2021 Affiliations Virtual Conference was a Huge Success!

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Thank you to our Smithsonian and Affiliate speakers and attendees who participated in our 2021 Virtual Conference, October 26-28, and made it an extraordinary success! 2021 saw the highest-ever conference attendance in the history of the Affiliations National Conference, which is a testament to our conference program and the introduction of Affiliate Institutional registration, allowing even more Affiliate colleagues to attend this year.

“I greatly appreciated the virtual nature of this conference. I don’t think I would have been able to attend if it were in person. I found it interesting to hear from so many different museums. Thank you for making this conference accessible to museums with tight budgets!“

Smithsonian Affiliate attendee

Throughout three days and 30 sessions and workshops, Smithsonian, Affiliate, and guest speakers led thought-provoking sessions on collaboration opportunities, inequity in exhibition development, creating inclusive HR practices, engaging communities in civic action, best practices in exhibition writing, and more. A dynamic opening session centered youth advocates and their views on the future of the museum field alongside Ellen Stofan, Under Secretary for Science & Research, and Kevin Young, Director of the National Museum of African American History & Culture.

In addition to the sessions and workshops, the Smithsonian Resource Fair library provided Smithsonian and Affiliate colleagues a virtual booth where they could upload documents, videos, and other resources for conference attendees to download and share with their organizations. Registered attendees can access and download these resources on the Virtual Attendee Hub until January 20, 2022.

Screen grab of the virtual attendee hub
Registered attendees can download resources on the Virtual Attendee Hub

“Sensational conference! I even wrote to my directors to thank them for making this possible. The platform used for the virtual conference was the easiest and most sophisticated I’ve experienced. The presenters were super, and I learned so much. Kudos to moderators–well done with links provided to us in the chat as well as lots of good interaction. I loved the conference!”

Smithsonian Affiliate attendee

All Smithsonian and Affiliate colleagues, regardless of registration, are able to view selected recordings from the Virtual Conference on our Smithsonian Affiliations website or YouTube playlist. If you require transcripts or have any questions, please email us at affiliates@si.edu.

Mark your calendars for when we next meet for an Affiliations Conference, October 23-25, 2022!

Our app is back !

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Preview of the appThe 2015 Affiliations National Conference mobile app will have conference activities at your fingertips. Access all the information you need during the conference on your smartphones and devices.

The app will include an online agenda and a notes section that allows attendees to take notes inside the app and email the document to save or share with colleagues.

Speaker bios are linked to conference sessions for easy planning during the event.

Meeting locations have been formatted in a google map so users can easily get directions from any location around the National Mall.

The app is loaded with time saving information and tools right at your fingertips!

Smithsonian Affiliations National Conference app will be available in your app store in early June.

Stay tuned for updates so you can download it before the Conference.

 

 

 

Support for the mobile app generously provided by https://www.crowdtorch.com/about-us.shtml

 

 

 

 

 

The Rollercoaster of Brand Marketing: How to Learn from (Our) Successes and Pitfalls in Launching New Brands

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Do you launch a new brand from the top down or the bottom up? Is every tactic and strategy a winner? Is your brand strategy still successful years later? Both the Ohio History Connection and the Smithsonian Institution have recently embarked on name changes or brand refreshes. At the 2015 Smithsonian Affiliations National Conference, colleagues from each organization will tackle what can be learned from launching new brand strategies.

A sample ad from the Smithsonian "Seriously Amazing" campaign in 2012.

A sample ad from the Smithsonian “Seriously Amazing” campaign in 2012.

Erika Ferrin is the Brand Marketing Manager at the Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian launched a new branding campaign in 2012 with the new tagline “Seriously Amazing,” a way to broaden people’s understanding of what the Smithsonian is and does. But what has happened in the past three years? Erika will give an overview of what has happened, for better or for worse, since the Smithsonian decided to update its brand.

Jamison Pack is the Chief Marketing Officer at Ohio History Connection, a Smithsonian Affiliate in Columbus, Ohio. Last spring, Ohio Historical Society changed its name to Ohio History Connection to make history more accessible. The name change came after two years of research which showed that respondents saw the organization as inaccessible and antiquated. Jamison will discuss making the case for the Ohio History Connection’s name change and the cultural shifts within an organization involved in selling the value of marketing your brand.

Ohio-HIstory-Connection

Both panelists will show some examples of their best ideas that all Affiliates can take away, some things that didn’t go according to plan, and biggest challenges at each organization. Finally, Erika will open discussion for how Affiliates can be part of the Smithsonian brand campaign in their own communities and how the Smithsonian can learn from Affiliate methods.

Join them on Wednesday, June 17 at 2:00 p.m.

Are you registered for the 2015 Affiliations National Conference, June 15-17?!

See the full agenda.

Book your hotel room at the Residence Inn-DC/Capitol

The Smithsonian Affiliations National Conference is for current Affiliates only. If you are interested in becoming an Affiliate, or have an application in progress and would like to attend the Conference, please contact us for more information. If you have questions or comments related to the Affiliations National Conference, please contact Elizabeth Bugbee.

call for ideas for the 2015 Affiliations Conference

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Affiliate staff enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour at the 2014 Affiliations conference.

Affiliate staff enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour at the 2014 Affiliations conference.

Mark your calendars now for the annual Smithsonian Affiliations National Conference, June 15-17, 2015.  The conference strives to engage Affiliate and Smithsonian colleagues in dialogues about current issues, best practices and collaboration potential.

Most conference sessions feature both Affiliate and Smithsonian staff, and highlight timely and relevant topics facing the field today.  The staff of Affiliations is in full planning mode now, and would love to hear from you.  Below are some topics we have been discussing as possible sessions and/or tours.  What would you add to the list?  Can you lend expertise or perspective to any of the topics?

Thanks in advance for helping us plan the best conference possible!

Ideas under consideration as tours or sessions:

  • Millenials – how to attract and engage them, and make them members.
  • Branding – Ideas for Affiliates as brand ambassadors, and as SI highlighted content
  • Visiting Professional alumni – what did they do with their SI experience?
  • Music Initiative – what SI and Affiliates are doing, and how can we do it together?
  • Connecting art and science
  • Mentorship writ large
  • Cocktail history as a hot new programming tool
  • Crowdsourced projects – can we grow them together?

If you have other ideas to share for the 2015 conference, please contact Elizabeth Bugbee at bugbeee@si.edu.

Smithsonian Resource Fair at the 2014 Affiliations National Conference

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2014RF1We’ve gathered nearly 30 Smithsonian offices, programs and museums to give Affiliate conference attendees the opportunity to meet staff one-on-one during the Smithsonian Resource Fair on Tuesday, June 24.

Many offices have new programs looking for partners, new exhibitions looking to travel, new digital learning programs to share online and new resources to share with the Affiliate network. All registered 2014 Smithsonian Affiliations National Conference attendees are invited to start their day with breakfast at the Holiday Inn-Capitol and then meet with Smithsonian representatives at the Resource Fair.

And don’t forget to stop by the CrowdTorch by Cvent table and learn more about our new Smithsonian Affiliations Conference app! Mobile app provided by CrowdTorch by Cvent.

Kick-off the 2014 National Conference with a networking opportunity unlike any other at the Smithsonian! Register today.  Below is the current list of Smithsonian programs and museums attending the Resource Fair:

Anacostia Community Museum

Archives of American Art

Asian Pacific American Center

Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

CrowdTorch byCvent

Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

National Air and Space Museum

National Museum of African American History and Culture

National Museum of African Art

National Museum of American History

National Museum of Natural History

National Museum of the American Indian

National Portrait Gallery

National Postal Museum

National Zoological Park

Office of Exhibits Central

Smithsonian Accessibility Program

Smithsonian Affiliate Membership (Log in to the Affiliations-only section of our website for information on this program for Affiliates)

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

Smithsonian Books

Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access

Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center

Smithsonian Folkways

Smithsonian Institution Libraries

Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service

Smithsonian Latino Center

The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention & Innovation

The Smithsonian Associates

2014RF2The Smithsonian Affiliations National Conference is for current Affiliates only. If you are interested in becoming an Affiliate, or have an application in progress and would like to attend the Conference, please contact Elizabeth Bugbee for more information.

Affiliations has gone mobile!

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app_previewNew for the 2014 Affiliations National Conference is a mobile app to keep all conference activities at your fingertips. Access all the information you need during the conference on your smartphones and devices.  This new feature is generously provided by CrowdTorch from Cvent.

The app will include an online agenda and a note section that allows attendees to take notes inside the app and email the document to save or share with colleagues.

Speaker bios are linked to conference sessions for easier planning during the event.

Meeting locations  have been formatted in a google map so users can easily get directions from any location around the National Mall.

The app is loaded with time saving information and tools right at your fingertips!

Smithsonian Affiliations National Conference app will be available from the App Store in mid June.

Stay tuned for updates so you can download the App before the Conference.

Questions? Contact Christina DiMeglio Lopez dimeglioc@si.edu