2022 Annual Conference

2022 Working Internationally Conference: Cynefin – Museum Practice for Future Generations

Online, Thursday 7 – Friday 8 April 2022

Cynefin (ku-nev-in), the evocative Welsh word, describes our relationship to the environment in which we live.  Over two afternoons, museum professionals from across the UK and the world will discuss how museum practice can lead and contribute to the needs of future generations.

Session topics included:

  • Climate change
  • Protecting cultural heritage in armed conflict
  • Building a more equitable future
  • Bridging community divides
  • New thinking around museum programming for people living with dementia
  • Career challenges facing students and early career professionals
  • Future museum trends
  • Museum practices and refugees
  • ICOM UK Grant Programmes

Simultaneous translation to Welsh, and closed captions in English, was provided for the main conference sessions.

Click HERE to view the full conference programme, speakers and session descriptions.

The 2022 Working Internationally Conference is organised by ICOM UK in partnership with the National Museum Directors’ Council, the Federation of Museums & Art Galleries of Wales, with support from the British Council and Barker Langham.  This conference is part funded by Welsh Government.

2021 Working Internationally Conference

ICOM UK and NMDC, with curatorial support from Barker Langham and support from the British Council, hosted the ninth Working Internationally Conference 16 – 18 March 2021 online.

Each day focussed on a major global issue:

  • Social Justice: Museum responses to decolonisation, restitution, Black Lives Matter, representation and youth 
  • Museums and Sustainability: Challenges of working in and responding to a changing climate 
  • The Future of Museums: Where are we now, and where do we go from here? 

All WI2021 session recordings are available on ICOM UK’s YouTube channel

2020 Working Internationally Conference

ICOM UK and the National Museum Directors’ Council, supported by the British Council hosted the eighth Working Internationally Conference on Thursday 12 March at Leeds Art Gallery. The conference theme was Can Museums and Galleries Save UK Diplomacy? Soft Power in Turbulent Times.

2019 Working Internationally Conference

ICOM UK and the National Museum Directors’ Council in partnership with the British Library, supported by the British Council hosted the seventh Working Internationally Conference on Monday 11 March 2019 at the British Library in London.

2018 Working Internationally Conference

ICOM UK and the National Museum Directors’ Council in partnership with National Museums Scotland, supported by the British Council hosted the sixth Working Internationally Conference on Wednesday 7 March 2018 at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

2017 Working Internationally Conference

ICOM UK and the National Museum Directors’ Council supported by the British Council and the Natural History Museum hosted the fifth ‘Working Internationally Conference’ on 2 March 2017 at the Natural History Museum in London.

2016 Working Internationally Conference

ICOM UK, the National Museum Directors’ Council and Manchester Museums and Galleries Partnership hosted the fourth Working Internationally Conference on 4 March 2016 at The Whitworth. Click ‘view’ to see the conference presentations.

2015 Working Internationally Conference

ICOM UK, the National Museum Directors’ Council and York Museums Trust hosted the third Working Internationally Conference on 5th March 2015 at The Hospitium in York.

2014 Working Internationally Conference

Back to Basics, the second Working Internationally Conference organised by ICOM UK, the National Museum Directors’ Council (NMDC) and the V&A, focused on the drivers, practicalities, challenges and benefits of international work.  The conference took place at the V&A on 27 February 2014.

2013 Working Internationally Conference

The first Working Internationally conference organised by ICOM UK, the British Museum and the National Museum Directors’ Council focused on models and methods of international work.  The conference took place at the British Museum on 4 March 2013.

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