VAM staff will continue to be in the office on a limited schedule through August. Email is still the best way to contact us for assistance.

Remember, VAM has extended the renewal grace period for all memberships. If your membership is due, VAM is giving you up to three additional months past your expiration date to pay. If your museum is past the three-month extension and still needs assistance, we are offering a payment plan for some levels of membership if that helps with your limited budget.

Contact Jennifer or Dan if you would like to make arrangements to set up a payment plan or to pay your membership in full.

The conference is currently scheduled to take place over March 13-16, 2021 at the Hotel Madison in Harrisonburg, Virginia with the educational sessions taking place Sunday to Tuesday. We will determine in December 2020 whether we will be able to move ahead with the in-person conference or deliver a virtual event. Learn more about the conference here. 

We are currently accepting session proposals. The proposals are due no later than September 1st.

If you are interested in submitting a proposal for the conference click here to submit a topic.

The General Assembly will be meeting later this month to adjust the current budget to reflect reduced income and increased expenses due to COVID. Make sure your voice is heard, both for these upcoming conversations, and the longer term discussion of what is important to our communities. We have launched a two-pronged advocacy push for the month of August--take a few moments and help us spread the word about the importance of museums and all that we do!!

Visit our campaign website here, generously provided by Muster Software, and send in your letter today!!

Congratulations to the two VAM member museums that recently received funding support from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH):

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has announced that the new expansion of the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg has been completed and is now open to the public. The new area is a 25% increase in space that allows the museum to feature exhibitions and artifacts that have never been displayed before.

Congratulations to Carol Duke, AIA, for joining our business partner the DLR Group as a principal and will lead national business development and strategy for the firm’s Cultural+Performing Arts Studio. 

Congratulations to Margo Carlock, former Director of VAM. She is retiring from her position as Executive Director at the National Association for Interpretation at the end of September. We wish her a happy retirement!

Congratulations to Earl T. Granger III on being named the Chief Development Officer at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Granger moves from the College of William and Mary where he was the Associate Vice President for Development.

Our partner Richmond Conservation Studio will conserve a painting from one of our members at no cost to the selected member. Applications open August 1; this opportunity is open to any VAM museum member with a budget of less than $1 million. Learn More and Apply

Virginia Governor Northam has announced that the state will

begin launching a new grant program for small businesses and nonprofits called Rebuild VA. The program will provide grants of up to three times the applicant's average monthly eligible expenses up to a maximum award of $10,000. The application will become available on August 10, 2020.

More information about the grants and application process can be found here. https://www.governor.virginia.gov/rebuildva/

The U.S. House has passed a bill with bipartisan support to create a new Smithsonian museum dedicated to American Latinos. If signed into law, that museum still has a long way to go to become reality. Read about it here.

Smithsonian reopening two sites

With Phase 2 happening in Washington, DC, both the National Zoo and the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center are reopening. To get tickets for the Hazy Center re-opening click here.

Search VAM's Career Center for information on the only museum management certificate offered by a museum association plus resume help and job listings.