Call for Session Proposals

2024 Annual Conference

Unity and Belonging: The Power of Interconnection

Monday, June 3, 2024 at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain

Proposal Deadline UPDATED! Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Submit a proposal

This year’s Connecticut League of Museums annual conference centers our strategic goals of unity and belonging to explore the power of museums and museum people when we come together as one diverse community. We invite session proposals that consider the many ways that museums are fostering a sense of unity and belonging in our fragmented society. The theme “Unity and Belonging: The Power of Interconnection” addresses both the ways individual institutions are serving their audiences and drawing in new ones, and the work we are doing as a big-tent field to come together and elevate one another. Here are some guiding questions to get you thinking—we’re looking for your ideas, whatever they may be!

• What does belonging mean to you? In what ways do your collections, exhibitions, education, and/or programs communicate a sense of belonging?
• How do you balance the need for many voices and stories with the importance of presenting a coherent narrative?
• What collaborations, partnerships, or reciprocal relationships have you built to foster a sense of trust, community, or shared authority?
• How are you creating space for productive and diverse conversations?

Conference sessions are usually 50 minutes. We welcome all formats, including dialogues, conversations, roundtables, workshops, moderated discussions, performances, demonstrations, think tanks, panel presentations, working groups, and more. Successful sessions offer practical examples of projects and efforts that tackle real-world challenges, bring together presenters from more than one institution or community, and provide takeaways that participants can bring back to their own communities. We aspire to provide information and inspiration on Monday that can be put into practice on Tuesday, as well as spark thought in the year ahead.

In the spirit of unity and belonging, we are committed to broadening participation and making this our most inclusive and welcoming conference ever. We are especially seeking proposals from first-time attendees and presenters, as well as from organizations that have not been part of the League in the past. Opportunities will be available for newcomers to attend for free.

You don't have to be an expert to propose a session! We're particularly interested in your ideas for think tanks and discussion sessions on a subject you're interested in but may not know much about. If you've got some thoughts and are willing to moderate a conversation, suggest it! When you get a bunch of people in a room who are interested in a topic, good things emerge.

Got a session idea but need to find some fellow presenters? Join us for two virtual matchmaking sessions to share your ideas and meet others who might be interested in collaborating.

• Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 12:00 noon
• Monday, March 25, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.

Details

Conference sessions are typically 50 minutes. To ensure time for questions and discussion, we recommend no more than three presentations per session if you are proposing a traditional panel. We accept proposals for complete sessions (preferred) or for single presentations/ideas that the committee may combine into a session.

To submit a session proposal, please complete the online form.  You will need:

• The name and contact information for your session coordinator
• Your session's title
• A brief abstract of your session (50 words or less) for the conference program
• Name, title/role, affiliation (if applicable), and a brief bio for each presenter
• Your session's format (panel, roundtable, workshop, performance, think tank, etc.)
• The level for which your session is intended (introductory, intermediate, advanced)
• A description (250 words or less) of your session, identifying its main objectives, how you will be addressing them, its relation to the conference theme, and its intended audience
• Three expected takeaways of your session

You may submit a session proposal as an individual, as part of an organization, or as a student.

You do not have to be a League member to participate in the conference.

Submit a proposal