Mark Tullos, Director, The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience, Meridian, MS How can our cultural institutions serve our public — young, old, rich, poor — to better understand the importance of art and the creative economy? This roundtable discussion explores how the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience utilizes exhibit techniques and honest history to create a transformative experience for all audiences. (Commercial Session) (Sponsor: NAME) SEMC Equity & Inclusion Action Team Briarwood Room Moderator/Presenter: Deitrah Taylor, Public Historian, Perry, GA Presenters: Katy Malone, Education + Outreach Manager, Bernard A Zuckerman Museum of Art, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA; Marcy Breffle, Education Manager, Historic Oakland Foundation, Atlanta, GA

MONDAY, OCT. 8

Join the Equity and Inclusion Action Team! We are dedicated to promoting inclusivity in museums, becoming advocates for diversity in our field, and creating safe spaces for visitors. We will provide updates on current team initiatives and workshop topics creating a standing equity track at annual meetings. Continue our discussion and implementation from SEMC 2017 meeting and network with other action-oriented colleagues. Our goal is developing long-term equity initiatives and resources for the Southeast region.

4:00 pm – 4:30 pm EQUITY AND INCLUSION ACTION MEET-UP Briarwood Room & Marriott Bar Following the “Equity and Inclusion Action Team” session, join the team for an informal breakout gathering to continue building our connections.

Have fun with “identity” buttons.

4:30 pm – 5:30 pm RESOURCE EXPO GRAND OPENING RECEPTION Windsor I/II/III Ballrooms Experience the soul of Jackson at the Grand Opening Reception and kick off the conference on a festive note with a free cocktail. Celebrate the culture, food, and music. Network with the Resource Expo exhibitors and learn about new products and services. (Grand Opening Reception Sponsors: HealyKohler Design, Our Fundraising Search, Solid Light, Inc.) 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm EMERGING MUSEUM PROFESSIONALS MEET-UP: BLUES NIGHT AT HAL & MAL’S RESTAURANT Meet in the Marriott entrance to walk (200 Commerce Street) Join EMPs and students for Blues Night at Hal & Mal’s. Blue Monday is a celebration of the blues in Jackson. Network and meet new friends!

(Sponsor: EMP)

MONDAY, OCT. 8

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm EXHIBITS NETWORKING MEET-UP (NAME & CURCOM) Newbury Room & Marriott Bar Coordinators: Cynthia Torp, President, Solid Light Inc., Louisville, KY; Ann Rowson Love, Coordinator, Museum Education & Visitor-Centered Exhibitions/ Ringling Liaison, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL Exhibit geeks — come one, come all! Organized by NAME (National Association for Museum Exhibition) and CurCom (Curators Committee), this informal gathering of exhibit fanatics is a fun happy hour interlude before the evening event and a chance to network and talk with peers about current projects, big ideas, and general museum musings. (Sponsors: NAME & CurCom members) 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm (buses start loading at 5:30 pm) DIRECTORS AND TRUSTEES RECEPTION AT MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM OF ART Meet buses at hotel entrance (380 S. Lamar Street) Mississippi Museum of Art invites museum directors and trustees for a special reception. The evening event will follow.

7:00 pm – 10:00 pm (buses start loading at 6:30 pm) MUSEUM EVENING EVENT: DOWNTOWN JACKSON Meet buses at hotel entrance 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar Street) & International Museum of Muslim Cultures (201 E. Pascagoula Street) 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm: Mississippi Civil Rights Museum & Museum of Mississippi History 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm: Old Capitol Museum Discover the art and history of Mississippi. Enjoy a progressive dinner and music at the downtown Jackson museums. (Sponsors: 1220 Exhibits, Inc., The Design Minds, Inc., Exhibit Concepts, Inc., in addition to the host museums)

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TUESDAY OCT. 9 7:30 am – 9:00 am WALKING TOUR 1 & 2: History Walking Tour of Downtown Jackson Meet at Jackson Marriott’s entrance to walk With historians Todd Sanders and Jennifer Baughn, this early morning walking tour is a perfect introduction to our host city. You will learn about Jackson’s history and architecture, including historic churches, the new State Capitol, and the Governor’s Mansion. (Pre-registration required, $10, for future scholarships) FUN RUN: Rise and Run in the City with Soul Meet at Jackson Marriott’s entrance to run Meet your fellow runners to explore the tree-lined green spaces and broad sidewalks of downtown Jackson. Join us for as much of a 5K route as you would like. (Pre-registration required, $25, t-shirt) 8:00 am – 5:00 pm REGISTRATION Windsor pre-function area 9:00 am – 5:30 pm RESOURCE EXPO OPEN Windsor I/II/III Ballrooms 9:00 am – 11:30 am WORKSHOP: SPEED MENTOR NETWORKING Windsor IV/V Rooms Moderator: Jennifer Zazo-Brown, Museum Research and Program Specialist, National Museum of African American History & Culture, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC Modeled after the Speed Dating Model, SEMC Mentoring Session will provide an opportunity for attendees to interface with multiple established professionals in the museum field for a brief, one-to-one meeting.

Participants can opt to ask general questions about career development or seek the advice of an expert on a specific topic, project and/or challenge.

(Pre-registration required)

9:00 am – 10:15 am CONCURRENT SESSIONS From Effigy Pipe to Punching Bag: Negotiating the Native American Object in Art Museums Winston I/II Room Moderator/Presenter: Jochen Wierich, Interim Chief Curator, Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, MS Presenters: Robbie Ethridge, Professor of Anthropology, University of Mississippi, University, MS; Michael Holloman, Associate Professor of Art History and American Indian Studies, Washington State University, Pullman, WA; Joanna Underwood Blackburn, Artist, Davis, OK This roundtable discussion will focus on the challenges and opportunities of representing Native American identity in art museums. Participants will reflect on a broad range of issues in Native American museum display from material culture to the American Indian Movement. What are the ethical considerations? How do we interpret Native American art as

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non-native museum professionals? How do we include contemporary native voices? (Sponsor: SERA) Historic Decisions: Don’t Debate, Deliberate Surrey I Room Moderator/Presenter; Kathleen Pate, Immediate Past President, Arkansas Museums Association, Pine Bluff, AR Presenters: Nicole A. Moore, Manager of Education and Museum Content, National Center for Civil & Human Rights, Atlanta, GA; Cristin Foster Brawner, Executive Director, David Matthews Center for Civic Life, Montevallo, AL; Joni Doherty, Program Officer, Charles F. Kettering Foundation, Dayton, OH; Dr. Malcolm Glover, Professor of Public Administration, Webster University, Bryant, AR In response to changing visitor expectations, museums must deliver interactive experiences beyond the traditional guided tour. The session will address how interpretation through deliberation can reveal the active role of citizens in making well-reasoned judgements about past problems, give voice to underrepresented populations, and connect historic decisions to contemporary issues.

The Story of Creation and Conversion: How Two Mississippi Museums Developed Their Membership Models Surrey II Moderator/Presenter: Monique Davis, Director of Participation, Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, MS Presenters: Dorian Pridgen, Director of Visitor Services, Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, Jackson, MS This session will address the opportunities and challenges faced when considering changing your membership model. The panel will address: the research that was done to support the need for a membership conversion, how the change was communicated to members, lessons learned, and the process of developing a membership model for a new museum.

Museums Rise Up With Creative Fundraising Churchill I Room Moderator/Presenter: Linda Wise McNay, Consultant, Our Fundraising Search, Atlanta, GA Presenter: Sheffield Hale, President and CEO, Atlanta History Center, Atlanta, GA Hear from a former attorney turned museum professional who has shown great creativity in raising funds for his institution. We combine information sharing and real-life examples with plenty of time for feedback, stories and questions from the audience. This hour will be packed with examples of sure-fire creative fundraising techniques!

Curators, Research & Co-Curating Communities Churchill II Room Moderator: Ann Rowson Love, Museum Education & Visitor-Centered Exhibitions, Dept. of Art Education, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL Presenters: Emilie Arnold, Assistant Curator of Exhibitions, Orange County Historical Center, Orlando, FL; Allison Glenn, Associate Curator, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR; Jose Vazquez, Associate Professor Senior, School of Architecture, Miami Dade College, Miami, FL Addressing this year’s theme “Museums Rise Up,” this curatorial research session will feature three curators who will address how their museums and communities rise and respond to current issues and what the future of curatorial leadership will look like. The 21st century museum can be conceptually defined as an ecological environment no longer “curated” or mediated by specialists alone, but re-imagined with audiences.

(Sponsor: CurCom)

TUESDAY, OCT. 9 Museum Misadventures: Hands-on Training for Mini Mishaps Canterbury Room Moderator/Presenter: Amy Beisel, Museum Manager, International Museum of the Horse, Lexington, KY Presenters: Kyle Elizabeth Bryner, Director of Collections Management and Registration, Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Winchester, VA; Corinne Midgett, Registrar, High Point Museum, High Point, NC; Deb Van Horn, Curator, Walt Disney Imagineering, Buena Vista, FL; Scott Warren, Historic Site Manager II, President James K. Polk State Historic Site, Pineville, NC This session provides hands-on training on how to deal with small disasters within museums. It will concentrate on disasters that are more universally likely than regionally likely (pipe burst, etc.). The focus is on initial response, documentation, and recovery so anyone who encounters a mini-mishap can think and act efficiently. (Sponsor: EdCom)

10:15 am – 10:45 am COFFEE BREAK Windsor I/II/II Ballrooms

10:45 am – 12:00 noon CONCURRENT SESSIONS Women on the Rise Winston I/II Room Moderator/Presenter: Heather Nowak, Former Director, Miramar Beach, FL Presenters: Laura Lott, President & CEO, American Alliance of Museums, Arlington, VA; Betsy Bradley, Executive Director, Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, MS Now that women dominate the profession, learn about trends in the workplace. As women continue working after children, attendees will hear from leading women about navigating work and motherhood.

Women’s rights, appropriate and inappropriate treatment will be discussed. Attendees leave equipped with knowledge and feel inspired for their future in museums.

Navigating the Insurance Claims Process Manchester Room Moderator/Presenter: Aaron Rodgers, Executive Director, Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum, Jackson, MS Presenter: Ryan Hansen, Associate Architect, Weir Boehner Allin Architecture, Jackson, MS This program will look at the necessary inventory/collection information that needs to be considered, possible advocates for your claims process, potential pitfalls, and timeline expectations from the point of view of a museum administration that has worked through close to $2 million in insurance claims following a fire on their campus. (Sponsor: SERA) How to Win Volunteers and Influence People Surrey I Room Moderator/Presenter: Glenna Barlow, Manager of Education, Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC Presenters: Richard Harker, Director of Programming and Volunteers, Historic Oakland Foundation, Atlanta, GA; Emily Knight , Visitor Services Manager, The Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia, Atlanta, GA; Samantha Arceneaux, Events, Member, and Visitor Services Coordinator, Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL Museums rely heavily on the support of volunteers. But how do you support those volunteers? How do you ensure they’re serving as the best

possible ambassadors for your institution? How do you attract and retain a group that reflects the diversity of your community and is sensitive to the varied needs of your audience? From overhauling entire programs to dealing with difficult situations, these panelists will speak from their experience in varied settings, from historic sites to art museums. Talk through issues of volunteer management and identify potential solutions to real-life problems. (Sponsors: AAMV, EdCom) What is JIMI? Answer: SEMC’s Finest Education Program Surrey II Room Moderator/Presenter: Brian Hicks, Director, DeSoto County Museum, Hernando, MS Presenters: Martha Battle Jackson, Chief Curator, North Carolina State Historic Sites, Raleigh, NC; John Lancaster, Independent House Museum Consultant, Franklin, TN The Jekyll Island Management Institute (JIMI) is an eight-day SEMC sponsored museum management course in Jekyll Island, GA, designed for both newly emerging and mid-career museum professionals to further their knowledge about general museum administration and operation.

This year’s JIMI staff and graduates will give an overview of the eight-day program, its impact and information about available scholarships.

Wheel of Misfortune Churchill I Room Moderator/Presenter: Kyle Bryner, Director of Collections Management and Registration, Institutional Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Winchester, VA Presenters: Deb Van Horn, Curator, Walt Disney Imagineering, Lake Buena Vista, FL; Matthew S. Davis, Director of Historic Museums, George College, Milledgeville, GA; Michael Scott, Curator of Education, High Point Museum, High Point, NC; Scott Warner, Historic Site Manager II, President James K. Polk State Historic Site, NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Pineville, NC Explore museum mishaps and disasters in a fun way! A panel of contestants from different museums will each take turns spinning the Wheel of Misfortune. During each spin of the wheel, a different problem facing museum professionals will be addressed. Topics will include, but are not limited to: disasters, theft, lost paperwork, PR nightmares, education programs gone awry, and all of the other terrible things that can happen in a museum! The lesson will be that no one ever really wins the game of the Wheel of Misfortune, but we can all learn valuable lessons from the game. A fun time shall be had by all.

Interpreting Racism Today Churchill II Room Moderator/Presenter: Bestor Cram, Creative Director, Northern Light Productions, Boston, MA Presenters: Christian Cotz, Director of Education and Visitor Engagement, James Madison’s Montpelier, Orange, VA; Chris Danemayer, Principal, Proun Design, Somerville, MA; Judy Richardson, Filmmaker & former SNCC Organizer, Silver Spring, MD Creators of Montpelier’s new “The Mere Distinction of Colour” use exhibition aspects focused on the modern contextualization of slavery and issues of race within today’s socio-political environment to discuss the role media plays in inspiring public engagement in contemporary issues in museums, and which results in relevant experiences for audiences.

Mississippi Civil Rights Rise Up: The Making of a New State Museum Canterbury Room Moderator/Presenter: Jill Malursky, Hilferty and Associates, Museum Planning and Exhibit Design, Athens, OH

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TUESDAY, OCT. 9 Presenters: Katie Blount, Director, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, MS; Lucy Allen, Museum Division Director, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, MS; Pamela D. C. Junior, Director, Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, MDAH, Jackson, MS; Richard Woollacott, MCRM Exhibit Design Project Manager, Principal, Hilferty and Associates, Museum Planning and Design, Athens, OH “Tell the truth, no matter how brutal.” This was a directive given by community focus groups in the making of the new Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, the nation’s first state-operated museum dedicated to the subject. How could the state, which historically suppressed the movement, now be trusted to tell its story? This panel will discuss representing a complex story with multiple historical and contemporary perspectives, engaging community participation, and developing innovative and relevant exhibition design with an unflinching view of difficult historic events.

The historical context of the Civil Rights movement and the dynamics of this community/state relationship demanded a space for community involvement and the inclusion of multiple perspectives. Exhibit designers and staff had to consider how to interpret and display historical atrocities to museum visitors, how traditional and new techniques for exhibition design could be used to share complex and challenging information, and how to balance these messages with other stories of success, contemplation, and hope to create a truthful, unflinching, informative and inspirational experience. (Sponsor: NAME) The Future of History: Designing a Contemporary Building in Support of an Historic Narrative Newbury Room Moderator/Presenter: Scott Cryer, Architect, DLR Group, Washington, DC Presenters: Rhonda Tyson, former Exhibit Services Manager, Jamestown Yorktown Foundation, Williamsburg, VA; Cybelle Jones, Principal and Executive Director, Gallagher & Associates, Silver Spring, MD The American Revolutionary Museum at Yorktown provides a transformed visitor experience through interactive exhibit design, a dynamic 4D multi-sensorial theater environment, technological innovation, and smart and flexible space planning. The presentation will be insightful to anyone involved in a capital project for a museum that will impact public space, exhibit areas, and curatorial facilities, with the goal of increasing visitation. (Commercial session) Digital Strategies for Engaging Visitors Oxford Room Moderator/Presenter: Samantha Diamond, CEO, CultureConnect, New York, NY Presenters: McKenzie Drake, William Hollingworth Fellow, Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, MS; Emily Gumpel, Account Director, CultureConnect, New York, NY The Mississippi Museum of Art collaborated with CultureConnect to develop an app that would attract, educate, and engage a broader group of museum visitors. Attendees will walk away with concrete ideas for how to engage and respond to their visitors in the development of digital projects as well as the value and techniques for user testing. (Corporate Session) (Sponsor: NAME)

12:00 noon – 1:30 pm PROFESSIONAL NETWORK LUNCHEONS Southeastern Registrars Association (SERA) Windsor IV/V Ballrooms This is the annual business meeting for the Southeastern Registrars

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Association (SERA). Come hear updates from the board, welcome new board members, and find out more about what is going on with SERA. This is also a great opportunity to network with your colleagues. (SERA members only, pre-registration required, $30) Museum Educators Committee (EdCom) Luncheon & Program: “Beyond the Field Trip” Newbury Room Moderator/Presenter: Amelia Gallo, Membership & Programs Manager, Thomasville History Center, Thomasville, GA Presenters: Marcy Breffle, Education Coordinator, Historic Oakland Foundation, Atlanta, GA; Andrea Miskewicz, Education Coordinator, Museum of History & Holocaust Education, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA Join your fellow museum educators for lunch and discussion. How can institutions create, maintain, and grow engaging educational programming for K-12 student learners outside of the traditional field trip? Join museum educators from three very different institutions to discuss the challenges and opportunities of developing mission-focused outreach programs and collaborate with fellow participants a theoretical program. (EdCom members only, pre-registration required, $30) Curators’ Luncheon (CurCom) Briarwood Room Join your colleagues for lunch and informal conversations about curatorial issues, network with peers, and meet your Regional AAM CurCom representatives. (CurCom members only, pre-registration required, $30) AAMG Luncheon Oxford Room Join your colleagues for lunch and informal conversations about academic museum issues, network with peers, and meet your Regional AAMG representative. (AAMG members only, pre-registration required, $30) 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm OFF-SITE PROGRAM & TOUR: Small Museum Jeopardy: EMP Edition at Eudora Welty House and Garden Meet in Marriott’s lobby for transportation. (1119 Pinehurst Street) Moderator/Presenter: Jessica O’Connor, Public Assistance and Education, Eudora Welty House and Garden, Jackson, MS Presenter: Clay Williams, Sites Administrator, Mississippi Department of Archives & History, Jackson, MS Participants in this session will take on the role of the staff at one of Mississippi’s small museums. Each staff will be tasked with different problems and will have only site-specific toolkits to complete them. Through this, emerging museum professionals will work together to learn new ways of success at their small museums through creativity and collaboration.

(Sponsors: EMP, HHMAG)

2:00 pm – 4:30 pm WORKSHOP: Project Based Learning: Mini Museums to Prepare Primary and Secondary Students for Careers in Museums (Part I & II) Winston I/II Rooms Moderator/Presenter: Shawn Halifax, Cultural History Interpretation Coordinator, Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission, Charleston, SC Presenters: Faculty and Administrators, Boulder Valley School District, Boulder, CO Colorado’s Boulder Valley School District and McLeod Plantation

MONDAY, OCT. 8

MONDAY, OCT. 8

TUESDAY, OCT. 9 Historic site in Charleston, SC, are partnering to bring an understanding of slavery and its legacy to students and their community. In this workshop school and museum professionals work to initiate a model for student created mini-museums and mold a new generation of museum professionals. (Sponsor: EdCom)

2:00 pm – 3:15 pm CONCURRENT SESSIONS Using Animal Ambassadors to Enhance Museum Programs Windsor IV/V Room Moderator/Presenter: Corey Wright, Conservation Educator, Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Jackson, MS Presenter: Andrea Falcetto, Education Coordinator, Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Jackson, MS The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science is a wonderful extension of the school classroom! Hands-on programs are correlated to the state science curriculum, objectives and are both content and grade appropriate. Come learn how we maintain and utilize a small, live animal ambassador collection. You will even get a chance to meet (and touch) some of Mississippi’s unique wildlife. (Sponsor: EdCom) PR Nightmares: Responses to Negative Publicity and Controversy Manchester Room Moderator/Presenter: Nell Knox, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, MS Presenter: John Thomas Fields, Curator, Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL Museum professionals will share personal stories of handling negative publicity and controversy. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own stories of crisis communication to share with the group in an open forum, round robin-style format.

Finding the Work-Life Balance Surrey I Room Moderator/Presenter: Amy Beisel, Museum Manager, International Museum of the Horse, Lexington, KY Presenters: Ashlee Chilton, Education Coordinator, International Museum of the Horse, Lexington, KY; Travis Robinson, Curator, International Museum of the Horse, Lexington, KY; Virginia Howell, Education Curator, Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking, Atlanta, GA Museums ask for blood, sweat, tears, and more from their staff. How do you balance a job you love with living a life? In this roundtable, carve out strategies to help attain work-life balance. Work smarter, be less stressed, and learn how contemporaries in the field manage too.

How IMLS Grants Can Help Communities in Need Surrey II Room Moderator/Presenter: Steven Shwartzman, Senior Program Officer, Institute of Museum & Library Services, Washington, DC Presenters: Heather Kleiner, Senior Manager of Sponsored Programs, Sci Port Discovery Center, Shreveport, LA; Nancy Halverson, President and CEO, Children’s Museum of the Upstate, Greenville, SC This session will look at two IMLS grantee projects that focus on two very different audiences (the incarcerated and the financially underserved) for very different reasons in response to an identified need in their respective communities. Issues of social justice and financial literacy are just two of many foci that help define community engagement. With “Transforming Communities,” IMLS’ 2018-2022 Strategic Plan, and the

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ongoing Museums for America project category “Community Anchors,” plus the agency’s special initiative, “Community Catalysts,” IMLS is committed to working with museums to create better lives for communities.

These two projects will show how these two museums reached out into their respective communities to develop partnerships and subsequent programming to impact the lives of their communities. Learn how these how these community needs were identified, how community relationships were formed and the thought process behind how these projects were developed to meet these needs. A sub-theme of this session would be encouragement for museums who are at the beginning or intermediate stages of community engagement and what to look for when developing these relationships, what surprises you might encounter and a host of other does and don’ts. IMLS will also share other museum funding opportunities and provide handouts to attendees so everyone will be familiar with all available IMLS programs.

Creating (In-House) Exhibitions Churchill I Room Moderator/Presenter: Barbara McClendon, Exhibits Curator, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, MS Presenters: Madeleine Miller, Exhibits Specialist, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, MS; Samuel Butz, Exhibits Specialist, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, MS Do in-house exhibitions seem out of reach? Join our exhibit team for a practical session covering topics from 3D printing and design software to table saws and vinyl cutters. Add a few more tips to your exhibit tool bag and learn what equipment you need to do it yourself!

The Museum of Tomorrow Churchill II Room Moderator/Presenter: Heather Marie Wells, Digital Project Manager, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR Presenters: William Eiland, Director, Georgia Museum of Art, Athens, GA; Terence Healy, Principal, HealyKohler Design, Washington, DC; Laura Lott, President & CEO, American Alliance of Museums, Arlington, VA Predictions are hard, especially about the future! It’s always in motion and it seldom turns out the way we expect, but it can be wonderful and exciting. How will museums in the future respond and evolve to remain relevant? A museum director, digital media project manager, and exhibit designer will wonder about The Museum of Tomorrow.

Spotlight on Student Work in Museums (SWIM) Canterbury Room Moderator: Pam Meister, Director, Mountain Heritage Center, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC Hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students throughout our region are currently engaged in challenging and important work at Southeastern museums. They are doing object-based research, producing exhibits, conducting oral history interviews, creating content for websites, experimenting with new technology and developing public programs. The SWIM program will provide a showcase for student work and a way for students to connect and network with experienced museum professionals and other students. (Sponsor: AAMG) Finders Keepers?: Abandoned Cultural Property Newbury Room Moderator/Presenter: Zinnia Willits, Director of Collections and Operations, Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC Presenters: Amber Waterstradt, Registrar, Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC; Martha Battle Jackson, Chief Curator, Division of State Historic Sites and Properties, NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources,

TUESDAY, OCT. 9 Raleigh, NC; Robin Bauer Kilgo, Registrar/Social Media Consultant- CoPrincipal, TarraLou Consulting, LLC, Big Pine Key, FL Many museums have “Found-in-Collection” objects and old loans lingering in storage. Claiming thse objects as Abandoned Cultural Property could be a solution. Listen as three collections professionals break down their state’s ACP laws, explain what the process is really like, and what happens after your ACP submission is approved. (Sponsor: SERA) Lighting Conservation in the Age of LED Oxford Room Moderator/Presenter: Steven Rosen, President & Creative Director, Available Light, Salem, MA Presenters: Derek Barnwell, Principal, Available Light, Wake Forest, NC; Kathryn Etre, Conservator, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, MS Let’s talk about LEDs, Conservation and YOUR questions! We intend to explore our current lighting techniques for conserving objects in museums. Our discussion will include very basic introductory lighting design, a TM-30 color rendition testing, Fiber Optic Lighting Systems, LED Lighting Systems, Passive Lighting Controls Systems, and a brief on the new lighting “show” for George Washington’s Tent at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia. (Corporate Session)

3:00 – 3:30 pm ICE TEA & SNACK BREAK Windsor I/II/III Ballrooms

3:30 pm – 4:45 pm CONCURRENT SESSIONS Museum of Many Stories Windsor IV/V Room Moderator/Presenter: Rachel Myers, Director, Museum of Mississippi History (MMH), Jackson, MS Presenters: Michael Lesperance, Principal, The Design Minds, Inc., Fairfax, VA; Ben Avishai, Senior Writer, Northern Lights Production, Boston, MA; Lucy Allen, Director of Museum Division, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, MS; Cindy Gardner, Two Mississippi Museums Administrator, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, MS Our museums strive to present narratives that resonate with visitors, so how can we be inclusive of diverse voices in our exhibits? The MMH team will discuss community participation and inclusion strategies used to implement the theme of their core exhibition, “One Mississippi, Many Stories.” (Sponsors: EdCom, NAME) Librarian/Archivist Partnerships Manchester Room Moderator: Sheila Cork, Librarian, New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, LA The town meeting will discuss issues of importance to librarians and archivists from all types of museums. The session will be followed by a discussion about whether to create a Librarian/Archivist Committee for SEMC. Please bring ideas for discussion topics, and your business cards to exchange.

Addressing Preservation Resources in the South and Appalachia: An Update on the Regional Heritage Stewardship Program Surrey I Room Moderator/Presenter: Samantha Forsko, Preservation Specialist, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts, Philadelphia, PA Presenter: Dvani Feige, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts, Philadelphia, PA; Ryan Blocker, Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, AL The goal of the Regional Heritage Stewardship Program (RHSP) is to bring preservation resources and training to areas that have been underserved in access to these services. RHSP aims to help create a supportive community of preservation professionals to foster an environment conducive to preservation and collections care. Learn more about this project and its future.

Extending the Reach of Your Museum: Forming Community Partnerships with Non Arts-Based Organizations Surrey II Room Moderator/Presenter: Tina Smith, Museum Educator, Museum of Anthropology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC Presenters: Chelsea Stutz, Education Programs and Engagement Manager, Morris Museum of Art, Augusta, GA; Matthew Patterson, Museum Educator and Access Coordinator, Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, Jacksonville, FL; Brittny Bevel, Education Curator, Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa, FL These presenters engage with non-arts-based organizations on behalf of their art institutions. Through their experiences and respective programs, they will give examples and anecdotes as to how to begin a partner program with a non-arts-based organization. Some issues addressed will be: establishing mutual expectations for the partnership, evaluating the efficacy of your program, identifying your institution’s strengths and leveraging them, identifying a potential community partner, finding funding sources, overcoming obstacles and difficulties, sharing lessons learned, and benefiting from community partnerships. (Sponsor: EdCom) Breaking Down the University Silos Churchill I Room Presenter: Katy Malone, Education & Outreach Coordinator, Bernard A. Zuckerman Msueum of Art, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA Since opening its doors in 2014, the Zuckerman Museum of Art built an education program from scratch. Situated on a university campus, the program evolved around interdisciplinary learning, designed to reach faculty, staff, and students from all departments. Learn how they did it, what worked, what didn’t, and gain insight on how your institution can work with colleges from insiders. (Sponsors: AAMG, EdCom) Mid-Career Musings: A Group Think Session Churchill II Room Moderator/Presenter: Zinnia Willits, Director of Collections and Operations, Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC Presenters: Matthew S. Davis, Director of Historic Museums, Georgia College, Milledgeville, GA; Kathleen F. G. Hutton, Director of Education, Reynolda House Museum of American Art, Winston-Salem, NC; Michelle Schulte, Independent Curator, VA Join us for a facilitated mid-career (10+ years in the field,) conversation about challenges many face at this level including: mid-career job changes, transitions from peer to supervisor, consulting, and other topics. This will also be a Group Think exercise to implement a Mid-Career Museum Professionals (MCMP) affinity group. Attendees will help define goals and brainstorm professional development topics related to mid-career management.

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SUNDAY, OCT. 7

Leveraging Mobile Apps as a Multi Tool Newbury Room Moderator/Presenter: Thomas Dunne, Founder & CEO, OnCell, Pittsford, NY Presenters: Christina Shutt, Director, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, Little Rock, AR; Christen Stanley, Director of Education, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, Little Rock, AR; Natalie Mault Meed, Museum Curator & Director, Preserve Louisiana, Old Governor’s Mansion, Baton Rouge, LA Mobile apps have become an essential part of a visitor’s toolkit. This session will demonstrate why cultural organizations of all sizes need to have a mobile strategy in place. We’ll be combining Q & A and interactive demos to illustrate how to merge storytelling and tech. (Corporate Session) (Sponsor: NAME)

4:30 pm – 5:30 pm RESOURCE EXPO CLOSING PARTY Windsor I/II/III Ballroom 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm MID-CAREER MEET-UP Newbury Room 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm ACADEMIC MUSEUM GATHERING Meet at Martin’s Restaurant (214 S. State Street) Get together with staff from college and university museums for informal discussion of issues and concerns, exchange of ideas and exhibitions, and programming for today’s students. (Sponsor: AAMG) 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm (bus departs at 5:30 pm) COUNCIL LEGACY RECEPTION Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Drive) Meet outside Jackson Marriott’s lobby entrance for transportation

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MONDAY, OCT. 8

Celebrate the SEMC Legacy Society, a planned giving program, and thank donors to the Past Presidents Circle and William T. and Sylvia F. Alderson Endowment Fund. The evening event will follow at LeFleur museums.

(Council invitation only) 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm (buses start loading at 6:30 pm) EVENING EVENT: THE LEFLEUR MUSEUM DISTRICT Meet outside Jackson Marriott’s lobby entrance for transportation 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm: Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame (1152 Lakeland Drive), MS Agriculture & Forestry Museum (1150 Lakeland Drive) 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm: Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Drive), Mississippi Children’s Museum (2145 Museum Blvd.)

The LeFleur Museum District invites you to visit four world-class museums within a quarter-mile stretch in Jackson. The Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum, the Mississippi Children’s Museum, the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum will host an evening event where attendees can visit each museum and experience some of the best food, music, culture and history that Jackson and the state of Mississippi have to offer. The LeFleur Museum District serves to strengthen and enhance the community while connecting visitors to educational and cultural experiences that bring joy to families, inspire children to dream, and make classrooms come to life.

Long Live Wonder! (Sponsors: The LeFleur Museum District) 9:30 pm – 11:00 pm SERA REGISTRARS RESPITE Parlor Market (115 W. Capitol Street) Come join your fellow registrars and collections managers for a night of networking and fun at Parlor Market. In an 1892 building, the upscale rustic venue is within walking distance from the hotel so join us for a night of fun. (Contributing Sponsors: Willis Towers Watson; and Transport Consultants International) (SERA members, pre-registration required)

WEDNESDAY OCT. 10 9:00 am – 11:30 am DOUBLE SESSION: Interpreting the Civil War Today Windsor IV Room Moderator/Presenter: Les Reker, Director, Rural Heritage Museum, Mars Hill University, Mars Hill, NC Presenters: Diane Di Febo, Director of Education, The National Civil War Museum, Harrisburg, PA; Dawn Chitty, Director of Education, African American Civil War Museum, Washington, DC; Stephanie Artdiuni, Director of Education, The American Civil War Museum, Richmond, VA; Fritz Hamer, Historian and Archivist, South Carolina Civil War Relic Room and Military Museum, Columbia, SC; Bill Justice, Park Superintendent, Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, MS; Scott Babinowich, Educator, Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, MS This is intended for those who administer, curate and interpret the American Civil War and its aftermath. Attendees will share experiences and strategies for interpretation in light of recent scholarship and controversies, and can develop a new narrative that meets changing expectations while offering respectful experiences to traditional audiences.

DOUBLE SESSION: Popup Tinkering for Any Museum Windsor V Room Moderator/Presenter: Pody Gay, Director, Discovery Network at the Museum of Discovery, Little Rock, AR Presenters: Brittney Kugler, Education Manager, Discovery Network at the Museum of Discovery, Little Rock, AR; Ben Watson, Tinkering Studio Manager, Museum of Discovery, Little Rock, AR Help visitors develop their imagination, creativity, and deepen critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Learn how making and tinkering are relevant to any museum mission. This session is designed to emphasize that people create the conditions for learning in museums, it’s not about the stuff. Participants will experience two hands-on activities. (Sponsor: EdCom)

organization is doing. Small group and facilitated discussion exercises will lead the attendees though some of the common issues that all state associations face and share ways that others have solved these problems.

Transforming Teaching: A Close Look at the Mississippi Museum of Art’s Teaching Fellow Program Surrey I Room Moderator/Presenter: Isabel Gray, James and Madeleine McMullan Director of Learning and School Programs, Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, MS Presenters: Elizabeth Williams, Director of Interpretation, Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, MS; Two Teaching Fellows; Elise Smith, Professor of Art History, Millsaps College, Jackson, MS The Teaching Fellows Program at the Mississippi Museum of Art (MMA) trains undergraduate and graduate students as museum educators from the Museum’s K-12 audiences. Educators and volunteers are invited to explore the ways in which the program reinvigorated MMA’s K-12 field trips and its relationship with nearby institutions of Higher Learning.

(Sponsor: EdCom) Leveraging Your Retail Space: Rebranding and Rebuilding a Museum Store Surrey II Room Moderator/Presenter: Christina Shutt, Executive Director, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, Little Rock, AR Presenter: Kelli Hall, Museum Store Manager, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, Little Rock, AR; Christa McCay, Collections Manager, Marietta Museum of History, Marietta, GA; Marcy Breffle, Education Coordinator, Historic Oakland Foundation, Atlanta, GA This session will focus on how the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center (MTCC) created the Arkansas Made Black Crafted brand and the ways in which it has transformed the museum’s retail space into a dynamic, engaging, and relevant store. The presenters will also share best practices learned along the way and discuss recommendations for adding or updating museum stores. This session will go into detail about ways that MTCC has incorporated workshops and innovative events (like a fashion show) to encourage people to visit the museum and shop the museum retail store. Particular attention will be paid to helping participants think of ways to re-brand their museum store and make it a destination for visitors.

We Like to MOVE IT! Winston I/II Moderator/Presenter: Meg Cook, Assistant Director of Collections, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, MS Presenter: Jeff Bowdoin, Head, Curator Branch, Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC If you are faced with planning and executing an artifact move, where do you start? While it seems like there should be a manual for projects like these, each institution faces unique challenges. In this session, we share the processes involved in two separate artifact moves, their hiccups, and key takeaways for preparation of your relocation project. (Sponsor: SERA)

M. L. King and the Civil Rights Movement: Legacy of Service in the Museums and Historic Preservation Churchill I Room Presenters: Anthony Dixon, Assistant Professor of History/University Archivist, Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona Beach, FL; Whitney Barrett, Curatorial Fellow, Mary McLead Bethune Foundation-National Historic Landmark, Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona Beach, FL In honor of the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Bethune-Cookman Archives/Historic Home will discuss their role in the preservation of Civil Rights history in Florida, the legacy of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune as an activist, and their extensive oral history project, which documents the history of African Americans in Daytona Beach. How can museums honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King through preservation of Civil Rights history in their own communities? It will also address the challenges of smaller museums.

State Museum Associations Roundtable Manchester Room Moderator: Scott Warren, Vice President, North Carolina Museums Council, Pineville, NC Join representatives from the various state museum associations throughout the Southeast to meet, network, and discuss what each state’s

Have Fun. Move Forward Churchill II Room Moderator/Presenter: daniel johnson, ceo, Significant Developments, Jackson, MS Presenters: Monique Davis, Membership and Visitor Relations Director and Story Weaver, Mississippi Museum of Art and Significant Developments;

9:00 am – 10:15 am CONCURRENT SESSIONS

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WEDNESDAY, OCT. 10 Mahalia Wright, VP of Arts & Culture, Jackson Medical Mall Foundation, Jackson, MS Strategic play for strategic advancement replaces predictable planning models. Tap your own communities of educators, culture makers, and passionate stakeholders. Initiate playful experiments to unveil hidden knowledge and prototype interdepartmental engagements while deepening relationships. Hear the precepts of achieving these outcomes and participate in small group brainstorming using audience scenarios.

(Corporate Session) #MuseumsAreNotNeutral: Honest and Critical Perspectives Canterbury Room Moderator/Presenter: La Tanya S. Autry, Curator of Art and Civil Rights, Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, MS Presenters: Mike Murawski, Director of Education & Public Programs, Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR; Monique Davis, Director of Participation, Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, MS; Robert Luckett, Director, Margaret Walker Center, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS Despite legacies of colonialism, racial exclusion, sexism, class-based discrimination, and other social problems that plaque the field, some people claim museums are neutral spaces. This session challenges neutrality arguments by fostering critical examination of hiring practices, cultural competencies, curatorial responsibility, and inclusion initiatives. Panelists identify actions for creating equity-centered spaces.

10:15 – 10:45 am COFFEE BREAK Windsor Pre-function Area

10:45 am – 12 noon CONCURRENT SESSIONS SEMC 2018 Technology Competition Showcase Pre-function Area Co-chairs: Michael Scott, Curator of Education, High Point Museum, High Point, NC; Anna Tucker, Outreach and Special Projects Manager, Department of Museums, Archives and Rare Books, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA SEMC’s fourth annual Technology Competition recognizes and rewards excellence in the use of technology by Southeastern museums. The competition encourages innovation, effective design, accessibility, creativity and pride of works, and recognition of institutional identity. Award winners will present their projects.

Expand Your Museum Brain Winston I/II Room Moderator/Presenter: Elizabeth Coleman, CVA, Volunteer Services Administrator, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, MS Presenters: Michele Baker, CVA, DOVIA, Crossroads Film Festival and Mississippi Arts Commission, Jackson, MS; Fran Baker, DOVIA and BornFree, Jackson, MS; Krista Estes, Volunteer Network Officer, Volunteer Mississippi, Jackson, MS; Judy Stein, AmeriCorps Program Officer, Volunteer Mississippi, Jackson, MS This presentation will address the economic reality of museums operating with limited human resources and financial capital. Museum professionals (administration, exhibits, collections, visitor services, etc.) will be able to tap into a wealth of volunteer resources that will assist in their work. (Sponsor: EdCom)

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Creating Museum Exhibits on a Budget Surrey I Room Moderator/Presenter: Kelsey Fritz, Exhibition Project Manager, Atlanta History Center, Atlanta, GA Presenters: Jeremy Underwood, Account Executive, Building Four Fabrication, Chamblee, GA; Kate Baillon, Manager of Collections and Exhibits, Cape Fear Museum, Wilmington, NC; John Williams, Shibui Design, Atlanta, GA Museum professionals are often tasked with creating high quality exhibitions with limited financial resources. This roundtable session will explore how to maximize your budget to create engaging, creative exhibits at institutions from small to large. Participants with backgrounds in design, fabrication, project management, and exhibit development will discuss different strategies for making your exhibit budget go further. (Sponsor: NAME) Reimagining the Gibbes: A Rebranding Odyssey Surrey II Room Moderator/Presenter: Lasley Steever, Director of Programs and Digital Engagement, Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC Presenters: Erin Banks, Creative Director, Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC; Robert Prioleau, Founding Partner, Blue Ion, Charleston, SC The Gibbes Museum reopened in 2016 after and 18-month, $13.5M renovation, which returned the 1905 building to its Beaux-Arts grandeur, including an education center and expanded galleries. While closed, the Gibbes team partnered with Blue Ion to renew our brand and story—addressing our visual identity, and impacting all aspects of our operation.

We will share our process and key takeaways.

Holding Space: The Power of Social Justice Work in Museums Churchill I Room Moderator: Jennifer Zazo-Brown, Museum Research and Program Specialist, National Museum of African American History & Culture, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC Presenters: Kayleigh Bryant-Greenwell, Education Specialist, National Museum of African American History & Culture, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC; Adrienne Chadwick, Deputy Director for Education, Pérez Art Museum Miami, Miami, FL; Alicia Greene, Community Engagement Program Developer, Boston Children’s Museum, Boston, MA; Kimble Talley, Training Specialist, Stephen T. Mather Training Center, National Park Service, Harpers Ferry, WV Beginning with a series of concise Pecha Kucha presentations, presenters will share specific examples of how museums and historic sites are engaging and activating visitors through participatory programming and innovative educational practices. Attendees will leave with examples of micro learning activities and methodologies they can incorporate in their own institutions.

Dealing with Difficult Histories & Changing Visitor Perception Churchill II Room Moderator/Presenter: Ashleigh Oatts, Education Coordinator, T.R.R. Cobb House, Watson Brown Foundation, Athens, GA Presenters: Matthew S. Davis, Director of Historic Museums Georgia College, Milledgeville, GA; Lily Elkins, Curator, Beauregard-Keys House, New Orleans, LA; Annie Irvin, Executive Director, Beauregard-Keys House, New Orleans, LA Many of us have difficult histories to tell at our museums, and there can be a struggle to convince our communities that we don’t espouse the same ideals as those who are discussed at our sites. Presenters will discuss recent struggles and methods they are using to overcome biases.

(Sponsor: HHMAG)

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 10 Surviving, Reviving & Thriving After a Closure Canterbury Room Moderator/Presenter: Stacey Everett, Historic Sites Programming Specialist, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Museum Division, Jackson, MS Presenters: Kylee Crook, Director of Education, The Bass Museum of Art, Miami Beach, FL; Robin David, Director, The Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum, Biloxi, MS; Marilynn Jones, Director, Manship House Museum, Jackson, MS; Frank Martin, Interim Director, I.P. Stanback Museum & Planetarium, South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC There comes a time when the doors of your institution are forced to close and futures are uncertain. Participants will be asked to address four real museum closures by asking how to: continue your mission, stay in the public eye, and keep your staff motivated? Then learn the real-life solutions.

12:15 pm – 1:45 pm ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING & AWARDS LUNCHEON WITH KEYNOTE SPEECH Windsor I/II/III Ballrooms After a warm welcome to Jackson and the brief business meeting, join your colleagues for a keynote talk. Gather for lunch and visit with friends during this networking opportunity. The luncheon will end with an Awards Presentation recognizing professional excellence in our institutions and among our colleagues. (Pre-registration required, $35) 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm OFF-SITE TOURS Meet in Jackson Marriott’s lobby for transportation.

Behind-the-Scenes Tour: Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum (1150 Lakeland Drive) This tour of the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum’s Heritage Center and Small Town will highlight Mississippi’s agricultural history and the lifestyle of its peoples in a reproduced 1920s town. Some highlights of the tour will include the oldest operating cotton gin in the United States, the National Agricultural Aviation Museum and the Fortenberry-Parkman Farmstead, a farm moved from Jefferson Davis County, and operated from 1860-1960. (Pre-registration required) Civil Rights Tour of Jackson SEMC participants will have the opportunity to visit key sites of the modern civil rights movement in Jackson. Dr. Robert Luckett, a civil rights historian at Jackson State University, will lead the group to the COFP Civil Rights Education Center, the headquarters for Freedom Summer in 1964; the Masonic Temple, home of the offices of the Mississippi NAACP and site of the 1964 state convention for the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party; Alexander Hall at JSU, where police shootings left two students dead in 1970; the Margaret Walker Center, a special Collections archive and museum, which was one of the first Black Studies Institutes in the country; the Medgar Evers House, where he was assassinated in his driveway; the former Greyhound Bus Station, where Freedom riders arrived in 1961; the site of the 1963 sit-in at the Jackson Woolworth’s; and the old Jackson Public Library, where the Tougaloo Nine were arrested.

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm COUNCIL MEETING Warwick Room

SERA Registrars Tour: Museum of Mississippi History & Mississippi Civil Rights Museum (222 North Street) Come join your fellow registrars and collections managers for a behind the scenes look at the brand new storage for the Two Mississippi Museums. Attendees will get to take a look at the new facility and talk with staff about the process of designing, building and moving into the new space! (Pre-registration required, SERA members) Behind-the-Scenes Tour: MS Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Drive) Participants will have the opportunity to go “behind the scenes” and experience the inner workings of the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science!

Visit research laboratories where Museum researchers are carrying out their work and learn about current projects and tools of the trade. See the Museum’s extensive biological collections, housing over 1,000,000 specimens documenting what plant and animal species have lived where in Mississippi over the last century. Experience the Museum’s living collections as our aquariums biologists do and learn about the collection, husbandry, and display of the animals that delight and educate our visitors.

Finally, our Education Staff will introduce two of our living endangered species animal ambassadors, along with several other animals Museum visitors interact with on a regular basis! (Pre-registration required)

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