Session C Archives

Conference Theme

The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities

In the spirit of the inaugural General Conference in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, ICOM Dubai 2025 promises to be a groundbreaking and uniquely transformative experience for museum professionals, cultural leaders, and community members globally.

The scientific programme features engaging panels, interactive sessions, lecture performances, masterclasses, workshops and more, offering an exciting assemblage of critical cultural dialogue and cutting-edge innovation. Paralleling the diversity of Dubai, the organised sessions set an exemplary balance in the representation of not only age, geography, experience, and skillset, while also showcasing the wide range of museum interests, disciplines and global perspectives.

Under the theme ‘The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities’, we aim to work together to preserve, share, and delve into our cultural identities, reinforcing the role of museums as vital societal pillars and catalysts for growth. The Scientific Programme will interweave three sub-themes, ‘intangible heritage’, ‘youth power’, and ‘new technologies’, across the three days to address the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing museums today.

Each day is structured to explore a distinct dimension of rapidly changing communities, where sessions address the three sub-themes equally and together.

Day 1

Preserve

Considers the critical decisions museums make about which stories, assets, and cultural elements to prioritise, while maintaining their crucial role as stewards of historical truth, authenticity, and accuracy. In an era of technological change, misinformation, and climate challenges, how are preservation practices and the integrity of narratives affected?

Emirati woman demonstrating traditional palm frond weaving for ICOM Dubai 2025.

General Scientific Program

The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities

In the spirit of the inaugural General Conference in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, ICOM Dubai 2025 promises to be a groundbreaking and uniquely transformative experience for museum professionals, cultural leaders, and community members globally.

The scientific programme features engaging panels, interactive sessions, lecture performances, masterclasses, workshops and more, offering an exciting assemblage of critical cultural dialogue and cutting-edge innovation. Paralleling the diversity of Dubai, the organised sessions set an exemplary balance in the representation of not only age, geography, experience, and skillset, while also showcasing the wide range of museum interests, disciplines and global perspectives.

Under the theme ‘The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities’, we aim to work together to preserve, share, and delve into our cultural identities, reinforcing the role of museums as vital societal pillars and catalysts for growth. The Scientific Programme will interweave three sub-themes, ‘intangible heritage’, ‘youth power’, and ‘new technologies’, across the three days to address the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing museums today.

Each day is structured to explore a distinct dimension of rapidly changing communities, where sessions address the three sub-themes equally and together.

Visitors viewing a falcon exhibit at a museum during ICOM Dubai 2025

Day 2

Adapt

Looks at how museums reflect and adapt in response to global shifts in societal values, cultural norms, and demographic changes within communities. This day offers actionable insight into how museums can cultivate representative and responsive institutions that serve the changing needs of the public.

Conference Theme

The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities

In the spirit of the inaugural General Conference in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, ICOM Dubai 2025 promises to be a groundbreaking and uniquely transformative experience for museum professionals, cultural leaders, and community members globally.

The scientific programme features engaging panels, interactive sessions, lecture performances, masterclasses, workshops and more, offering an exciting assemblage of critical cultural dialogue and cutting-edge innovation. Paralleling the diversity of Dubai, the organised sessions set an exemplary balance in the representation of not only age, geography, experience, and skillset, while also showcasing the wide range of museum interests, disciplines and global perspectives.

Under the theme ‘The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities’, we aim to work together to preserve, share, and delve into our cultural identities, reinforcing the role of museums as vital societal pillars and catalysts for growth. The Scientific Programme will interweave three sub-themes, ‘intangible heritage’, ‘youth power’, and ‘new technologies’, across the three days to address the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing museums today.

Each day is structured to explore a distinct dimension of rapidly changing communities, where sessions address the three sub-themes equally and together.

Day 3

Catalyse

Explores the vital role museums play in helping communities navigate and access opportunities amongst social, economic, and environmental challenges.

Woman in traditional attire observing a display case artifact for ICOM Dubai 2025

The ICOM Dubai 2025 programme of tours and excursions promises to be an unparalleled experience, designed to immerse participants in the vibrant culture, history, and dynamism of the United Arab Emirates. Taking place on Sunday 16th November, 2025, this exciting programme will offer a series of tailored excursions and events that will showcase the UAE in all its diversity, blending the country’s unique mix of rich traditions and hyper-modernity.

Participants will explore all seven emirates, each with its own distinctive identity, yet collectively embodying the UAE’s essence. From world-class museums and institutions in urban centres to smaller, more intimate cultural spots deeply rooted in local heritage, the programme will offer something for every interest. The programme will take participants on a journey to explore the UAE’s living heritage, engage meaningfully with a dynamic new generation of professionals and creatives, and experience some of the most innovative technologies shaping the cultural sector.

Expect to visit a wide range of sites and destinations, spanning multiple disciplines including archaeology, art, architecture, ethnography, performing arts, craft, culinary art, history, design, sustainability, and more. Participants will have the rare opportunity to step into the UAE’s past at significant archaeological sites and historical landmarks, witness exceptional contemporary architecture, explore the living heritage of the UAE and experience how the UAE has become a global hub for innovation, technology, and sustainable development. A memorable feature of this Emirati journey will be experiencing many of the UAE’s sixteen intangible heritage practices that are inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

The ICOM Dubai 2025 programme of tours and excursions is designed to enhance the conference experience, offering participants the opportunity to connect, share experiences, and immerse themselves in the culture of the United Arab Emirates. Stay tuned for a detailed list of sites and experiences to be revealed soon!

Why We Talk About Sustainable Communities (digital and online) and their Importance in the Cultural Sector

Introduction to the concept of Sustainable Community and the transition in museums from Audience to Community;
References: European and Int. Frameworks. The Faro Convention and beyond (as an example that can be used as an international reference);
Setting Goals (and principles) for the Possible Futures based on results of a 2025 ICOM SUSTAIN – ICOM AVICOM survey

The remainder of the workshop will focus on: How to Build and Nurture an Online Community (concerning for sure the tools and how to use them) and What are the steps to Building a Community?

Call for Papers

(10-15 minutes in length) from ICOM members who work with museums and sustainable community development or who research and have concrete findings to report. Or who implement or research implementation of the frameworks related to sustainable community development (digital and online) in the cultural sector.

Art and Creativity in Arab Cities: Transformation

Arab cities have long been vibrant cultural hubs where artistic and creative expressions reflect historical depth, contemporary transformations, and visions for the future. This session welcomes proposals that explore the dynamic relationship between urban spaces and artistic practices in cities of the Arab world in the past, the present, and the future. Expected topics could include urban art movements, exhibitions highlighting aspects of city life, negotiations between urban space and creative work, museum roles in promoting public art within city planning, museum programs engaging urban communities through creative expression, etc. Through discussions, we aim to explore how art shapes and is shaped by the evolving urban landscapes of Arab cities.

Call for Papers

Arab cities have long been vibrant cultural hubs where artistic and creative expressions reflect historical depth, contemporary transformations, and visions for the future. This session welcomes proposals that explore the dynamic relationship between urban spaces and artistic practices in cities of the Arab world in the past, the present, and the future. Expected topics could include urban art movements, exhibitions highlighting aspects of city life, negotiations between urban space and creative work, museum roles in promoting public art within city planning, museum programs engaging urban communities through creative expression, etc. Through discussions, we aim to explore how art shapes and is shaped by the evolving urban landscapes of Arab cities.

Submission guidelines
Please submit abstracts of up to 300 words for consideration. Include 5 keywords for your topic at the beginning of the abstract. Also include a brief biographical note.

We have a limited number of presentation spots for this conference, so presentations are expected to be limited to 10 minutes and will need to be in person at the conference.

For questions, contact camoc.secretary@gmail.com

Call for Paper

Education(s) in Science and Natural History Museums: Potential Orientations and Impact for Audiences from Early Childhood to Young Adults

Science museums can exhibit quite different collections in quite different ways. They can also adopt quite various modes of interpretation and mediation. Concentrating on youth, from early childhood to young adults, the session will tend to foster discussion between attendees around diverse case studies and reflexions interrogating the specificities of sciences in museum education.

An Introduction to the (CIDOC-CRM)

This workshop will introduce participants to the CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model (CRM), a semantic data standard developed and maintained under the aegis of the ICOM Documentation committee. This semantic data model (also known as a formal ontology) allows for the re-expression and integration of complex cultural heritage datasets across data silos enabling the use of information resources beyond traditional database boundaries. Museum and Cultural Heritage professionals as well as Information Specialists working in the field who are interested in the possibility of using their data together with other departments and institutions, and in learning about the potential of the semantic web to aid them in their research and dissemination of their knowledge in a global semantic web of knowledge, will find this workshop of interest. No prior knowledge of CIDOC CRM, semantic data methods, or any particular technical skills are presupposed. Participants who work closely with generating and/or managing cultural heritage data either from the content or management side and are eager to do more with their data will likely find the most benefit from this workshop. Participants attending the workshop can expect to learn what formal ontologies and semantics are, what the practical benefits of this data management practice are, how the CIDOC CRM works as a high-level standard for integrating data in the museum and cultural heritage sectors as well as learning the basic structure of CIDOC CRM itself and how it can be applied. The workshop will have hands-on activities, bringing a laptop is suggested.

The Landscape of Memory and Resistance Through Music and Performance

Music, while often thought of as intangible heritage, is also reflected in the material culture found in many types of museum collections. The ubiquity of music in cultural life, the myriad ways in which it delights and moves people, and its rich scope for cultural significance at many levels, make music and its tangible heritage important fields of inquiry and collaborative research. Musical instruments may be viewed at the heart of such investigations, yet when placed within historical and contemporary contexts, musical practices may be intertwined with other artefacts which also embody and express cultural identity, social, political, and spiritual ideas and values. Best practices in museum work allow for new ways for society to see, hear, access and engage with tangible and intangible heritage, and learn about the histories, artistry, craft, and techniques. The importance and fragility of such work is directly impacted by current wars and conflicts, suppressing and destroying material and immaterial cultural heritage.

Ancient Civilisations and the Contemporary Academy

We will investigate the changing understanding of the materiality of ancient civilisations, particularly ancient Egypt, through the contemporary academy and other forms of cultural production and consumption. By ‘contemporary academy’ we understand a modern organisation that does research, either a museum or a university. We want to discuss how new technologies are transforming the generation and transmission of knowledge and how a new wave of emerging scholarship requires a sound contemporary and ethical framework for both knowledge generation and dissemination.

Call for Papers

We call for presentations on the changing nature of our understanding of and engagement with the materiality of ancient Egypt (and other ancient civilisations) and how this is manifest in both university museums and public museums. Some possible topics can include:
Is the nature of Egyptology teaching and research in our university sector changing? If so, what are the drivers and what are the emerging new paradigms?
How has technology changed research and public engagement with the materiality of ancient history? Does this fundamentally change the reception history in our academies and our public museums?
We aim at papers being 10 min. and 5 min. discussion. More details will follow.

Call for Paper

Adornment and Identity

This COSTUME and DESIGN (formerly ICDAD) joint session invites papers exploring adornment as an expression of personal, social, and cultural identity across diverse societies through textiles, jewelry, fashion or other mediums. How does bodily adornment not only beautify but also communicate belonging, status, beliefs, or heritage? How do practices of adornment define individual and collective identities? In what ways do these practices adapt or persist amid the shifting dynamics of globalization and cultural exchange? Preference will be given to papers that also relate to “intangible heritage,” “youth power,” or “new technologies”. How are traditional artistic techniques of adornment preserved as intangible heritage that connects communities to their past? How does the creativity and energy of younger generations reinterpret and reinvigorate historic traditions to reflect evolving identities? What innovative roles do emerging technologies play in documenting, preserving, and reimagining adornment to engage diverse audiences in museums today?

Call for Papers

Adornment and Identity

This COSTUME and DESIGN (formerly ICDAD) joint session invites papers exploring adornment as an expression of personal, social, and cultural identity across diverse societies through textiles, jewelry, fashion or other mediums. How does bodily adornment not only beautify but also communicate belonging, status, beliefs, or heritage? How do practices of adornment define individual and collective identities? In what ways do these practices adapt or persist amid the shifting dynamics of globalization and cultural exchange?

Preference will be given to papers that also relate to “intangible heritage,” “youth power,” or “new technologies”—the three subthemes of the ICOM Dubai 2025. How are traditional artistic techniques of adornment preserved as intangible heritage that connects communities to their past? How does the creativity and energy of younger generations reinterpret and reinvigorate historic traditions to reflect evolving identities? What innovative roles do emerging technologies play in documenting, preserving, and reimagining adornment to engage diverse audiences in museums today?

Abstracts of 300 words, along with a brief author biography (300 words), should be submitted by June 15, 2025. Papers should be limited to 10-15 minutes.

Call for Paper

Community-Led Training: Establishing a Foundation for Heritage Conservation in Africa (2024) an (ICOM) Solidarity Project

This session will highlight the remarkable results of the ICOM Solidarity Project: Community-Led Training—Establishing a Foundation for Heritage Conservation in Africa. The session will showcase key aspects of the project’s outcomes and continue the conversation on the importance of community-led conservation efforts.

Project Partners:
ICOM-CC, ICOM Africa (Regional Alliance), ICOM Costume, ICOM-CIDOC, ICOM-France, ICOM-France, ICOM-Spain, ICOM-Spain, ICOM-Spain, ICOM-ICR, ICOM-DEMHIST, ICOM-South Africa, ICOM-Namibia, ICOM-DRMC.

Supported by:
APOYOnline, Erfgoedacademie, Amersfoort, NL, National Museum of Lesotho, Stichting ICOM-CC FUND, University of Pretoria, South Africa, Zambia, Moto Moto Museum, Zimbabwe, ICOM-Kenya, ICOM-Uganda, ICOM-Burkino Faso, ICOM-Zambia, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Nigeria, ICOM-Egypt, ICOM-Cameroon, ICOM-ICDAD.

Current Topics In Disaster Planning, Response and Recovery: Case Studies and Possible Collaborations

Museums face risks to staff, collections, and sites from disaster events—including natural events and political instability and conflict. The experience of museum professionals in planning for and addressing disasters helps inform the museum field about strategies to help safeguard lives, collections, and sites. DRMC would like to share the knowledge and expertise of its members, case studies of good work done ahead of a disaster, responses to and recoveries from a disaster, including examples of strategies that succeeded and failed. By presenting these case studies, ICOM DRMC aims to strengthen expertise within ICOM on disaster risk management and encouraging professional networking around this important global topic

Call for Papers

Case Studies: Some suggested topics

Planning for Disasters: Developing emergency plans, risk management, prioritizing collections and heritage resources, community involvement.
Training for Emergency Responders: Required topics, useful formats, training aids
Distribution of resources in disaster response and the aftermath
Role of leadership in responding to crisis and political conflict
Role of museums in commemorating a disaster and its aftermath

Call for Paper

Architecture and Museum Techniques of Museum Storage

* The Joint session with the newly established Storage International Committee.

Museum storage facilities play a crucial role in the preservation and protection of cultural heritage. This session aims to explore and share best practices on the latest innovations in museum storage design, focusing on the intersection of architecture, preservation, and technical advancements. We encourage papers that address sustainable design practices, adaptive reuse of facilities, climate control solutions, space optimization, and the integration of new technologies in collection management. Through this session, we seek to discuss how thoughtful architectural solutions and innovative techniques can enhance the safety, accessibility, and longevity of museum collections worldwide.

Call for Papers

Abstracts can cover topics listed below, but not only:

Examples of museum architecture and techniques that strengthened the connection between museum storage and the local community, enhancing cultural engagement while safeguarding the longevity of collections.

Visible / Open storages – how does it work when the collection is somehow intangible?
Designing flexibility: innovations in architectural design for museum storage facilities, focusing on enhancing preservation, optimizing space to accommodate evolving storage needs.
Sustainable practices in museum storage architecture, including eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient systems, and advanced climate control for long-term preservation.
The adaptive reuse of existing buildings for museum storage purposes. Balancing heritage conservation with modern storage demands.
New technologies in collection management: examining the role of RFID, AI, and other digital systems in improving accessibility, inventory control, and preservation.
Successful case studies of storage facilities that integrate cutting-edge preservation and security technologies.

The proposal should include the following:

Session title (A, B or C)
Title of the paper
Name(s) of Author(s)
Abstract (do not exceed 300 words / no images nor bibliography)
3-5 Keywords
Short bio (max. 300 words) of the author (for each author, in case of the joint work)
Affiliation
Full address: country, city, phone numbers, e-mail address (of each author in case of the joint proposal)
ICOM membership number, committee (for each author, in case of the joint proposal).

All Abstracts should be sent in English.

Call for Paper

Marketplace of Exhibitions

Discover the latest in exhibition development, hear calls for partners, and explore exciting hosting opportunities from our
global community of content producers. The Marketplace will feature online and in person presentations.

The Exhibitions Marketplace is intended to provide members with the opportunity to network with institutions who may be interested in hiring an exhibition or collaborating in a future exhibition project. We welcome the presentation of all newly developed exhibitions and exhibition ideas currently in development. The format of the Marketplace will be a series of 3-minute pitches on exhibitions for which registered presenters are seeking venues or a partner or multiple partners.

Pitches will be grouped by exhibition type within the 90-minute session. Presenters may have the opportunity to pitch more than one exhibition, however all projects must be kept within the allocated 3-minute time slot for each organisation. The event will be divided by exhibition/project types:
Natural History and Science & Technology (first 40 minutes)
Art and Culture (second 40 minutes)
Contact information for all presenters will be provided.

Call for Papers

Submissions must use the template as described below, this should include
both the information template as outlined and a maximum of 5 additional
slides detailing your project. SLIDES MUST BE IN PDF FORMAT.

TEMPLATE

International Committee for Exhibition Exchange

[TITLE OF EXHIBITION]

Fact Sheet

This exhibition concept is copyright [name of organisation]. It is confidential, and
should not be shared with third parties without the prior written consent of [name of
organisation]

Organiser: [name of gallery, museum, science center, organization]
Objects: [number of works/artefacts/objects]
Space Requirements: [in sq. ft. and sq. meters; in one building or more]
Participation Fee: [If applicable. Itemise what is included in the fee, stating an actual fee is optional]

Shared Costs: [approx. costs and with how many institutions]
Schedule: [dates for each venue]
Publication: [short description if applicable]
Contact/s: [name of contact in organisation, address, e-mail; telephone]
Description of Exhibition: [1 slide]
Selected Images : [4 slides, maximum 8 images]
Date: [fact sheet creation]

Call for Paper

War Childhood Museum: Video Games and Museum Collections

This session is solely devoted to the New Technologies theme of ICOM Dubai and will investigate the collaboration between museum professionals and game developers that can lead to innovative approaches to education, engagement, and cultural preservation. The relationship between video games and museum collections is a dynamic and evolving field with the potential to enrich both the cultural and gaming landscapes. By carefully considering the ethical implications and harnessing the creative possibilities, this intersection can offer valuable and engaging experiences for diverse audiences.

This session will explore the ethical dilemmas of translating a sensitive museum collection into a video game, focusing on We Grew Up in War, a game currently in development by the War Childhood Museum (WCM). It will highlight the role of co-creation with the community and contributors to the collection, and discuss the challenges of adapting deeply personal experiences of childhood affected by war into an interactive format. Participants will also have the opportunity to test a demo version of the game.

Session Hosts and Presenters:
Jasminko Halilovic (Founder and Director General of the WCM) and Amina Krvavac (Country Director, Bosnia and Herzegovina of WCM)

Collecting in Times of Big Divides

This dialogue session, organised by ICOM COMCOL, ICOM Germany and ICOM Austria, will explore the role of museum collections and the act of collecting in the context of increasing societal division. In light of ICOM’s museum definition — enhancing diversity, inclusivity, and community participation — the conversation will examine collecting practices in times of urgent challenges, including climate change, armed conflicts, social unrest, and the erosion of democratic structures.
We will consider the complex realities faced by museum professionals working with collections today, from practical and ethical challenges to institutional responsibilities. This includes addressing the importance of transparency and accountability in collecting and curatorial decisions. The current times also put pressure on us as professionals personally, navigating division and uncertainty. How to care for the task and for ourselves? What issues are museum professionals facing worldwide, and what strategies and solutions are or can be developed to address them?
Key themes: the challenges and potential of temporary collecting, the role of community collaboration, and the use of collections to foster dialogue, understanding, and social cohesion in divided contexts. It will also address the risks of instrumentalisation of collections. Attention will be given to the diversity of museum types and contexts, recognising that challenges and responses vary widely.

The Future of History and Archaeology Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities

In this forward-thinking session, experts and practitioners in the fields of history and archaeology will convene to explore the evolving landscape of museums in the face of rapid societal changes. The session will delve into four critical areas that are shaping the future of these institutions:

Climate Resilience: Participants will discuss strategies to mitigate environmental threats to archaeological collections and sites, ensuring the preservation of our cultural heritage in the face of climate change.

Museums as Social Infrastructure: The role of museums in addressing contemporary issues such as migration, displacement, and urbanization will be examined. This includes the development of heritage programs that foster community cohesion and resilience.

Sustainable Funding Models: The session will explore innovative funding approaches, including public-private partnerships, crowdfunding, and ethical sponsorship, to ensure the financial sustainability of museums.

Digital Transformation: The integration of digital technologies in museum practices will be highlighted, with a focus on hybrid exhibitions, the use of blockchain for provenance tracking, and the creation of virtual collections.

This session aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities facing history and archaeology museums, and to inspire collaborative solutions that will ensure their relevance and resilience in the years to come.

Call for Papers

In this forward-thinking session, experts and practitioners in the fields of history and archaeology will convene to explore the evolving landscape of museums in the face of rapid societal changes. The session will delve into four critical areas that are shaping the future of these institutions:

Climate Resilience: Participants will discuss strategies to mitigate environmental threats to archaeological collections and sites, ensuring the preservation of our cultural heritage in the face of climate change.

Museums as Social Infrastructure: The role of museums in addressing contemporary issues such as migration, displacement, and urbanization will be examined. This includes the development of heritage programs that foster community cohesion and resilience.

Sustainable Funding Models: The session will explore innovative funding approaches, including public-private partnerships, crowdfunding, and ethical sponsorship, to ensure the financial sustainability of museums.

Digital Transformation: The integration of digital technologies in museum practices will be highlighted, with a focus on hybrid exhibitions, the use of blockchain for provenance tracking, and the creation of virtual collections.

This session aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities facing history and archaeology museums, and to inspire collaborative solutions that will ensure their relevance and resilience in the years to come.

Themes:

Climate Resilience: Mitigating environmental threats to archaeological collections and sites.
Museums as Social Infrastructure: Addressing migration, displacement, and urbanization through heritage programs.
Sustainable Funding Models: Public-private partnerships, crowdfunding, and ethical sponsorship.
Digital Transformation: Hybrid exhibitions, blockchain for provenance tracking, and virtual collections.

Call for Paper

An Ongoing Dialogue in Shared Custodianship and Collaborative Museological Practices

In this session, we would like to focus on the practice of regional and community-based museums that have been created, owned, and managed by Indigenous groups, local organizations and the civil society. We invite participants to share how the museum institution is reinventing its ethos through the creation of small and medium scale institutions, particularly located in Oceania, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa. This session explores the way collaborative practices strengthen alternative ways of being and doing, communities’ identities and capacity for self-determination. We are interested in a dialogue around how shared custodianship and shared authority can be a means to defend identities and people’s existence.

Imagining the Next Generation of Museum Professionals: Bridging Gaps, Breaking Barriers

Part 2 of this joint symposium, collaboratively organised by ICOFOM, ICTOP, and COMCOL, is entitled Imagining the Next Generation of Museum Professionals: Bridging Gaps, Breaking Barriers. Hosted by ICOFOM and ICTOP, this session forms part of a three-part symposium that brings together diverse perspectives on shaping the future of museum work.

The session will critically explore current global practices in museum studies education and professional training, examining how theory and practice align in today’s museum sector while addressing both ethical and practical challenges. Through a series of presentations and discussions, the symposium will engage with five central themes: Museum Studies and the Curriculum; Museology; Diversifying Programmes and Practices; Collecting as an Act of Care; and Building Sector Capacity.

We aim to foster robust dialogue among scholars, practitioners, educators, and students, addressing global and community-specific needs, diversity, decolonial methodologies, participatory collecting practices, and sustainable capacity building.

Outsourcing and Freelancing

While outsourcing has been present in museums for decades in areas such as security, catering, design, etc., and outside experts provide vital services to museums by offering their knowledge, skills, and commitment in a wide variety of areas, the growth and type of outsourcing have raised concerns among museum professionals. This is especially true when the type of outsourcing significantly influences the leadership of a museum, its daily management, its resource development, and its impact on employees. A recent survey dealing with outsourcing in museums will be presented as a stimulus to generating discussion about how ICOM, as a global museum network, should explore to which this trend influences the sector and how future developments can be foreseen and managed.

Moderator: Cristina Vannini
Panel: Emilie Girard (ICOM France), Blaise Kilian (ICOMON)

Call for Papers

“Ethical Outsourcing: Freelancing and Leadership”
We expect flash papers @ 7 minutes on outsourcing and freelancing in order to present what challenges they create for museums. We seek papers illustrating how museums balance employed staff and contracted workers outside their institutions in an ethical way. Additionally, we welcome papers addressing one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in relation to the themes addressed and the implementation of policies within the museum’s organization.
Papers will be asked to address (a) examples of problematic external outsourcing- what issues they raised and what impacts they had in the short and long-term (b) examples of successfully managing outsourcing to achieve desired results (c) guidance for choosing which type of projects are better outsourced and which are best to keep in-house.

Proposals should include the following information in English/French:

International Committee and the number of ICOM membership
Institution of employment and role in the institution
Session and topic for which the presentation is submitted
Title of submitted paper presentation
Abstract (200 words minimum – 300 words maximum)
Keywords (5)
Name(s) of Author(s)
Contacts with obligatory email address
Support equipment required
Marking whether the presentation is planned to be on-site
All submissions must include a 100‐word bio with a photograph of each presenter.

Call for Paper

New Technologies—From Artificial Intelligence to Ethical Dilemmas

As digital communications, AI (artificial intelligence), AR (augmented reality), and VR (virtual reality) rapidly evolve, they have enormous impact on how museums communicate and engage audiences, even as their societal and cultural impacts remain uncertain. How can museums creatively, effectively, and continually embrace, manage, and evaluate their use of new technologies for more effective communications, audience engagement, and fundraising?
Through presentations and interactive discussions, ICOM COMMS (former MPR) will address topics of interest to museum communicators, marketers, fundraisers, and community engagement specialists, including emerging technologies; harnessing AI, AR, and VR to transform accessibility and inclusion; personalization and shifts in audience expectations; digital-first public relations and marketing strategies; reputation management; identifying and responding to misinformation and fake content; technology-enhanced fundraising; and cost-benefit analysis.

Call for Papers

ICOM COMMS (former MPR) submissions should primarily address one of the three major following topics – #1, #2, #3:

1) Emerging Tech in Museum Communications

AI-powered personalization in visitor communications
Tech experiences as marketing tools
Using data analytics to refine community outreach
Detecting and responding to misinformation and fake content, particularly in social media

Key Discussion Points may include harnessing AI, VR, and/or AR to transform accessibility and inclusion; digital concierge for pre-visit stimulation and post-visit engagement; personalized storytelling; shifts in expectation as people grow accustomed to hyper personalization; developing skills and strategies to identify and respond to misinformation (false or misleading information) and fake content online.

2) Digital-First PR Strategies

Automating routine tasks (writing press releases, analyzing media coverage, crafting social media posts), allowing time to focus on more strategic activities
Personalizing and tailoring media pitches; responding to media inquiries
Building influencer relationships in special interest groups and micro communities
Developing and evaluating effective digital marketing campaigns that drive physical attendance

Key Discussion Points may include assessing and acquiring digital tools; building a healthy ecosystem of relationships in special interest groups and micro communities; reputation management in an age of continued decentralization and micro channel communication; and managing online reputation in an age of instant feedback.

3) Technology-Enhanced Fundraising

AI tools for sustainable museum funding
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) optimization for donor relationship management
Virtual galas and hybrid fundraising events
Virtual memberships for global audiences

Key Discussion Points may include practical implementation of digital fundraising tools, cost-benefit analysis of technology investments, data security and ethical considerations, and hybrid event production strategies.

Call for Paper

Regional Museum Branding / The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities

In an increasingly competitive cultural landscape, regional museums must craft strong,
authentic brands to engage local communities and attract wider audiences. This session
explores effective strategies for defining and communicating a compelling brand identity,
balancing heritage with innovation, and leveraging digital tools to enhance visibility.
Museum branding and marketing experts will share case studies, best practices, and
actionable insights to help regional institutions differentiate themselves while staying true
to their mission. Attendees will leave with practical approaches to storytelling, audience
engagement, and partnerships that elevate their museum’s presence and impact.

Call for Papers

Themes:
1. Telling Local Stories: How Regional Identity Shapes Museum Branding
2. From Heritage to Hashtag: Branding Regional Museums in the Digital Age
3. Collaborative Branding: Partnerships Between Museums and Local Communities
4. Crisis, Change, and Rebranding: Adapting Regional Museums to New Realities

Call for Paper

Academic Programme

Academic exchange in the field of interest of ICOMAM (Arms & Military). Topic: The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities

Call for Papers

We invite you to submit a paper for the XIV symposium of ICOMAM (ICOM: Arms & Military) during the 27th General Conference of ICOM in Dubai, 11 – 17 November 2025.
To submit your paper, please send an abstract of your study proposal (maximum 220 words), and a biography (maximum 110 words). Include: name, title, institution, your function.
The submission will be subject of selection. The board selects the submitted proposals.
After the symposium, it will result in a peer-reviewed publication. All papers will be considered for publication. A style guide and publication guidelines for authors will follow afterwards and a deadline will be set up.

Call for Paper

Session C

Session C

13th November 2025, 1.5 hours

Session C

IC(s)

Title

C-1

AVICOM, SUSTAIN

Why We Talk About Sustainable Communities (digital and online) and their Importance in the Cultural Sector

C-2

CAMOC, ICFA

Art and Creativity in Arab Cities: Transformation

C-3

CECA, CIMUSET, NATHIST

Education(s) in Science and Natural History Museums: Potential Orientations and Impact for Audiences from Early Childhood to Young Adults

C-4

CIDOC

An Introduction to the (CIDOC-CRM)

C-5

MUSIC, ICMEMOHRI

The Landscape of Memory and Resistance Through Music and Performance

C-6

CIPEG, UMAC

Ancient Civilisations and the Contemporary Academy

C-7

COSTUME, DESIGN (ICDAD)

Adornment and Identity

C-8

ICOM-CC, DEMHIST, ICR

Community-Led Training: Establishing a Foundation for Heritage Conservation in Africa (2024) an (ICOM) Solidarity Project

C-9

DRMC

Current Topics In Disaster Planning, Response and Recovery: Case Studies and Possible Collaborations

C-10

GLASS

Updated on (GLASS)/ General Assembly

C-11

ICAMT, ICOM Storage

Architecture and Museum Techniques of Museum Storage

C-12

ICEE

Marketplace of Exhibitions

C-13

ICETHICS

War Childhood Museum: Video Games and Museum Collections

C-14

COMCOL

Collecting in Times of Big Divides

C-16

ICMAH

The Future of History and Archaeology Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities

C-17

SOMUS, ICME

An Ongoing Dialogue in Shared Custodianship and Collaborative Museological Practices

C-18

ICMS

Security Management Approaches and Accessibility v Security

C-19

ICOFOM, ICTOP

Imagining the Next Generation of Museum Professionals: Bridging Gaps, Breaking Barriers

C-20

INTERCOM, ICOMON

Outsourcing and Freelancing

C-21

ICOM COMMS

New Technologies—From Artificial Intelligence to Ethical Dilemmas

C-22

ICR

Regional Museum Branding / The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities

C-23

ICOMAM

Academic Programme

Participants will be required to submit the following information:

Call for Papers

Call for Papers

Call for Papers

Call for Papers

Call for Papers

Call for Papers

Call for Papers