Who can apply:  

All museums and cultural organizations based in the Southeastern region as defined by SEMC-including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands- are invited to apply for the pre-conference workshop. This workshop is designed to help institutions deepen their engagement with the Southeastern Museums Conference and strengthen regional collaborations. Submissions from SEMC member institutions of a variety of sizes (budget, staff, content, etc.) will be prioritized. We warmly encourage institutions that are not yet SEMC members to also apply. If selected, their participation in the pre-conference workshop can serve as a meaningful step toward future membership.

Team Composition Requirements:

To foster meaningful collaboration and ensure ideas can be carried forward, each applying institution is required to send a team of two individuals. Team members should:

• Be actively involved in community engagement, public programming, or related initiatives at their institution.

• Have the capacity and institutional support to implement workshop ideas within their local context and institution.

Executive Sponsor Statement (Required):

Each successful application must include a brief statement from your executive sponsor (CEO, Executive Director, President, or equivalent). The statement should be no more than one page and must directly address each of the following:

• Affirm their understanding of the workshop’s goals.
• Commit institutional support for staff attendance & full participation in the workshop.
• Empower the team to develop and propose a semiquincentennial public program following the workshop.
• Pre-commit institutional support for any potential semiquincentennial program proposed by their staff should funds be awarded.

Details on Sponsored Support: 

Conference Registration for SEMC 2025 (for both participating individuals)

• If already registered, participant will receive credit for SEMC2026 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. No refunds for 2025 registration will be issued.

Hotel Lodging from October 18–22, 2025, in Montgomery, Alabama

• Lodging will be provided at or near the conference hotel.

Round-Trip Travel

• Transportation funds will be based on the distance traveled to and from Montgomery, AL. Covered expenses include economy airfare, taxi or rideshare to/from the airport and hotel, personal vehicle use, gas reimbursement, and hotel parking for October 18–22, 2025.

Meals

• Each participant will receive meal funds for October 18–22, aligned with the federal per diem rate. This includes the reception on October 18 and lunch on October 19.

Deadline and Notification:

• Completed Applications will be accepted through 5:00 p.m. CST Friday, August 22, 2025.
• Applications will be then reviewed by a Smithsonian committee.
• All applicants will receive final notifications of the outcome via email by 5:00 p.m. CST Friday, August 29, 2025.

For further information, please contact: 

• Zinnia Willits - zwillits@semcdirect.net
• Patty Arteaga - arteagap@si.edu

PROGRAM STRUCTURE

Saturday October 18, 2025: Participants are required to attend the workshop opening reception/dinner (Saturday 10/18); we will use our time together for a workshop orientation and as a meet and greet for the cohort at or near the Renaissance Hotel.

More details forthcoming.

Sunday October 19, 2025: Workshop will run from 8 AM to 4PM Central Time

Breakfast (provided)

Morning Session will focus on:

• Reviewing framework pillars and participant share out their institution's relationship with U.S. semiquincentennial programming.
• Identifying the audience(s) that your institution has a working relationship or wants to begin relationship building.
• Introduction of guest speakers.

Lunch (provided)
 
Afternoon Session will focus on:

• Obstacles and challenges brainstorming with guest speakers.
• Dedicated time to plan out program with team member.
• How to apply for the future funding award.

 
Monday October 20-Tuesday October 21, 2025: RWORP will host open hours throughout the SEMC conference for the cohort to further share ideas and connect to potential collaborators. More details forthcoming. November 2025: Award application opens for semiquincetennial programming. Workshop participants may apply to receive up to $7,500 funding award to implement a program focusing on semiquincetennial programming that touches on the legacies of race and racism.

December – March 2026: Selected applications will receive notifications of their approved programming. Awards will be directly distributed by the Reckoning with Our Racial Past initiative by March.

April – September 2026: Suggested timeline of when the approved program should occur. The project manager will host check-in sessions with each institution to see connections and potential collaboration regional collaborations across participants.

September 1- November 1, 2026: Final report of program is due. 

Application Link (coming soon)