Posted by Kaia Landon Annual Conference June 2-5, 2010: Register Now to Save! Speaking up for Museums: Institutional Advocacy The 28th Annual Meeting of the Museum Association of Arizona Can you articulate why museums matter? Can you tell funders, visitors and associates how important your institution is to your community? Can you share a personal story about how a museum impacted your life? Do you actively – and often – voice your opinion? Are you engaged in your community at a level that gives you and your museum a voice before the crisis hits? Join your colleagues in Sedona, AZ, as we focus on becoming advocates for our institutions.  Check out the full conference information (including hotel discount information). Advance registration ends May 21.  Register online or by mail to take advantage of discounted rates.

Ken Evans Fund This fund was created in 2006 to support professional development for Arizona’s museum and library and archives professionals. Named for Ken Evans, a past president of organizations such as the Central Arizona Museum Association and the Museum Association of Arizona, the fund is administered by the MAA, which actively solicits contributions towards the continuation of this award. MAA would like to acknowledge the generous support of SRP for this fund.  In addition, the fund has been supported by donations by the membership and by donations of goods to the association’s fund-raising live auction, held in conjunction with the annual meeting. The award supports the development of staff, paid or unpaid, of an Arizona non-profit cultural institution.  The award of $300 has been given annually to at least one applicant since 2008;  funds can be used to help defray costs for a professional development opportunity of the applicant’s choice, including attendance at a professional association meeting or workshop.  In return, the successful candidate agrees to perform a service to benefit the cultural heritage community in Arizona, such as contributing a report of the experience to MAA’s newsletter, organizing a session for the next MAA annual conference, or taking on a mentoring project for MAA. Please consider making a donation earmarked for this fund.  The Museum Association of Arizona is a 501(c)3 organization.

Speaking of the Ken Evans Memorial Scholarship Award This fund was created in 2006 to support professional development for Arizona’s museum and library and archives professionals. Named for Ken Evans, who was a past president of the Central Arizona Museum Association and the Museum Association of Arizona, and a dedicated worker for the betterment of Arizona’s museum and library communities, the fund is administered by MAA, which actively solicits contributions towards this award. MAA acknowledges the generous support of SRP for this fund. Ken worked for many years in SRP’s History Division, also for the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, finally as the director of the Carnegie Center. To qualify, an applicant must be a staff member, paid or unpaid, of an Arizona non-profit cultural institution, interested in developing skill levels in their current position or new skills for future betterment of the applicant’s institution. New professionals and students are encouraged to apply. Up to $300 will be awarded to help defray costs for a professional-development opportunity of the applicant’s choice, including attendance at a professional association meeting or workshop. In return, the successful candidate agrees to perform a service to benefit the cultural-heritage community in Arizona, such as contributing a report of the experience to MAA’s newsletter, organizing a session for the next MAA annual conference, or taking on a mentoring project for MAA. To apply, please send a cover letter, explaining in detail how funds will be used and how this will benefit the applicant’s institution, a copy of your curriculum vita or resume, and a letter of recommendation, academic or professional, to: MAA, Ken Evans Memorial Fund c/o Holly Young Pueblo Grande Museum 4619 E Washington St Phoenix, AZ 85034 Application packets must be received by 14 May  2010. Questions? Call Holly Young 602-495-0901 or holly.young@phoenix.gov.

“Spirit of Sedona” on a Table Top: MAA Banquet Centerpieces Shimmering crystals, fabulous old movies with western themes, vast and harmonic vortices, radiant red rocks, bountiful fruit-filled orchards, streams tumbling through Oak Creek Canyon... What theme best represents Sedona, our host for the 2010 MAA conference? You decide! This year we again ask MAA members to craft and bring a centerpiece to the conference to enhance our banquet décor. Turn the creative minds at your institution loose to come up with the most innovative “Spirit of Sedona” centerpiece ever to grace a table! The centerpieces – maximum diameter of about 16” and with height optional – will be raffled off at banquet’s end to benefit the Association. You can bring your masterpiece straight to registration where a special table awaits it! Image: George Jordan at the famous Jordan waterwheel, circa 1930. Courtesy of the Sedona Heritage Museum.

Join us on the Web! You may have noticed some changes to MAA's website in recent months. We're not done with our makeover yet, but will be soon. At the conference, we'll be introducing some of the new features, and training will be available on how to use all the new bells and whistles. In the meantime, here are some new features:

• Self-service Membership renewals
• Online Conference Registration
• The ability to add your own job postings (log-in first if you're a member - posts by non-members (or those not logged in) are moderated first)
• Museum Marketplace (available to logged in Members only!)
• Upcoming Events (events for other museum professionals, or post your own public events)
• RSS Feeds (whole site, or by category)
• And More!

Additionally, MAA is now participating in several Social Media efforts. Join us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Slideshare (our goal is to post all conference presentations there within a week after the conference -- Presenters, please give us a hand!)