Museum association receives grant for conference scholarships         

[JULY 1, 2006]  SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois Association of Museums has received a $2,500 grant from the Illinois Humanities Council to support scholarships to the joint conference of the Illinois Association of Museums and the Association of Midwest Museums.

This year's conference will meet Sept. 26-29 in the Quad Cities area of Illinois and Iowa. The Illinois Association of Museums, Association of Midwest Museums and the Iowa Museum Association have joined forces to allow conference participants access to a greater and more diverse offering of sessions and workshops on museum best-practice issues.

The scholarships will be awarded to Illinois members of the Illinois Association of Museums whose museums lack the financial resources to send staff or volunteers to a professional conference for training. For more information on applying for the scholarships, visit www.illinoismuseums.org, send an e-mail request to [e-mail] or call [phone].

"Small, modestly funded museums preserve much of the local history of the state, yet quite often their staff and/or volunteers lack opportunities for education and continued learning in the field of museum studies. This grant will help provide some of that crucial training," said Karen Everingham, program coordinator for the Illinois Association of Museums.

Sessions and workshops will cover such topics as conservation, disaster preparedness, collections, diversity issues, evaluation, exhibits, educational programming, technology, grants and funding, and interpretation. Respected historian Dr. John Hope Franklin will present the keynote address, which is open to the public at no charge, at 9 a.m. on Sept. 27. Participants will also have opportunities to visit surrounding museums and cultural sites such as the renowned Figge Art Museum and the Putnam Museum in Davenport, Iowa, and the Butterworth Center, Deere-Wiman House and the John Deere Pavilion in Moline.

The Illinois Humanities Council grants program is its oldest. Since 1974, the council has welcomed grant proposals from nonprofit groups that have a story to tell about the state or a way to use the humanities to enrich community life. Nonprofit organizations may apply for mini grants up to $2,500 and major grants up to $10,000.

"The IHC is proud to support nonprofit organizations that promote the importance of the humanities in private and public life," said Kristina Valaitis, executive director of the Illinois Humanities Council. "Through their efforts, Illinoisans have greater access to lifelong learning opportunities. These champions of the humanities make their communities and our whole state more vibrant."

For more information about the Illinois Humanities Council, please call [phone] or visit www.prairie.org.

The Illinois Association of Museums is an independent, statewide organization of museums and historical societies. It operates with support from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

[News release from the Illinois Association of Museums]

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