I’m not quite sure how it happened but somehow it’s April already – and time for the first eNews of 2024! And so first up I’d like you all to stop and appreciate the work of its editor, Victoria Thomas. Editing the AICCM National Newsletter was one of the first roles I had as a (much younger) conservator, so I know what an enormous job it is. (Especially nagging recalcitrant presidents for their reports – some things never change.) I think the eNews is really key to why the Australian conservation profession also feels like a community – for its content (news and views) and its tone (less formal and more chatty). So, thank you Victoria and thank you too to everyone who responds to her calls for contributions – you help keep all of us networked and up to date.
The extended National Council will meet in late May for our annual planning session. We’ll review progress against the 2023–24 AICCM Business Plan, discuss current issues, and map out AICCM projects and governance needs (and their budget implications) for 2024–25. We’ll also discuss how best to redirect the funds set aside for the Executive Officer position, following their resignation earlier this year.
Our priorities for the rest of 2024 are to deliver against AICCM’s Reconciliation Action Plan, to support the recipients of the AICCM 50th anniversary grants (one of the pleasures of 2024 to date has been to meet with them all as they begin work on their projects), to consolidate our governance information and structures, and to support SIGs and state divisions in the delivery of workshops and events.
So far, 2024 has brought further fires and floods to many parts of Australia, so I’d like to remind you all about AICCM’s emergency assistance grants. These small grants support AICCM members to help small cultural organisations respond to disasters. The funds can be used to cover travel costs, time, or to purchase emergency supplies. See
https://aiccm.org.au/disaster/emergency-assistance-grants/ for further details, including eligibility requirements.
You may also come across small museums and other organisations who could benefit from the AICCM Disaster Preparedness calendar, a wonderful resource developed by the AICCM’s disaster preparedness committee. I’d really like to thank the committee for their sustained work in this area. The calendar is free to download from https://aiccm.org.au/disaster/disaster-preparedness-calendar/.
Best wishes to you all and stay safe.
Alice Cannon
President