NJAM Virtual Program:
The Inclusion Solution? Welcoming and Belonging Strategies for Small Museums
When: Monday, March 28 2:00 pm-3:00 pm
Where: Virtual Zoom Meeting
EVENT DETAILS:
Description: While all museums must heed the charge to develop inclusive strategies for their internal and external audiences, smaller museums and historic sites are faced with unique challenges due to size and budget. Cecile Shellman will share advice from the field on how to implement welcoming strategies while navigating limited resources, staff, and buy-in.
Bio: Cecile Shellman is a motivational speaker, author, and independent museum consultant whose work focuses on issues relevant to diversity, accessibility, inclusion, and anti-racism in museums.
From 1991 until the late 2010s Ms. Shellman worked in the visual arts sector at various galleries and museums across four states. Her deep knowledge of art interpretation and administration positions her to be an advocate for individuals and communities who have been marginalized and less represented by museums. She continues to work tirelessly in the service of museum practitioners, boards of trustees, and museum service organizations to teach best practices in anti-oppression and Inclusion in the arts.
Past appointments include: Director for Visual Arts and Exhibitions at the August Wilson Center; Program Manager for Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Culturally Responsive Arts Education initiative; Education Coordinator at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston; Director of Education at Heckscher Museum of Art, New York; and Education Curator at the Museum of Church History and Art, Salt Lake City.
She serves on the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh Board of Advisors, Is an advisor to the Sports and Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh, and works as a Senior Diversity Fellow of the American Alliance of Museums’ Facing Change Initiative. Ms. Shellman has headed and contributed to museum teams across the nation to strategize and maximize their DEAI best efforts at every level of leadership and staff engagement.
Her current clients include: Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, The Frick Pittsburgh, The Terra Foundation for American Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, The New York Transit Museum, Discovery Place, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, The Concord Museum, The Farnsworth Art Museum, and the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.
Ms. Shellman holds a BFA in painting from Brigham Young University and CMS from Harvard University. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Spencer, and is a fiercely competitive Scrabble player.
After registering, you will receive a Confirmation Email and under “Additional Information” there will be instructions about how to join the virtual meeting.
We hope you can join us on March 28th!