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Please forgive the cross-posting. 

The CAA conference in Chicago is approaching fast. For those of you fortunate enough to be able to attend this year. Here is some current news to help with your planning, even if you are jumping in late.

 

I'm happy to report that CAA is offering Pay-as-You-Wish registration for one day only, Friday, February 14, thanks to generous support from the Carl and Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation. But, on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, they also offer a variety of onsite registration options including:  

• Single-session timeslot ticket— $20  
• Book & Trade Fair only pass— $20  
• One Day Pass— $100   
• Full conference registration— prices vary depending on your membership tier . 

Also, with your conference badge, you can get into many of Chicago's museums and cultural institutions for free or reduced admission. There is a list of participating institutions here: 

https://www.collegeart.org/programs/conference/conference2020/resources/museums

 

I would like to express my sincerest appreciation to Bridget Madden of the University of Chicago for taking the lead on a VRA Business Meeting turned Forum and a VRA Session since I am unable to attend this year. She is your best contact on the ground in Chicago, but I'm happy to answer any questions that I can from afar. 

 

Both events take place on Wednesday, February 12^th, starting with a VRA Business Meeting scheduled midday (free and open to the public), which we have turned into a discussion forum opening with a presentation entitled "From Archive to Classroom: The Use of Omeka and Companion Tools in the Curation of Digital Stories and Exhibits" involving Matt Taylor, Director of the Media and Design Studio, and Rebecca Zorach, Mary Jane Crowe Professor of Art and Art History, as well as their students from Northwestern University. It will be followed by what will surely be an engaging discussion about online exhibitions and other current trends in the field of visual resources. This takes place on the 3rd floor of the Hilton Chicago in the Williford B room.

 

In the afternoon, a formal session entitled, "Hands-On to Eyes-On: From Material Collections to Digital Exhibitions" will take place at 4 pm on the 3rd floor in the Wilford C room. A distinguished panel of artists, art historians, librarians, museum and information professionals will discuss the hands-on use of materials and museum collections to allow students to apply their knowledge in real-life contexts (full slate below). The presenters will discuss: the use of a materials collection in teaching art history survey courses to studio art and design students; fashion and textile resources transitioning from physical to digital collections for enhanced access; and a two-term curatorial practice course sequenced to design and install a museum exhibition. In all cases, the collections used in teaching are prioritized and sustained, not treated as occasional visits or demonstrations. The role of professional staff supporting these collections and facilitating their use by faculty and students is integral. It will be shown how effective these collaborations can be, including how they can lead to more engaging, active learning experiences in the classroom. 

 

Here is the terrific lineup:

1) "Materials in Context: Experiential Learning in Art History" at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design with Allan T. Kohl, Librarian in charge of Visual Resources and Library Instruction, presenting a collection curator's perspective, partnered with Jessica M. Dandona, Associate Professor of Art History, providing a faculty perspective.

 

2) "Materiality Made Visible" will be presented by Melanie E. Emerson, Dean of the Library + Special Collections, from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

 

3) "Exhibition in Practice" at the Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago, will be presented with Leslie Wilson, Curatorial Fellow for Diversity in the Arts, providing  "A Perspective from the Classroom" and Berit Ness, Assistant Curator of Academic Initiatives, talking about "Execution in the Museum."  

 

Thank you to all of the participants for bringing together some terrific content and sharing their expertise with this important CAA audience. Hope you can get to Chicago to experience these VRA events and more!

 

With best wishes,

Maureen

VRA CAA Affiliate Liaison