ICME, INTERCOM & ICOM Azerbaijan Joint Conference
Transforming Collecting Policies in Museums: the Need for Leadership and Societal Responsibility
Baku, Azerbaijan
October 13 -15, 2021
Conference venue and practical information
Dear colleagues,
Due to the current pandemic situation, the organisers of ICME, INTERCOM & ICOM Azerbaijan Joint Conference 2021 have decided to organise a mixed conference, onsite and online, which will be held 13-15 October. We cannot predict what the global situation will be in October but, at the same time, we are optimistic that health measures will have been improved to enable us to meet again.
Therefore, we propose holding our conference using a dual model, with sessions that are held both online and onsite. We hope that those who can travel will join us and have the opportunity to meet each other in person, and to enjoy the programme of activities and visits to beautiful sites proposed by ICOM Azerbaijan. And those who cannot be able to travel will have the option to take part virtually. Online presentations will be pre-recorded and made available in advance on the ICOM Azerbaijan website. Those presented in person will be live-streamed when possible, video-recorded and remain available on the ICOM Azerbaijan website for a limited period.
Our complex, confused and fast changing world brought unprecedent challenges in 2020. Museums have found themselves in 'new normal' facing immense difficulties to stay connected with their audiences while at the same time struggling for survival through the resulting financial crises. We are also conscious that despite the pressures of the new realities the existing challenges museums faced before the pandemic did not vanish. Therefore, we realise that it is extremely important that we continue to discuss key topics such as decolonizing museums, engaging with ethnotourism and how to provide the museum leadership that enables museums to address our contemporary challenges.
Our conference themes are relevant, provocative and urgent and we hope they will encourage you to join us. They address the role of museums now and in the future.
- If decolonizing the museum means repatriating objects what does this mean for our collecting policies?
- How do ethnographic museums engage with the new realities in tourism and `experiences’ with real people and online visits?
- How should museum managements plan for the future and change practices and governance structures to respond to new expectations?
- What innovations and new initiatives around collecting and collection policies challenge existing paradigms and provide examples for us to learn from?
We invite you to participate in this challenging debate!
The main aims of the conference are the following:
- To open a dialogue between scholars of Ethnographic and other museums and to offer a platform for the presentation and discussion of recent research;
- To highlight the significance of the concepts of decolonizing museums, ethnotourism, leadership and museum management for our times;
- To facilitate a global dialogue on these themes by bringing together museum professionals from all around the world,
- To critically engage with existing theories and methodologies and to provide a platform for the presentation of new research and initiatives that will help us to tackle these core issues and the ways in which we might transform the concept of `collecting’ that has defined museums for decades.
The registration for the conference is now open, please see details below:
PLEASE NOTE!
For virtual participants, registration fee shall be waived off.
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION |
FEES |
ICOM member |
€ 250 |
Student* |
€ 150 |
Non-member |
€ 250 |
Day Pass |
€ 100 |
Local participant |
€ 80 |
Accompanying Person |
€ 150 (It will cover only welcome and closing parties) |
POST-CONFERENCE TOUR |
|
Absheron ( Qala Archeological Ethnographic Museum Complex, Mardakan Castle, Ateshgah - Fire Temple, Yanardag/Burning Mountain), 16 October 2021 (Optional) ** |
€ 31
|
Gobustan National Historical-Artistic Preserve, which is famous for the ancient rock drawings, 16 October 2021 (Optional) *** |
€ 23 |
Sheki, the ancient city of handicrafts (Caravanserai, Khan's Palace), 16-17 October 2021 (Optional) **** |
€120 |
The conference fee will cover academic sessions, the conference pack, lunches and coffee breaks, the welcome and farewell parties.
* Student ID or official letter of University must be provided.
**The Absheron tour fee includes bus travel, lunch and admission to various museums and sites.
***The Gobustan tour fee includes bus travel, lunch and admission to the museum.
****The Sheki tour fee includes bus travel, hotel 4*, lunch on 16.10 and 17.10, admission to various museums and sites.
Please note that each tour is intended for the group of minimum 10 or more persons. In case of less than 10 persons, tour shall be cancelled.
Registration Deadline: August 31, 2021
HOW TO PAY
PLEASE NOTE!
Due to uncertainty with the progress of COVID-19 situation in the region, the registration fee is envisaged to be paid in cash in Baku on the spot.
If you are going to cancel your registration, please inform the Organizing Committee at icom.azerbaijan.secretariat@gmail.com by September 15, 2021
Continue to online registration form: https://forms.gle/kw1NddUwjbnPEp3i9
IMPORTANT NOTICE!
Please note that at the border control in Azerbaijan you will have to present a COVID-19 passport (a document confirming complete vaccination against COVID-19 or immunity gained by recovering from COVID-19) and a document confirming the negative result of the PCR test for COVID-19 issued within 72 hours before the flight.