More than 1.500 participants from 80+ countries have registered their interest to join the NEMO European Museum Conference 2020 – Museums making sense. Today 16 November until 19 November 2020 they will connect with the Network of European Museum Organisations (NEMO) and each other to get inspired, gain new knowledge and feel empowered.
The online format makes it possible for even more museum colleagues to come together and feel strength from their international community. The importance of networks in these challenging times is apparent. David Vuillaume, Chair of NEMO, explains “Every museum in Europe is unique but the 30.000 museums in Europe are facing similar challenges. A network like NEMO helps them to find common answers, to exchange worthful experiences and to be recognised as a part of an essential cultural landscape.”
The conference will explore the important role museums play in making complex matters tangible and comprehensible. 50 speakers from 15 different countries will inspire the attendees to tackle complex and difficult topics through techniques such as storytelling, museum labs, change processes and multiperspective thinking.
Covid-19 and the challenges that the pandemic has brought to the museum sector will be examined in a dedicated panel, including a view into the initial results from NEMO’s follow-up survey on the impact of the pandemic on museums.
European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Mariya Gabriel will open the conference and adds that “Museums have an essential role in our societies: they preserve history and culture; they educate, entertain, and inspire. They are a source of unity since they act as spaces for social interaction and reflection.”
Originally to take place in Rijeka, Croatia, the NEMO European Museum Conference includes online tours from two exhibitions that were created within the framework of Rijeka 2020 – European Capital of Culture (ECoC). Four regional museums will also join a special panel that puts the spotlight on museums in Rijeka. Irena Kregar Šegota, CEO of Rijeka 2020, emphasise the involvement of museums in ECoC, “The Rijeka ECOC 2020 framework was an opportunity to redesign and rethink audience development approaches in our museums, to reach towards our communities, to involve volunteers in the museum programs and to create new synergies and collaborations among museums and other cultural organisation.” Irena Kregar Šegota also adds that the “collaboration between NEMO and Rijeka 2020 has contributed to the European dimension of our project and it will remain as one of the important legacies of our cultural year.”.
Learn more about the NEMO European Museum Conference 2020 – Museums making sense and have a look at the programme at www.europeanmuseumconference.org.
The conference is supported by Rijeka 2020, the Creative Europe Programme and the German Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.
