Organized in collaboration with the Board of Montréal Museum Directors (BMMD), the AVICOM Committee’s 2012 Conference will be held in Montreal, Canada from October 9–12, 2012 at the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA), during the same time as the AVICOM Committee’s annual meeting.

The Conference will be followed by the International Audiovisual Festival on Museums and Heritage (FIAMP), a competition that salutes the best achievements of museums worldwide in a number of categories. Visits to various Montreal  museums are planned for the final day of the Conference, Friday, October 12, 2012. In addition, a “Guide to Suggested Activities” will be provided to those participants who would like to extend their stay in Montreal through the following weekend. From 200 to 300 AVICOM members are expected to attend. 

The Conference will provide the opportunity to hear presentations from specialists in new sound and image technologies from around the world who work for museums, design educational programs, head art conservation efforts, create content or are interested in mapping the future development of these new technologies. Spanish / Portuguese

• Consult the complete program »

• Reserve your room now »

Registration

Register now, places are limited. There is only a week left before the annual AVICOM 2012 meeting in Montreal. You can still register online with Eventbrite.

You can also register in person at the Canadian Centre for Architecture:

• Tuesday, October 9 at 5:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, October 10 at 8:00 a.m.

Register now and come share your museology knowledge!

2012 Theme

The Development of New Technologies and the Emergence of New Museology Professions

That new technologies have a place in museums, be it intra or extra muros, is an established fact that no one would think of challenging. The vitality of the AVICOM Committee is proof of this. A number of new tools—interactive terminals, smartphone applications, and exhibition designs featuring strong interactive components come to mind—have recently appeared and immediately captured the public’s interest. AVICOM’s FIAMP awards celebrate museums’ creativity in this area.

It is clear that the relationship between “new technologies” and museums is now well established. This relationship seems to be becoming more essential by the day, as was confirmed in July 2010 during a debate around the issue of the museum in the 21st century that took place between Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum, and Sir Nicholas Serota, Director of the Tate in London. One of the conclusions resulting from that discussion was that the future of museums is ever more dependent on their ability to interact with their publics on-line. Indeed, a July 29, 2011 post on the Cultural Engineering Group Weblog purported that the future of the institution of the “Museum” increasingly hinges on the Web. In the face of such a “prophecy,” which is well on its way to becoming a reality, a number of issues arise, both on the ethical and practical levels.

• Will this change result in the development of new museum professions? 
• Who are the people now creating these new programs? Specialists? Communications or creative professionals?

AVICOM Montreal 2012 will focus on the very topical issue of the challenge now shared by museums, interpretation centres, the education community, art conservation centres and multimedia companies, as well as examine the question of what is the public’s part in this dizzying process.

The Conference

A dual focus: Current realities and ethical stance

The Conference will provide the occasion to take a look at the current situation in respect to the evolution in the practice of certain museum professions. It is also the chance to collectively begin to consider the implications of such practices in terms of the new partnerships between the public and private sectors, now virtually obligatory, as well as the relationship of setting and content. Consideration will be given to the nature of the objectives pursued by museums in setting up these tools or programs. As a group, we should also think about the responsibility of museums in regard to society as a whole, and the objectives that lead them to make certain decisions. At a time when museum employees are increasingly called upon to work with the designers of new technologies, it is only fitting to examine the objectives of all partners, as well as their short- and medium-term successes.

Faced with the accelerated development of not only new technologies, but also new ways of communicating, collaborating and acting on new museological practices, the AVICOM Montreal 2012 Conference and the AVICOM Committee’s FIAMP will offer an exceptional opportunity for reflection and for meeting others in this field.

Presentations and discussions will deal with the following topics:

On-line collections: Who are they for and why?

• Digitization of collections
• Archiving
• Conservation in a world of technological change

An expert public

• Social media: Their strengths and limitations
• Participation  

To surpass oneself… or lag behind?

• Knowing how to choose
• According to what criteria?

Clear, short and simple! 

• New watchwords, but are results conclusive?
• To attract new publics

In-gallery support

• Immersive exhibitions, interactive terminals, electronic guides:  Can they hold the public’s attention?

Swapping knowledge and expertise

• New partnerships, or is selling one’s soul necessary?

Conference

The Conference will be held at the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA), with all activities held in full session. Presentations will take place in the CCA’s Paul Desmarais Theatre, and will include discussions between speakers and Conference attendees.

Photo : Nat Gorry

Presentations will be given during three half-day periods on Wednesday, October 10 and Thursday, October 11. Presentations will each be 15 minutes in length. Consult the program.

Call for papers

Please note that the Call for papers is now closed.

Who can make a presentation?

Any member of ICOM and, in particular, of AVICOM

• Museum professional
• Museology teaching professional
• Multimedia design professional

What topics can presentations deal with?  

• Project carried out in a museum or at the request of a museum after 2010
• Report on the current situation in museums
• Examination of the current situation in museums

Selection of presentations

• The Organizing Committee will choose presentations on the basis of their topics and their presenters’ geographic and professional representativeness.
• Presenters who have been selected will be contacted by Manon Blanchette, President of the AVICOM committee, by March 30, 2012 at the latest.
• Deadline for submitting a proposal: March 9, 2012

Registration

• Download registration form (PDF, 1.4 MB)
• Registration and submission of a proposal for a presentation must be done before March 9, 2012
• To register, send the Presentation Proposal Submission form to the Commissioner General of the AVICOM Conference:
  
  Manon Blanchette
  President, AVICOM
  5 Ave. Courcelette
  Outremont, Québec
  Canada H2V 3A5

The form must be accompanied by the following:

• Curriculum vitae (Word or PDF)
• A recent photograph of the presenter, dated, and of a quality suitable for reproduction
• Screenshots or promotional photos for the AVICOM website

Duly completed Presentation Proposal Submission forms, along with the required materials outlined above, may be sent:

• By mail to: address, indicating AVICOM Presentation
• By fax to: 514 845-8322, indicating AVICOM Presentation
• Or by email to: manon.blanchette@me.com

Any questions? Please contact the AVICOM President.

Technical information

• Media: Projection equipment and PC or Mac computers will be available.
  
  
• Length of presentations: Presentations must not exceed 15 minutes in length; this is to allow time for a question and discussion period afterward.
  
  
• Language of presentations: Presentations may be made in French or English.
  
  
• Special terms: Registration fees for the Conference and the FIAMP will be waived for those professionals whose presentations have been selected. This will also include lunches (except for that on Friday, October 12), visits to museums, and cocktail events. Please note, however, that travel and accommodation expenses will be the responsibility of the person giving the presentation.