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Understanding Civic Engagement in Cultural Organizations

(Nonpartisan) Civic Engagment Resources for Museums & Cultural Organizations

Webinars to Help Your Organization Master Civic Engagement

"Civic engagement means working to make a difference in the civic life of our communities and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values, and motivation to make that difference. It means promoting the quality of life in a community, through both political and non-political processes." – Civic Responsibility and Higher Education, edited by Thomas Ehrlich

The Western Museums Association is calling upon our member institutions and the greater museum field to move beyond statements and engage in acts of civic responsibility. In this era of the partisan divide that has been swept up by a global pandemic and protests fueled by anger at racial injustice, it is now even more imperative that museums and cultural institutions understand their position in civic engagement and social impact. Join us in this effort and help us to amplify the voices of our communities. 

Understanding Civic Engagement in Cultural Organizations

Regardless of the type of institution – art museum, science center, natural history museum, etc. – majority are embedded within communities as centralized place-makers and have a mission intertwined with a civic obligation to serve people. Begin your journey to a more unified, inclusive community by understanding the role civic engagement and social impact plays within your very own institution.

• Foundations for Civic Impact: Advocacy and Civic Engagement Toolkit for Private Foundations – Council of Nonprofits

• Why Nonprofits are Crucial for Democracy – NonprofitVote.org

• Guide to Election Year Activities – American Alliance of Museums (AAM)

• Civic Engagement – The Inclusive Historian’s Handbook

• Civic Engagement – National Council on Public History

• Can civic museums become catalysts for social change? by Becca Antink

• Nonprofits and the Promotion of Civic Engagement: A Conceptual Framework for Understanding the “Civic Footprint” of Nonprofits within Local Communities – Scholarly Commons, University of Pennsylvania 

(Nonpartisan) Civic Engagment Resources for Museums & Cultural Organizations

Through dedicated hard work, every museum, historical site, science center, library, and other organization has the potential to become an incubation of innovative, actionable ideas that create long-term change and inspire communities.

Even though nonprofits, museums, and cultural institutions are required by law to remain nonpartisan in any election activities, they can still play a critical role in supporting political participation by spreading awareness, promoting equity in democracy, and becoming a polling site. From when, where, and how to vote, to mobilizing staff and advertising Election Day, there is plenty that your institution can do and these resources are designed to help.

The following resources and guides will help you to activate civic engagement within your institution and spark social impact across your community.

• Get Vote Ready with National Voter Registration Day Resources – National Voter Registration Day

• Tools to Engage: Resources for Nonprofits – Community Resource Center

• Advocacy Resources + Articles – American Alliance of Museums (AAM)

• Civic Engagement Resources - Institute of Museums and Library Ervices (IMLS)

• Civic Education and Engagement Resource Kit – AASLH

• Digitally Accessible Educational Resources – iCivics, a nonprofit whose mission is to ensure that every student in America receives a quality and engaging civic education and graduates from high school well prepared and enthusiastic for citizenship.

• 15 Ways Museums and Historic Sites Can Support Voters this Election Season – Made By Us + ActiVote for Medium

• Now is the Time to Act: Museums & Civic Responsibility – Western Museums Association (WMA) 

Webinars to Help Your Organization Master Civic Engagement

• Museums Cannot Be Silent: Whitney Plantation – SEMC

• Justice Now: What Would a Truth and Justice Commission Look Like in America – ICSC

• Beyond Statements: People Power – AAMC Foundation

• Webinar Short: Definitions of Justice – ICSC

• Museum Think Tank: Cultural Organizations as Incubators for Social Impact – Cuseum

• General Session: Doing History; Doing Justice; Doing Democracy – AASLH

• The Dream of a Common Language: What is our Role in Civic Teaching and Learning? – AASLH

Do you have civic engagement resources you'd like to add?

Please share with us at communications@westmuse.org.

These resources are subject to change and will be updated as new information becomes available.