AIM, the Association of Independent Museums, has provided further details of its upcoming UK 2022 conference taking place on 16 and 17 June at Port Sunlight.
With the overarching theme of ‘Making it happen’, industry colleagues from around the British Isles will come together to explore the future of independent museums as institutions recover from the various challenges of the past few years.
Confirmed speakers
A schedule of sessions has been developed which will highlight how museums of varying shapes and sizes can implement changes with practical and relevant examples from the sector.
Confirmed Day One speakers include National Museums Liverpool director Laura Pye, Crannog Centre’s Mike Benson, Ironbridge’s Nick Ralls and Beamish’s Rhiannon Hiles, discussing the pandemic, crisis management, and how to keep stakeholders happy.
Breakout sessions will feature Liz Power of the London Museum of Water & Steam, Grant Mackenzie from the David Livingstone Birthplace, and Hilary Barnard and Ruth Lesirge, authors of AIM’s Successful Museum Governance publication examining relationships and recovery.
Sustainability will be a leading topic for day two, with breakout discussions including “Going green as a small museum” and “Programming in a climate emergency”.
The day will be concluded by a keynote from the British Film Institute’s executive director of knowledge and collections, Arike Oke.
Networking with suppliers
AIM Conference 2022 will feature an exhibition space at the heart of the venue, with time to network during programme breaks. Confirmed exhibitors include manufacturers of archive systems, environmental monitoring devices, software developers, publishers, retail merchandise and industry consultants.
An AIM representative says “AIM Conference always provides an ideal occasion for networking and sharing ideas and there will be plenty of opportunities to meet and mingle with fellow delegates, speakers, AIM suppliers and exhibitors. [We will also have] a packed schedule of social events.”
Time to relax
The AIM will host a drinks reception at the Wirral’s Lady Lever Art Gallery, free for all to attend, followed by an informal dinner at Leverhulme Hotel on Thursday evening.
There will also be a social event at the National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port, managed by the Canal & River Trust, which will include a hot buffet and an exclusive evening tour around the museum. Attendees will be transported back to the 19th century when Cheshire’s waterfront benefited from day-long trade and commerce. Guests will learn some of the hidden secrets behind the development of one of the country’s largest transhipment docks.
Tickets are now available for this years event through the AIM website.
Last year’s virtual conference focussed on “the new normal” in the wake of COVID-19, helping museums and galleries make sense of the uncertain future brought on by the international pandemic.
