TAM Announces FAF 2 Museum Participants
Date postedApril 12, 2021
TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS ANNOUNCES FAF2 MUSEUM PARTICIPANTS
Alex Freeman, Executive Director of Texas Association of Museums (TAM), announced today the ten museums that will participate in Finding Alternative Futures, Phase 2: Digital Fluency (FAF2). The FAF2 participants are: Columbia Historical Museum; The Houston Fire Museum; Galveston Arts Center; The Health Museum; The Heritage Society of Houston; Humble Museum; Lake Jackson Historical Association; The Printing Museum; Sugar Land Heritage Museum; and The Woodlands Children’s Museum.
Finding Alternative Futures, Phase 2: Digital Fluency is made possible by a grant from the Houston Endowment. The project is based in the greater Houston area. Participating museums are located in Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, and Montgomery counties.
Freeman commented: “The FAF2 cohort is diverse in size, style, and discipline. What these museums have in common is forward-thinking leadership and a strong desire to learn how to grow their digital strategies. We will learn a great deal from one another. While the participants are learning about new ways of thinking, TAM will be learning about creative implementations of technology in the field.”
Involvement in this project represents a year-long commitment to professional development. Participants will meet monthly with an internal team, a coach, subject-matter experts, and other resource persons. FAF2 will include four content modules focused on: museum capacity and continuity; digital-savvy leadership; online programming; and community engagement.
The selection process began in late fall with 148 museums in consideration and only 10 places in the FAF2 cohort. After thorough research and inquiries, the FAF2 coaching team narrowed it down to a “Top 20” list of museums based on their expressed interest and eligibility. The vetting process involved multiple phone conversations with each organization, site visits from a local team member, zoom interviews, and completion of an interest form that ranked the museum’s appetite for specific technology topics. By the first week of March 2021, the FAF2 coaching team made a unanimous decision and notified the 10 museums of their acceptance.
Each museum has named a team of four persons to represent them, including at least one staff, one board member, and one volunteer. The program will take place online through the summer or until the health environment allows for direct group interaction. TAM is tentatively planning an in-person FAF2 “Colleague Convening” in the fall.
The benefits of FAF2 are provided at no cost to participating museums. Each museum in the FAF2 cohort will receive a $500 membership to TAM and an invitation to attend special gatherings at the TAM Virtual Annual Meeting on April 12, 13, and 16. Also, each museum in the FAF2 cohort will receive a $1000 stipend to offset the costs of participation and a $2500 stipend as seed money for a technology project in spring 2022.
The FAF2 coaching team includes: Ruth Ann Rugg, Director of Special Projects, TAM; Brian Crockett, Principal, Two-Headed Goat Consulting, Albuquerque; and Noel Harris, independent museum consultant, Nashville. Katie Jackman, Hey Jackman! Marketing, Houston, assisted with vetting research and site visits. Kate Livingston, Principal, Kate Livingston Coaching, Denver, serves as evaluator.
For more information, please contact the Project Director ruthann@texasmuseums.org
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