Advancing Ideas in Museums (A.I.M.) Educators’ Conference
Audain Art Museum, Whistler, BC
Welcome to the A.I.M. Educators’ Conference, a premier gathering dedicated to fostering innovation, collaboration, and excellence in the field of museum education. This conference serves as a dynamic platform where educators from the Sea-to-Sky region come together to share best practices, explore new strategies, and engage in meaningful dialogue about the role of museums in education and community engagement.
The A.I.M. Conference will enhance the skills and knowledge of educators through interactive workshops, seminars, and informational sessions led by industry experts. Networking opportunities will encourage attendees to connect with peers, exchange ideas, and build professional relationships that can lead to future collaborations. Each workshop is designed to showcase the latest innovative tools, technologies, and methodologies that are transforming museum education. Through talks with Indigenous educators, attendees will learn about inclusive practices that address challenges related to cultural difference in museum education. In addition, there will be opportunities to discuss strategies for engaging audiences and making museums more accessible and relevant to their communities.
Speakers & Sessions
The A.I.M. Conference features a keynote presentation from Christian Huizenga, and a Curatorial Talk from Dana Claxton, two thought leaders in museum education. There will also be a panel discussion with female artists, Dale Marie Campbell, Skeena Reece, and Dana Claxton, featuring the works and perspectives of female carvers from the Northwest Coast. In addition, Shep Alexander, UBC Faculty of Education, will be sharing innovations in Art and Museum Education.
Networking Opportunities
Attendees will have opportunities to network with colleagues through structured networking events, informal gatherings, and collaborative sessions. These interactions are designed to foster the exchange of ideas and encourage the development of professional connections that can extend beyond the A.I.M. Conference.
Exhibition Opening
The A.I.M. Conference also includes admission to the exhibition opening of Curve! Women Carvers on the Northwest Coast at the Audain Art Museum.
The Audain Art Museum is thrilled to welcome you to this exciting event and look forward to the valuable insights and connections that will emerge from our time together. Your participation in the AIM Educators’ Conference underscores your commitment to excellence in museum education, and we are confident that you will leave inspired and equipped with new ideas to enhance your practice.
This conference is sponsored by
Join us for a unique and enriching experience at the A.I.M. Educators’ Conference, where ideas in museum education come to life amidst the breathtaking setting of Whistler, BC. This conference has an intimate format; only 20 tickets available.
November 21 – 23, 2024 | Early Bird Price $500.00 per ticket
*Purchase A.I.M. Conference tickets under “Special Events”
Enjoy a tour followed by an indigenous-inspired lunch at the SLCC.
Join a panel discussion with Curve! Curator, Dana Claxton and artists Skeena Reece and Dale Marie Campbell at the Maury Young Theatre.
Discuss hands-on learning experiences with Christian Huizenga from the School of Direct Experience.
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Wednesday, November 20th, 2024 (Optional Day)
*Optional Ticket for Director’s Tour, Public Art Walking Tour & Networking Après at the Fairmont Mallard Lounge $100 + GST
| TIME | ITINERARY |
|---|---|
| 2:00PM | Check-in at the Audain Art Museum |
|
2:15PM – 3:30PM |
Audain Art Museum Tour with the Director and Chief Curator, Dr. Curtis Collins. Take a walk through the Permanent Collection with a behind-the-scenes tour featuring historic narrative and special access exclusively available through Dr. Curtis Collins. |
| 3:45PM – 4:45PM |
Whistler Village Public Art Walking Tour Enjoy a 45-minute guided stroll through the charming Whistler Village learning about the artworks that adorn the public spaces. |
| 5:00PM – 6:00Pm |
Networking Après at the Fairmont Mallard Lounge Expand your professional network while indulging in a few beverages in the charming Mallard Lounge at the Fairmont Hotel. |
Thursday, November 21st, 2024 (Conference Begins)
| TIME | ITINERARY |
|---|---|
| 9:00AM | Check-in at the Audain Art Museum |
| 9:30AM – 10:30AM |
Yoga at the Audain Art Museum Revel in the stunning architecture of the Audain Art Museum as you work through a calming one-hour practice with a qualified Hatha Yoga instructor. This beginner-friendly class will emphasize breathing, alignment and ease as you stretch and strengthen your body and mind. Mats will be provided. |
| 10:30AM – 11:00AM |
Coffee and snack break courtesy of the AAM |
| 11:00AM – 12:00PM |
Foundations for Innovation in Art and Museum Education with Shep Alexander Shep Alexander will share his experiences as an art educator teaching at the High School, Elementary, and Middle School levels. He has received a M.A. in Art Education from UBC and has taught at the UBC Faculty of Education with the Teacher Education Program. Topics of discussion will include art making, museum education, visual culture, and assessment. |
| 12:00PM – 1:00PM |
Lunch courtesy of Picnic Whistler |
| 1:00PM – 2:30PM |
Author and Educator, Megan Smetzer on Painful Beauty: Tlingit Women, Beadwork and the Art of Resilience Megan Smetzer, The Smithsonian American Art Museum award winner of the 36th annual Charles C. Eldredge Prize for Distinguished Scholarship in American Art, will discuss her recent publication Painful Beauty: Tlingit Women, Beadwork and the Art of Resilience (University of Washington Press, 2021). Through extensive archival and museum research, Smetzer shows how beaders countered repressive colonial systems and sustained cultural practices through innovative artistic visions deeply connected to the environment, clan histories and Tlingit worldviews. |
| 2:30PM – 3:00PM |
Coffee and snack break courtesy of the AAM |
| 3:00PM – 5:00PM |
Key Note Speaker Christian Huizenga of the School of Direct Experience Christian Huizenga holds a BFA from Emily Carr University and a MArch from the University of Toronto. He is an interdisciplinary artist, architect and filmmaker who works primarily in sculpture and large-scale public installations, producing projects which necessitate both a sensitivity to material and skilled craftsmanship. His practice engages with ideas of citizen-initiated architecture and craft, and the merger of the built environment with nature. |
Friday, November 22nd, 2024
| TIME | ITINERARY |
|---|---|
| 10:00AM – 12:00PM |
Tour of the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre Experience the SLCC’s signature tour, “What We Treasure”, delivered by Cultural Ambassadors who share their own stories and first-hand cultural experiences. Throughout this tour the group will view artifacts and hear stories that give an overview of the past and present way of life of the Squamish and Lil’wat peoples. This tour includes a welcome song, fifteen-minute film, and exhibit tour. |
| 12:00PM – 1:00PM |
Lunch courtesy of the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre |
| 1:30PM – 2:30 PM |
Teaching Indigenous Content: Curatorial Talk with Dana Claxton |
| 8:00PM – 10:00PM |
Special Exhibition Opening Join the Audain Art Museum in celebrating Curve! Women Carvers on the Northwest Coast. This Special Exhibition’s Member Opening will include snacks and refreshments followed by curatorial remarks at 8:45pm and an opportunity to preview the exhibition. |
Saturday, November 23rd, 2024
| TIME | ITINERARY |
|---|---|
| 10:00AM – 11:30AM |
Interpretive Forest Walk around Lost Lake The Whistler Museum’s Nature Walking Tour takes place in Lost Lake Park on the Natural Trail that starts at the Passive Haus and follows Blackcomb Creek. Discover more about the species that call Whistler home and how all things in nature, including us, are interconnected. |
| 12:00PM – 1:00PM |
Lunch vouchers provided Participants will receive a lunch voucher to redeem at one of the participating lunch spots located in Whistler Village. |
| 2:00PM – 4:00PM |
Women Carvers on the Northwest Coast Panel Discussion at the Maury Young Arts Centre Dana Claxton is a critically acclaimed artist who works with film, video, photography, single/multi- channel video installation, and performance art. Her practice investigates indigenous beauty, the body, the socio-political and the spiritual. She is a Professor and Head of the Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory with the University of British Columbia. She is a member of Wood Mountain Lakota First Nations located in SW Saskatchewan and she resides in Vancouver, BC. Dale Marie Campbell is a Tahltan-Tlingit third-generation traditional Northwest Coast woman artist and has been carving for 52 years. As a teenager, Campbell was mentored by Freda Diesing and then went on to study carving with artist Dempsey Bob for three years. She also works in jewelry, having completed a silversmithing course at the Vancouver Vocational Institute. Campbell lives in Prince Rupert, BC and continues to exhibit her work at venues across Canada and the United States. Skeena Reece is Tsimshian/Gitksan and Cree/Metis based out of Vancouver Island, BC. She studied at Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art and later at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design for media arts. She is a multi-disciplinary artist who challenges, informs and enlightens audiences through her performance art, video, photography and the characters she creates. |
