2021 Sessions & Proposals: General Information

2021 Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo Sessions & Proposals General Information

THE 2021 OPEN CALL FOR PROPOSALS IS NOW CLOSED.

Notifications will be sent February 2021

The 2021 National Program Committee reviewers are primarily looking for content that speaks to the future of the museum field, social justice and impact, recovery during- and post-pandemic, and reimagined processes and programs. For additional information on 2021 program content, review the #AAM2021 theme and session tracks or email tgilbert@aam-us.org.

In planning the 2021 Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, this year’s National Program Committee is completing a re-review of session proposals originally accepted for the 2020 Annual Meeting (that were not already included in #AAMvirtual earlier this year) to ensure proposals continue to remain relevant to the needs of the museum field today, as well as facilitating an open call for new sessions. Information regarding rolled-over 2020 session proposals and the 2021 call for proposals focuses solely on sessions for the virtual component of our 2021 meeting.

We are excited about producing another dynamic and engaging virtual experience for our attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors! The #AAM2021 schedule and program will be available soon.

2021 Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo Session Selections

All accepted proposals from the 2020 AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo were either included in the #AAMvirtual program earlier this year or rolled over for consideration for the 2021 Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo.

Similar to #AAMvirtual, there will be a limited number of session slots available (70-80 concurrent sessions). All accepted 2020 session proposal presenters have been contacted and asked to indicate their interest in participating in the 2021 Annual Meeting by October 16. Those who indicate an interest in presenting at the 2021 Annual Meeting will have their proposals re-reviewed by the National Program Committee to determine if and how they might address current events. Please note that while all 2020 sessions will be considered, none are guaranteed acceptance.

What is being considered in the re-review of the proposals rolled over from 2020?
Relevance of proposals for the museum field.
Adaption of the proposals to address our current climate.
Diversity of panelists and represented institutions.

Session Track Updates

To address the changing needs of our field, we are also adjusting our existing session tracks to incorporate new topic areas. Additionally, we’ve removed the separate DEAI track and instead advise that DEAI topics should be incorporated throughout all tracks. Participating 2020 proposals originally in the DEAI track will be sorted appropriately to other track areas. Take a look at the 2021 session tracks.

Session Formats

The AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo program will offer 1-hour concurrent sessions with no delineation between format types, (i.e. lecture, panel, interactive lecture, etc.). Poster presentations may also be submitted during the open call in November.

2021 National Program Committee

The 2021 AAM National Program Committee is comprised of 48 members and is chaired by Nathan Richie, Director of the Golden History Museum, and AAM Board member. This diverse group of subject-matter experts rotates approximately every two years and consists of emerging to established museum professionals, appointed representatives from AAM’s Professional Networks, and AAM staff members.

The NPC evaluates content for the Annual Meeting by reviewing proposal submissions through a blind peer-review process. Each track is assigned a subgroup of reviewers, which allows for detailed discussions and recommendations specific to those subjects. The NPC works closely with AAM staff to ensure the program reflects a thoughtful balance of topics based on the needs of the field, previous meeting evaluations, and active conversations in the field. Meet the 2021 National Program Committee.