The International Council of Museums (ICOM) and the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) – Smithsonian Institution have joined forces to develop a training workshop aimed at empowering museums to develop international partnerships and projects.
The program aimed to promote the exchange of experiences and methodologies that facilitate intercultural dialogue, the identification of allies and resources, and the development of partnerships in international and local contexts.
Fourteen museum professionals (USA, South Africa, Uganda, Seychelles, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya) from African, African American, and African diaspora museums participated, with US and South African trainers during the first week of May 2023 in Washington DC, USA.
The training programme was an opportunity for the exchange of knowledge and professional practice, to strengthen the communication and collaborative work among the members of the networks of African, African American, and African diaspora museums.
We received a percentage of satisfaction from the participants of 93.8%.
This project is the result of the collaboration between ICOM and the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) with the support of ICOM US.
Programme
Day 1: Building a learning community.
Day 2: Strategies for new pathways: Overcoming challenges and creating opportunities.
Day 3: Excursion at the Anacostia Community Museum.
Day 4: Tools and methodologies for participatory process with local communities & Strategies for new pathways.
Day 5: International fundraising and creation of comprehensive project proposals & Understanding and Using Financial Information.
About the trainers
Molemo Moiloa is based in Johannesburg. She has worked in various capacities at the intersection of creative practice and community organizing. She currently works on notions of ungovernability, social infrastructures of cultural organizing, and relationships to nature. She is one half of the artist collaborative MADEYOULOOK, Director of Andani.Africa and co-organiser of the Open Restitution Africa project.
“These practitioners, all in the same room, was just inspiring and energizing! There are so many convergences when it comes to thinking about the role of museums in society, and the place of committed practitioners to make this happen.” – Molemo Moiloa
Meme Omogbai has over 25 years of diversified experience in corporate, government, higher education, and museum sectors and is currently the Executive Director and CEO of CAA (College Art Association). As the first American of African descent to chair the American Alliance of Museums, she led an initiative to rebrand the AAM as a global, inclusive alliance. Omogbai received her MBA in Finance & Management Consultancy from Rutgers University and holds a CPA. She did post-graduate work at Harvard University’s Executive Management Program and has earned the designation of Chartered Global Management Accountant. She studied global museum executive leadership at the J. Paul Getty Trust Museum Leadership Institute, where she also served on the faculty.
“The workshop demonstrated the existence of rich potential for historic cultural intra -Africa and intercontinental partnerships collaborations by building a community of practice among multi-generational museum leaders to facilitate the achievement of sustainable “local to glocal” capacity building {and theme of the workshop}. I am excited for what the future holds!” – Meme Omogbai
Guest Speakers
Marion McGee is a Museum Program Specialist at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Her work at the NMAAHC has been focusing on workshop facilitation, effective resource allocation and partnership development. Prior to joining the NMAAHC team, Marion served as Executive Director of the John G. Riley Center/Museum in Florida.
Robert Bull is the president of the Compass Group, a consulting organisation in fundraising. With more than 25 years of experience in the sector, he leads the way to the organisation’s strategic growth and development. Rob is also a lecturer at the National Trust for Historic Preservation as well as the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
About ICOM regional trainings
Each year, ICOM organises different Regional Trainings to give museum professionals from all over the world the chance to participate in high level workshops led by international experts. These workshops also aim at creating regional networks for museum professionals that they can use to exchange information or to initiate and develop collaborative projects. ICOM’s goal is to reach all regions with its trainings workshops every two years, so that all museum professionals can have the possibility to attend.
For more information, please contact the Capacity Building Coordinator at training@icom.museum
