Conference FAQs
Where will the 2023 Affiliations Conference be held?
The 2023 Smithsonian Affiliations National Conference will be entirely virtual and hosted on Zoom.
How are sessions and workshops for the Smithsonian Affiliations conference developed and planned?
Affiliate and Smithsonian colleagues are invited to submit session proposals.
In addition to submitted proposals, Affiliations staff reviews all topic suggestions made by Affiliates through conversations with their National Outreach Managers and the previous years’ conference evaluation forms to make sure a robust and informative conference is developed.
May I attend if I am not currently a staff member at an Affiliate organization?
No. The Smithsonian Affiliations National Conference is for current Affiliates and Smithsonian staff only. If you are interested in becoming an Affiliate, please visit our Applying for Affiliation pages. If you have an application in progress and would like to attend the Conference, please contact us.
What is included in registration cost?
The conference registration fee entitles you to full access to the entire virtual conference, including special sessions, general sessions, and any special events (pre-registration for special events may be required). Note some meetings may be exclusive to Affiliate and Smithsonian leadership and/or by invite only.
What is the registration refund policy?
If a registrant is unable to attend for any reason, they may substitute someone else to attend in their place. Cancellation requests received before October 17, 2023, will receive a full refund. No refunds will be granted after October 17. All requests must be made in writing via email to WimberlyN@si.edu.
Are there any scholarships available?
Smithsonian Affiliations is able to offer a limited number of scholarships to help support Affiliates’ attendance at the 2023 Smithsonian Affiliations Virtual Conference. Scholarships are available for Individual and Institutional registration types. Please fill out this form to apply.
What sort of accessible accommodations are provided?
We welcome all participants to attend the Smithsonian Affiliations Virtual Conference! Real-time captioning (CART) will be provided for conference. If you have questions about the accessibility of the virtual sessions or need to request additional accommodations, please contact affiliates@si.edu. Two weeks advance notice is appreciated for requesting additional accommodations.
Have more questions? The Smithsonian Affiliations staff is happy to answer your questions, hear your concerns, and brainstorm with you about the National Conference. Contact us!
