Executive Director’s Notes Zinnia Willits

semc executive director’s notes

Dear SEMC:

I want to say a sincere THANK YOU to all who attended this year’s Annual Meeting (in person and virtually) and made SEMC 2021 possible. It was truly wonderful to see so many of you both in-person and on-line.

In my long experience with SEMC, the Annual Meeting leadership, planning teams, attendees and industry partners have always been a hard-working, dedicated, congenial group and it’s no surprise that the best qualities of SEMC were front and center in Chattanooga. The hybrid model was an ambitious undertaking, but with months of planning, collaboration, input, dedication, and SUPPORT from all the attendees, speakers, sponsors, Council, Program Committee, staff, the amazing event team from Hutchinson Design Group and all the dedicated volunteers, we were able to execute the first-ever SEMC hybrid meeting which offered over 60 sessions developed and led by museum professionals from across our region. More than 20 of those sessions were recorded and can now be viewed by SEMC2021 attendees on the PheedLoop conference page! The PheedLoop platform was a new addition for the conference and allowed the 400+ museum professionals who participated in SEMC2021 (both inperson and virtual attendees) to gather, present, and view online and live streamed sessions, post, network and check out offerings from our industry partners in the Virtual Expo Hall. We welcomed 27 different

companies that provide services to museums to

the 2021 Expo Hall at the Convention Center and had booths showcasing the SEMC2021 Publication contest winners, the American Association of State and Local History, the Tennessee Association of Museums and Arkansas Museums Association. Corporate sponsorship was critical during this year of pandemic and uncertainty, and we are thankful for the 16 companies and foundations that contributed sponsor-

ship dollars toward 2021 Annual Meeting events including all receptions and Expo Hall “breaks.”

This was a challenging year to host the SEMC Annual Meeting and I am grateful for the effort the local teams and organizations in Chattanooga put into welcoming SEMC2021 attendees and making the conference a truly memorable event. We were thrilled that SEMC attendees experienced wonderful evening events at many different Chattanooga museums and sites including the Tennessee Aquarium, Hunter Museum of American Art, Bessie Smith Cultural Center, and the Charles H. Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center. Additionally, sites including Ruby Falls, Rock City and Sculpture Fields welcomed SEMC attendees for special excursions both pre and post conference. The images flowing

in of smiling faces, picturesque scenery, and a general feeling of elation at the very notion of being together underscore how much our attendees enjoyed and participated in Chattanooga’s many offerings including a history walking tour, a bike tour of the city, offsite workshops on exhibit review and DEAI planning as well as a special tour of Chattanooga’s Riverfront that addressed the area’s complex history and the use of public art to heal and connect. The SEMC Equity and Inclusion Action Team met at the Convention Center, Zoomed in virtual participants and worked very hard to create this spectacular webpage for SEMC2021 attendees seeking direction for all types of diverse experiences and histories in Chattanooga. The poignant key-

note address by Chattanooga’s very own James

McKissic underscored the importance of open communication, empathy, and active community engagement as we all move into the “what’s next” for arts, culture, and humanity. It was wonderful.

The 2020 Virtual Leadership Institute also held a final workshop in Chattanooga to wrap up their experience and move into the future as a strong cohort. This was also a hybrid event, and it was terrific to have the group, including the instructors and evaluator, together in one room for the first time in a year, even if a few were on screen. Along the same lines, our SEMC Council was also able to meet in this hybrid format and conduct SEMC business; and we accomplished a lot in that 2 and ½ hours!

For the first time since 2019 SEMC was together for an Annual Meeting, and that was what was important. The efforts of so many helped close the circle. I hope you enjoyed your participation and experience with SEMC2021 and that the return on investment in our organization continues! Carla and I are so grateful for the palpable support of the SEMC leadership and all our members.

Onward!

Respectfully, — Zinnia Willits, SEMC Executive Director