Southeastern Museums Conference

Thank you to all who contributed to SEMC on #GivingTuesday2020

When you contribute to SEMC, your dollars help build a long-term fund that enables us to serve our field and support the museums in our region and those that govern, staff and support them. The postponement of the 2020 Annual Meeting has had significant financial impact on SEMC’s operating budget and will continue to provide challenges to our ability to support the museum sector during the coming months of unprecedented circumstances in which we find ourselves.

All "giving" is appreciated! Here are some ways YOU can continue to support SEMC:

Donate to SEMC. 100% of the contributions we receive will support the work we do for southeast museums.
Purchasing a new, or renewing your existing SEMC MEMBERSHIP
Get involved! By doing so you are recognizing, supporting, and furthering the inspiring work of SEMC's museum community.

DONATE NOW

Thank you for helping the SEMC support Southeast museums!

All donations to SEMC are tax deductible

WHY JOIN?

The Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC) is the major regional networking organization for museums and their staff in the southeastern states.

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Attend educational sessions
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RECIPROCITY PROGRAM!

Find out more about our SERM program and the participating museums

SUPPORT US!

Support SEMC and our programs with a donation to our Endowment or the Legacy Society.

AFFINITY GROUPS

Want to get more involved in a specific community of practice? Check out SEMC's Affinity Groups!

Southeastern Museums Conference

Land Acknowledgement

SEMC acknowledges that our offices in Atlanta, Georgia are headquartered on the traditional land of the Muskogee/Creek and Cherokee Peoples past and present and honor with gratitude the land itself and the people who have stewarded it through the generations. As an organization, we commit to being better caretakers of the lands we inhabit and learning more about the native peoples that traditionally occupied these lands.

BLACK LIVES MATTER

A MESSAGE FROM THE SEMC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

June 3, 2020

Dear SEMC,

Over the past week many of us have been struggling to find words to express our outrage, grief and disbelief. The horrific killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others make it clear that our nation continues to fail many of our fellow Americans as racial violence and systemic injustice against Black people continues. SEMC shares in the outpouring of grief and anger at the senseless loss of lives and stands in solidarity with those around the world appealing for an end to racism, inequality, brutality and fear.

Museums have a mission to tell the stories inherent in their collections. Our SEMC community must work together to amplify and strengthen the work of museums to combat institutional racism, injustice, and violence against people of color. The Southeastern Museums Conference exists to connect museum professionals and support our organizations. SEMC will provide space for our museum community to speak up, share what they are doing to affect change, and stand up as allies. By sharing, we can learn from one another, foster hope, and work together toward meaningful change.

I would like to draw your attention to the work of SEMC’s Equity and Inclusion Action Team and their powerful statement of solidarity. This dynamic, inclusive group provides resources and space for dialogue and

“seeks to break down actual and perceived barriers that inhibit access to our institutions, and guide our museums toward equitable practices for traditionally marginalized people including, but not limited to people of color, LGBTQ+ communities, and differently-abled individuals.”

I encourage you to visit their site, get involved, and add your voice to the conversation.

SEMC Council and staff value inclusivity, honesty and genuine empathy and urge the SEMC community to take action to become better allies in the effort to dismantle systemic racism. SEMC will support this work with upcoming events and resources. We recognize—and are committed to engaging in—the vast amount of work to be done to build true equity.

Respectfully,

Zinnia Willits, SEMC Executive Director

The Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC), a nonprofit membership organization, is an association of museums, museum staff, independent professionals and corporate partners. We focus on the Southeastern United State including: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands.