Welcome to the June edition of This Month in NYS Museums! In this newsletter... | | | On the Move: The Mobile Museum | | | | | 4th graders from PS22 outside the Lewis Latimer Mobile Lab | Mobile museums make museums accessible to audiences and communities that can not reach a museum’s physical location. Their inherent flexibility and adaptability help create innovative and inclusive approaches to museum engagement. The examples in this article illustrate the ways in which three museums have and will continue to reach audiences beyond their walls. | | | | | NY Assembly and Senate Appropriations and Reappropriations to NYS Museums | | | | | Among those allocated or reallocated funds was the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens | During the most recent legislative session, the New York State Assembly and Senate allocated or reallocated $10,875,000 in program funding and economic development assistance to 51 museums, zoos, botanical gardens, and aquariums in Assembly Resolution 714 and Senate Resolution 1395, 1399, 1407, and 1408. Seventeen museums were allocated or reallocated $45,725,000 from the capital assistance program in Assembly Resolution 715. The resolutions included reallocations from the prior year funding for those organizations that did not receive their full allocation of funding as well as those who were fully funded, i.e., both “old” and “new” money. The resolutions authorize New York State to meet any prior year funding obligation in full. If you have any questions about what you see below or on the more detailed list here, please contact your legislative representatives. | | | | | Letter from Erika: Semper Gumby | | | Dear Friends, Colleagues, and Supporters, When I was 36 years old, my mother bought me a three inch-tall Gumby. For those without much gray hair, Gumby was a claymation TV show character who had a horse named Pokey. The Gumby Show was one of my childhood favorites, especially once we were able to afford a color television and I could see that Gumby was green and Pokey was orange. Eddie Murphy dressed as Gumby in costume on Saturday Night Live in the early 1980s (I don’t remember many of those episodes) and Gumby had his own 1995 feature film. Gumby’s essential trait is that he is flexible. My mother’s gift was sent at a time when I needed to learn that flexibility is important to success. I was working at an organization that had just hired their third director in four years and I was suffering from a severe case of priority whiplash. The director who hired me concentrated on audience and community, the second on major donors, and the third on facilities. Projects in which staff had invested years of work were tossed; budgets were cut, then increased; technology was always behind the last update. Leadership did not make time to share their process, and much of the staff did not understand the “why” behind the changes. When I was at the end of a frayed rope, or my mother was tired of my complaints, she sent me a Gumby. | | | | | | | MANY is committed to salary transparency. As of June 1, 2022 all job postings require a salary range. | | | | | Hiring? MANY Organizational and Industry Members post museum jobs for free. For other job posting opportunities, please contact the MANY office at info@nysmuseums.org or call 518-273-3400 | | | | | Join MANY this summer and fall for a series of virtual programs. All virtual programs are free and open to the public. Check back for more virtual programs! Virtual programs are made possible by the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation. July 2023 | | | New York State Tourism Update with I LOVE NY Friday, July 7 12 - 1:30 PM Ross Levi, Empire State Development Vice President and Executive Director of I LOVE NY/ New York State Division of Tourism Museums continue to be a vital part of New York State's tourism ecosystem. As the official destination marketing organization for New York State, I LOVE NY works hard through programs, initiatives, and enhancements to inspire travel domestically and internationally to NYS museums and other cultural attractions. Ross Levi, Empire State Development Vice President and Executive Director of I LOVE NY/ New York State Division of Tourism will share how tourism programs like I LOVE NY Black Travel, Accessible NY, I LOVE NY LGBTQ, Path Through History, and the Market New York Grant Program can enhance museums' economic impact in their communities and beyond. | | | | | | | Communicating the Value of Museums Friday, July 14
12 - 1:30 PM Hillarie Logan-Dechene, Deputy Director, The Wild Center Hillarie Logan-Dechene will discuss the proposition that the museum sector’s central challenge is communicating value to stakeholders, funders, visitors, and communities. Museums dedicate significant human resources to justifying relevance, impact, community service, and investment in collections or programs. What if those resources could be allocated to doing the work instead of chasing funding for our next project? What could our future look like if we created a financially sustainable business model that linked finance and communications? How could that business model be easily understood and embraced? Come and share your ideas to build a better future for the museum sector. | | | | | Regional Meet-Ups and Roundtable Discussions | If you were to open a museum tomorrow, what would you prioritize? Would you invest in your staff? Public programming? Justice and equity? What would you keep? What would you change? Join your colleagues and MANY for regional roundtable discussion about the future of our museums based on the recently published collection of essays "Change is Required: Preparing for the Post-Pandemic Museum."* Meet-ups and discussions are free; advance registration required. Limited space available. *Reading this book is not a requirement for participation. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Meet MANY and your Western NY museum colleagues at Buffalo AKG Art Museum on Thursday, October 26 from 4 - 6 PM. | | | | | | | Meet MANY and your Mohawk Valley museum colleagues at Munson on Thursday, November 9 from 4 - 6 PM. | | | | | | | Meet-Ups and Roundtable Discussions are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
| | | | | | | Are you looking for...
– an energizing, unique, and immersive experience? – time and space to focus and think about your professional goals? – inspiration and support from leaders in the museum field?
Join us and your museum colleagues at Rethinking Leadership: The Museum Institute at Great Camp Sagamore from September 26 - 29, 2023 In 2023 the Museum Institute at Great Camp Sagamore will bring together mid-career museum professionals to learn together in a unique, historical, and remote setting. Sessions will blend formal and informal learning, balance presentations with group discussions, and skill building with theory. ☀️ Participants will learn practical skills including how to prepare for and implement institutional change and the differences between planning, strategy, and governance. 🌲 Leaders will discuss how budgets reflect values, how to strengthen professional communications and relationships, and how to navigate conflict resolution and negotiation. 🛶 Practical and interactive activities will help participants build confidence and grow resiliency. ⛰️ Applications due by 5 PM Wednesday, July 5 Two Scholarships are available for LI Museum Professionals who work at museums with budgets under $250,000 with funding from the Robert D.L. Gardiner Foundation. | | | | | | | The Museum Institute at Great Camp Sagamore is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation.
| | | | | Humanities New York Reading & Discussion Grants
Humanities New York's Reading & Discussion Grants fund up to $2,000 to any New York State-based, tax-exempt organization to provide opportunity for communities to deeply consider a topic or issue of interest to them. In each program, participants read a series of thematically linked texts over the course of four to six sessions. These sessions are facilitated by a trained local scholar and allow for an in-depth discussion of the material. Organizations may choose to use one of the themes Humanities New York has developed or propose their own. HNY will train facilitators via webinar and occasional in-person workshops. Host sites must identify a facilitator from their own communities. For organizations that use HNY themes, up to 15 copies of each suggested text can be borrowed upon request. Applications due July 10 Learn more
New York State Council on the Arts Grant Opportunities Support for Organizations –Provides flexible general operating and programming funding for non-profit organizations. Learn more Support for Artists –Funds creative commissions to individual artists across the state. Applicants must apply through a non-profit fiscal sponsor. Learn more Support for Targeted Opportunities –Formerly Special Opportunities, funding for creative performance residencies, subsidized rehearsal spaces for all performing art forms, and folk arts apprenticeships. Learn more NYSCA's FY2024 application portal will open on June 1 and close on July 13, 2023 at 4 PM. If you have any questions, visit the NYSCA staff contact page: https://arts.ny.gov/contact All applicants must be prequalified to apply. Pre-qualificiation expires annually. If you've already been pre-qualified in the past, you must log into Grants Gateway to check your Vault expiration date. If you need assistance with the pre-qualification process, please email Marnee.Geller@arts.ny.gov
Round 13 Regional Economic Development Council Initiative The New York State Consolidated Funding Application is now open with available funding from 30 programs. Round 13 includes core capital grant and tax-credit funding combined with a wide range of programs from 10 State agencies, including $150 million in grant funds from Empire State Development, available to projects on a continuous basis. The Councils are encouraged to support projects that advance or address strategic State priorities - including green buildings and sustainable development, child care, distressed communities, and innovative public-private partnerships; those projects, will be eligible for additional award funding.
Up to $5 million will be available through the Not-for-Profit Capital Grant program, which will award matching funds grants to not-for-profit organizations who provide economic and community benefits in their region to assist with facility improvements and upgrades. Grant awards would range from $25,000 to $100,000.Learn more
Market New York Market New York supports regionally themed marketing projects that promote tourism destinations, attractions and special events, as well as tourism facility capital improvement projects. For 2023-2024 fiscal year, up to $15 million will be available. A 50% match is required for working capital/marketing projects, with a $50,000 minimum request A 80% match is required for capital projects, with a $150,000 minimum request. Market New York applicants are required to submit project proposals through the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA). Round 13 of the CFA closes Friday, July 28 at 4 PM Learn more If you have any questions, please contact the New York State Division of Tourism staff at regionaltourism@esd.ny.gov
| | | Apply to join the MANY Board | The Museum Association of New York is pleased to announce an open call for five positions on its Board of Directors for the Board Class of 2024-2026 and invites applications for those interested in serving. Candidates should be museum professionals who work in New York museums, museum service industries, or for related academic programs; leaders in their museum discipline and in their commitment to advancing the field; and can demonstrate a relationship with the Museum Association of New York. The Board Nominating/ Governance Committee has set a priority for people with the following skills: The Committee is seeking nominations for museum professionals in the following regions: | | | Applications must be submitted by 5 PM on June 30, 2023. For more information email info@nysmuseums.org or call 518-273-340 | | | From our colleagues... | Erie Canal Learning Hub Launched The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and the New York State Canal Corporation are pleased to announce the launch of a new educational initiative, the Erie Canal Learning Hub. The Hub provides free curriculum resources, field trips, virtual 3D tours, and other online tools for teachers and students who are learning about the Erie Canal. Learn more Northern Slavery Collective NorSC will be hosting an in-person networking event at the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum on Wednesday, July 12th, from 6PM-8PM. Make connections, discuss interpretive challenges, and check out the Dyckman Farmhouse over light refreshments. All proceeds from this event will benefit future NorSC programs and events. Purchase your ticket and learn more about the event here. Documentary Heritage & Preservation Services Put your organization on a fast track to reaching program goals and becoming even better stewards of the collections in your care by taking advantage of DHPSNY services — offered in person or virtually. With just under a month before the summer 2023 deadline, it's the perfect time to start an application. Apply for Planning & Assessment Services by July 7 Learn more | | | | | | | What's happening at your museum? Submit your museum news as a newsletter article! How is your museum growing institutional resources, including welcoming new staff and board members and securing funding for projects, how is your museum working with their community and visitors; and how we use our exhibitions and collections in new ways. The deadline to submit for the July “This Month in NYS Museums” newsletter is July 14. Email meves@nysmuseums.org | | | | | |
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