For more information, contact the CAM Office at (831) 471-9970 or email CAM office.

GUIDELINES FOR SESSION PROPOSALS

CAM invites proposals from the field that present strategies and ideas for strengthening the future of museums, their programs, collections, and communities. The goal is to produce interesting, useful, thoughtful, and interactive sessions that address “best practices,” present model programs or techniques, and/or discuss trends that affect the future of the California museum community. Please note that this is NOT a time to promote products or services or for “show and tell.” Instead, these sessions should provide general information or explorations that assist employees and volunteers in California museums to better perform their duties, protect their collections, obtain necessary resources, stay engaged in their profession, and/or serve their audiences.

We hope that these sessions will be stimulating, with an enjoyable exchange of ideas, resources, and “best practices.” Sessions may address the following and more:

• “best practices” in museums in the areas of marketing, exhibition design, fundraising, collections management, school partnerships, web-site design, board or staff development, public programming, evaluation, retailing, interpretation, publications, advocacy, etc.
• strategies or models for dealing with change on all levels
• model strategies for museums to build their potential to be effective, meaningful, essential organizations in the future, sustaining one another and their communities

CAM is dedicated to assisting museums of all sizes, disciplines, and missions. All proposers are encouraged to represent the diversity of the museum field in their proposals, including--but not limited to--the geographical region, size, discipline, and age of the institutions represented and the ethnicity and gender of the presenters. We are interested in broad and meaningful perspectives and opportunities for museum professionals to engage with and learn from each other.

There are three formats for annual meeting sessions. Please select the one that best fits your topic:

• Panel: A panel is 90 minutes in length with a maximum of three speakers, often with contrasting perspectives, institutions, or experiences. The panel features a moderator who is responsible for managing the panel. The moderator briefly introduces the topic and the presenters formally address it in some detail. The moderator may also serve as one of the presenters. The session concludes with a general question and answer period. The most effective sessions include a significant amout of time for questions and answers.
• Dialogue: A dialogue also uses a moderator and presenters and is 90 minutes in length. Unlike a panel, a dialogue devotes the majority of the session to a lengthy discussion with the audience on the topic. Presenters are limited to brief remarks and a “responder” summarizes the discussion.
• Lunchtime Learning Opportunities: Lunchtime Learning Opportunities are 60 minute programs that are highly participatory with the audience or focus on sharing ideas on a given topic. They feature only one moderator who will introduce the topic and facilitate the discussion with the participants. Since they are offered at the same time as the Director's Luncheon, the topics should appeal to educators, registrars, membership managers, evaluators, and/or curators.
• Workshop: A workshop is a hands-on, participatory-style session, often presented the day preceding the conference in nearby museums. Pre-conference workshops can be 1/2 day or a full day. The proposer/organizer will need to make set-up, lunch, and/or other arrangements.

The program description should be approximately 70 words in length and include the:

• Goal(s) of the session;
• Overall focus and content to be covered in the session; and/or
• Interactive or hands-on components of the session (if applicable).

A list of proposed presenters, although not required, assists the Program Committee in evaluating each session proposal. Proposals from vendors and business associates must involve working museum professionals as well. Session titles should be clear, concise, represent the content.

Travel assistance, per diem, and honoraria are not available for the proposers, presenters, or moderators. All speakers receive a complimentary Single Day Registration for the day they are presenting.

THE REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCESS

Session proposals will be reviewed by a Program Committee comprised of representatives from California museums. The Program Committee is interested in assembling a conference program that features a wide range of subjects, addresses the needs of our museum community, and represents the diversity of the museum field. The more developed and clear the proposals, the more effectively the Program Committee will be able to understand and evaluate them. The Program Committee will review session proposals in June and July 2006. Notification of tentative session acceptance will be made in late July or early August 2006. If the session proposal is tentatively approved, the proposer will be required to develop and submit a more specific description, identify and confirm the presenters, and make other changes requested by the Program Committee. The session is not included in the conference program until all recommendations from the Program Committee are incorporated and all speakers are confirmed.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTAL

ONLINE PROPOSAL FORM

IT IS PAST THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL.
PLEASE CONTACT THE CAM OFFICE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.