News From Museumwise

Museumwise News

e-newsletter of Museumwise

Winter 2011

11 Ford Avenue, Oneonta, NY 13820 www.museumwise.org 1-800-895-1648 info@museumwise.org

In This Issue

Hails & Farewells

Special Go! Grants

Museums in Conversation

Erie Canalway Awards

DHP

Curtains without Boarders

Cultural Heritage Tourism

Underground Railroad

Online Courses

Join Us

Since 1971, Museumwise has been connecting people in museums and historical organizations across NY - providing a full range of training, networking, and collaborative programs to support New York's museum field.

It is our vision to be a model service organization, the accomplishments of which are reflected in the success of our constituents

We invite you to take this opportunity to join your colleagues -

www.museumwise.org

Grants for Museum Advancement

Applications are now being accepted for 2011 Get Ready, Get Set and Go grants.

Visit our website for more information:

www.museumwise.org

Sponsored by:

NYS Historic Sites Survey

The NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has been involved in a self-study process to evaluate the NYS historic site system. As part of this process, they have created a series of online surveys targeting different groups, including museum professionals. This survey is just one part of a much larger process that began over two years ago to assess their resources. It is their hope that these surveys will provide valuable input on their state historic sites and help them to formulate goals for the future.

Please join me in taking a moment to complete their

Survey here

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A Note from the Director

Happy New Year!

Kudos to any of you who thought to add hand-crafted snow shovels to your museum shop's inventory this winter! Be sure to pop over to our Facebook page to share how your museum is making snow castles from all of this snow.

The New Year brings with it a glimmer of promise with renewed funding for Grants for Museum Advancement and a new opportunity for Special Go grants to engage non-museum professionals in our 2011 conference.

The presentation of the Governor's budget yesterday is a reminder that not only are we not out of the woods yet but we're going to need to create fresh strategies and forge new tools if we wish to find our way out. There is great opportunity here for our field, who better than the museum community to step up and offer a new way of looking at things?

On the idea of new perspectives, Museums in Conversation is heading west to Buffalo this spring for the largest gathering of museum professionals in New York State! Gold Star to Liz DeFazio and Alison Haas from the 1932 & 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympic Museum for being the first to register for the 2011 Museums in Conversation conference!

I hope you will consider joining us as we assemble colleagues from museums across New York to discuss & define how to prove our value, to legislators, visitors and communities. Interested in attending but facing an ever tightening budget? Be sure to read on for ways to save at this year's conference.

We look forward to seeing you in April, in the meantime please be in touch with your questions, challenges, ideas and inspirations or to involve us in celebrating your successes.

Best regards for a prosperous 2011,

~Catherine Gilbert

Hails & Farewells

With the dawning of the New Year, Museumwise marks an annual change within our board. Andy Kitzmann concluded his term as Board Chair, turning the position over to Michele Phillips. I am eternally grateful to Andy for his open-minded leadership style which guided us successfully through our Identity Alignment endeavor. The board also bade farewell to Starlyn D'Angelo whose term ended in 2010. Museumwise has greatly benefited from Star's creativity, her devotion to the museum field and her generous spirit. I would like to thank Star for her commitment to advancing the mission of Museumwise.

Every end marks a new beginning. We are delighted to welcome five new members to our board - Jennifer Haines, Education Director at the Seward House, Kathleen Heyworth, Head of Marketing & Public Relations at the Burchfield Penney Art Center, Tracy Kay, Executive Director at the Westchester Children's Museum, Cheryl Kramer, Director of the Handwerker Gallery at Ithaca College and Kristin Swain, Executive Director at the Rockwell Museum of Western Art & President of Corning Incorporated Foundation.

Please visit our website for a full list of our board members.

2011 Museum Institute at Sagamore

Will this be your seat in 2011?

Lead the Way...

Whether you're leading an institution, leading a department or leading volunteers ... this year's Institute is for new, experienced and aspiring leaders alike.

The Institute is a reflective, intensive, four day retreat at Great Camp Sagamore in the Adirondacks that gives New York State museum professionals the opportunity to learn, reflect, and work with their colleagues from across the state.

The 2011 Museum Institute at Sagamore will take place September 20-23, 2011. Acceptance to the Institute is by application only - applications will become available in early summer.

A Taste of Sagamore Dinner
If you are curious about the 'Sagamore' experience or if you have attended a previous Institute we invite you to join us at Pearl Street Grille for an informal dinner following the Opening Reception of the Museums in Conversation conference on April 3rd. Come to catch up with old friends or to learn more about this unique professional development opportunity.

Additional information on the event is listed on the Conference website.

2010 Museumwise Annual Appeal

Thank You!!

We have raised $2,295 towards our 2010 Annual Appeal. Many thanks to our contributors.

Charles Bauder

Phoebe Powell Bender

Marianne Bez

Big Springs Historical Society

Cindy Boyer

Christine Campeau

Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum

Christopher Clarke

Janice Fontanella

Geneva Historical Society

Catherine Gilbert

Maurica Gilbert

Ed Glisson

Jennifer Haines

Kathleen Heyworth

Tracy Kay

Andy Kitzmann

Carle Kopecky

Cheryl Kramer

Dana Krueger

Stuart Lehman

Stephanie Lehner

Lenora Henson

Kerry Lippincott

Jacqueline Madison

Michael Malyak

Niagara County Historical Society

Michele Phillips

Erin Richardson

Richmondville Historical Society

Alan Rowe

Ken Shefsiek

Mari Shopsis

Springfield Historical Association

Kristin Swain

Sally Treanor

Frank Vagnone

Sally Roesch Wagner

Your support is always welcome!

Special Go! Grants for Non-Museum Professionals

To encourage cross-discipline learning and cross-organization collaboration, special Go! Grants are available for professionals working for non-profits outside of the museum field to attend the 2011 Museums in Conversation conference April 3-5 in Buffalo.

Individuals working in New York State non-profit organizations such as libraries, colleges, and community-based groups are encouraged to apply for these special Go! Grants of up to $500 to cover travel and registration costs for the conference. Applications are due by February 15, 2011.

To apply, complete the Special Go grant application here, or here for a PDF of the application.

This opportunity is made possible by the New York Council for the Humanities working in partnership with Museumwise and the New York State Council on the Arts.

Museums in Conversation

Sponsored by Museumwise & The Museum Association
of New York
Hyatt Regency, Buffalo, New York

April 3-5, 2011

How Do We Prove the Value of Museums?

Register Today

Museumwise Silent Auction. Showcase your organization to the largest gathering of museum professionals in New York State. Donate a gift of merchandise to the Museumwise Silent Auction held during the annual Museums in Conversation conference in Buffalo, on Monday, April 4th.

Let's Eat. Nothing wraps up a day of conversation, inspiration and debate better than a terriffic meal! Join us at the Pearl Street Grill after the Opening Reception for our Taste of Sagamore dinner. Keep the conversation flowing on Monday evening at our Friend-raising event at Chef's Restaurant which will feature four topical discussions facilitated by Museumwise's board members.

Ways to Save. Go! grants provide museum staff members, volunteers and trustees the opportunity to expand their horizons through the support of travel to professional conferences and workshops such as Museums in Conversation. Registration fees, travel fees and lodging costs up to $750 can all be supported through a Go! grant. Applications to attend Museums in Conversation must be postmarked by March 4, 2011.

New this year Special Go! grants - to encourage cross-discipline learning and cross-organization collaboration, special Go! Grants are available for professionals working for non-profits outside of the museum field to attend the 2011 Museums in Conversation conference. Applications are due by February 15, 2011

Sponsorship Opportunities. Please accept this invitation to connect to and build relationships with New York's museums and historical organizations! We have identified several exceptional sponsorship opportunities to allow you to promote your organization to hundreds museum professionals. In return for your support, your organization will reach the largest network of museum professionals in New York State.

2011 Erie Canalway Heritage Award of Excellence - call for nominations

The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission is accepting nominations for the 2011 Erie Canalway Heritage Award of Excellence through February 25, 2011.The award honors and celebrates significant places in the Corridor and recognizes excellence in advancing the goals of the Erie Canalway Preservation and Management Plan.

Municipalities, community groups, private entities, and non-profit organizations are encouraged to submit an application. Award recipients benefit from state-wide recognition and promotion of their efforts as best practices taking place in the Corridor.

Download details and an application online at www.eriecanalway.org or contact Jean Mackay for additional information at 518-237-7000, ext. 222.

Documentary Heritage Program

To Preserve and Protect: Security Solutions for New York's Historical Records

Theft of historical documents plagues records repositories. With careful planning, awareness of warning signs and proactive security solutions, organizations can reduce the window of opportunity for historical record theft. Archival security expert Mimi Bowling will provide an interactive curriculum on archival security, preparing participants to take immediate action to strengthen their local security programs. Participants will receive a certificate upon completion. There is no cost to register. Read related article from New York Archives magazine.

Topics include risk awareness; insider theft; facility design and security technology; security of information systems; working with vendors and contractors; research room management and design; developing institutional security policies; procedures and post-theft response; additional topics as requested by participants.

Workshop Schedule
All workshops will run from 9:00am until 4:00pm

Hudson Valley, March 7, 2011 - Historic Huguenot Street
Metro NYC, March 28, 2011 - METRO (MNYLC)
Long Island, April 4, 2011 - Suffolk County State Office Building
Capital Region, April 11, 2011 - Crandall Public Library
Northern NY, April 18, 2011 Town of Massena

To register, please email Bturner@mail.nysed.gov or call 518-473-0130. Early registration is encouraged and appreciated; only 25 seats available.

Workshops have been made possible by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the New York State Historical Records Advisory Board, and the New York State Archives.

Search for Historic Theater Scenery in New York

A search for historic painted scenery is now underway in the northern half of New York. These local treasures were created between 1890 and about 1940, the heyday of vaudeville and variety shows. They are still to be found in town halls, grange halls, opera houses and community theaters, even though they are rarely used for theatrical performances today. They often contain richly painted romantic scenes with country or street scenes. They are usually "roll drops" on wooden or metal rollers and they sometimes feature advertisements for local businesses such as dairies, piano movers, car dealers and beauty parlors. With the arrival of movies and then television, the use of town halls and grange halls as cultural centers declined, and after WWII, the tradition of creating painted roll drops simply disappeared. However, much of the historic scenery remains either on stage or in storage, sometimes in good condition but more often neglected, torn and very dirty.

Curtains Without Borders is a conservation team that has stabilized all 185 historic painted theater curtains in Vermont. In 2009, we surveyed New Hampshire where we documented over 130 pieces of historic scenery and in 2010 we began a survey for the state of Maine. In New York, we are concentrating on the northern half of the state, where scenic studios from Troy and Buffalo produced roll drops all over New England. At www.curtainswithoutborders.org you can find photographs and information about many of these local treasures.

The goal of this project is to locate and document as many pieces as possible. Eventually, Curtains Without Borders intends to do a national search, along with research about artists and scenic studios. We also want to encourage people to care for these huge treasures, whether they simply wrap them in Tyvek to protect them from dirt and mice, or whether they decide to restore them for public display. Funding for the New York survey has been provided by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Bay and Paul Foundations of New York. Another partner in this effort to locate and document New York's historic scenery is the New York State Grange.

We need your help! For more information and to contribute any information, please call Christine Hadsel at 802-598-5867 or email: curtainswithoutborders@gmail.com.

New York Cultural Heritage Tourism Symposium