AAM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR
Hosted by the American Alliance of Museums and other museum service organizations, this calendar lists opportunities for museum professionals.
PROGRAM SERIES: Balboa Art Conservation Center's (BACC)
California Inclusive Preservation Program (CIPP) is an education and training program designed to expand access to collections care knowledge. A “collections caretaker” is anyone responsible for the care, handling, storage, or preservation of cultural objects, artworks, documents, or materials—whether working in an institution, a community organization, or outside a formal collections setting. CIPP offers multiple ways to learn, connect, and build collections care skills with the Balboa Art Conservation Center. Whether you’re looking for a deep, supported experience or a single learning opportunity, there’s a way to take part. Learn more.
AWARD: 2026 Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications – APR 3
Submissions are now being accepted for the 2026 Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications, given by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in partnership with Schmidt Sciences. This application cycle marks the fifth year of the awards, which honor exceptional science communicators, science journalists, and research scientists who have developed creative, original work that addresses issues and advances in science, engineering, and medicine for the general public. Learn more.
WEBINAR: The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) – APRIL 13&14
AASLH is hosting a two-day virtual summit that will bring practitioners, leaders, and stakeholders together to reflect on the survey results and chart a path forward. Through keynote discussions, thematic panels, and breakout conversations, participants will explore what the data mean for their own careers and institutions, consider strategies to address systemic challenges, and identify ways the field can work together to affect change. The summit aims to transform research into action, sparking conversations and collaborations that will help us build a stronger, more sustainable field. Learn more.
SUMMIT: Annual CA Arts & Culture Summit – APR 19&20
The CA Arts & Culture Summit will be guided by the theme Boundless Culture & Creativity: The Essence of Freedom, with the sub-theme Building Joy, Action + Power. – California's creative sector leaders are set to attend the 8th annual Arts, Culture & Creativity Month convenings, hosted by CA for the Arts, from April 19–21, 2026, in Sacramento. The CA Arts & Culture Summit, a highly anticipated, annual gathering, is a key part of the month-long celebration. It brings together artists, cultural workers, advocates, and policymakers from across the state to strengthen collaboration, advance cultural policy, and reaffirm the critical importance of arts and culture to California's economy and civic life. Learn more.
SUMMIT: Arts Advocacy Day – APR 21
On Tuesday, April 21, 2026 at Capitol Park, Sacramento for Arts Advocacy Day, a FREE event hosted by CA for the Arts. This is a vital moment to raise your voice and take action. Arts Advocacy Day kicks off with an energizing rally featuring dynamic speakers and performances. Then we march to the Capitol together to sit down to talk policy with state lawmakers. Learn more.
OPEN CALL: California Arts Council Grant Panelist Application 2026 – APR 27
The California Arts Council seeks arts and cultural practitioners from diverse communities statewide to volunteer for our upcoming grant review panels. Panelists play a critical role in the grant application process as field representatives. They work both independently and virtually alongside other panelists to evaluate grant applications, ensuring an equitable, honest, and thorough review and ranking process. The panel experience provides great insight into the grant-making process and can serve as a professional development practice for their career and artistic goals. Community members with careers in social justice, focusing on youth and adult programs that provide links between social service and the court systems, are also welcome to apply. In addition to experienced arts practitioners, this is a great opportunity for new and emerging members of the arts & culture community. Learn more.
CONFERENCE: AAM 2026 Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo – MAY 20–23
The 2026 AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo (AAM 2026) is the largest museum conference in the world, organized by the American Alliance of Museums. The conference brings together museums of all types and sizes—from art and history museums to zoos and botanic gardens—to share ideas and make transformational connections. AAM 2026 will take place in Philadelphia, PA from May 20-23, 2026. Learn more
RESOURCE: THE INCLUSIVE HISTORIAN'S HANDBOOK This reference source supports inclusive and equity-focused historical work in public settings by sharing a knowledge base that invites more people to engage in history projects. This handbook provides concrete examples of how to make history work more relevant. It centers on equity, inclusivity, diversity, and public service while offering accessible windows into the many ways public historians work.
FREE DOWNLOAD: TRANSGENDER INCLUSION TOOLKIT FROM AAM LGBTQ ALLIANCE TASK FORCE The AAM LGBTQ Alliance’s Task Force for Transgender Inclusion recently released the Gender Transition and Transgender Inclusion in the Museum Workplace: A Toolkit for Trans Individuals, Institutions, and Coworkers. This expansive set of guides approaches trans inclusion from various perspectives in an approachable and easy-to-understand format.
BECOME A PEER REVIEWER FOR THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS
Peer reviewers are museum professionals who volunteer their time to support AAM's Accreditation and Museum Assessment Programs (MAP). They review museum self-assessment materials, conduct site visits and facilitate the institutional planning process. Their service is the critical backbone to the success of both programs. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis.
DOWNLOAD THE AAM RACIAL EQUITY AND INCLUSION PLAN PRIMER Advancing racial and ethnic diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion on boards can be a daunting task for any institution. No matter where you are in the process of creating a racial equity and inclusion plan for your museum, learn more from this new resource, including questions to help guide you and links to additional resources.
CULTURE TRACK INTERACTIVE TOOL NOW LIVE This interactive dashboard provides compiles data from over 120,000 respondents who completed the Culture & Community in a Time of Crisis survey this spring. The comparisons included in the tool currently highlight members or subscribers to any arts or culture organization. In the coming weeks, it will be further enhanced to include splits by genre of cultural attendance as well as race and ethnicity to further aid cultural organizations in planning and implementation towards increased relevance, equity and sustainability.
MUSEUMS FOR DIGITAL LEARNING The Institute of Museum and Library Services is pleased to announce the launch of an online resource center featuring dynamic digital museum content for K-12 educators searchable by subject and grade. Teachers across the country can now find resources that feature engaging activities from a growing number of museums all aligned with national education standards.
RECORDED WEBINAR: JUNETEENTH & CELEBRATING FREEDOM AT HISTORIC SITES Continue learning about the history and significance of Juneteenth in this recorded webinar presented by The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH). Amber Mitchell, Director of Education at the Whitney Plantation, will discuss how your organization can join in the celebration in ways that are appropriate and respectful to the history of African Americans from slavery to modern interpretations, and elevating to the communities you are trying to reach all year-round.