Call for Proposals

The BCMA is pleased to invite session proposals for our 2026 Annual Conference in beautiful Nanaimo, BC.

Our Theme: People, Purpose, and the Power of Gathering.

The BCMA 2026 Conference in Nanaimo moves beyond dialogue to collective impact. Centered on our core values of Bravery, Accountability, and Innovation, we celebrate the People who power our sector, reconnect with our shared Purpose to help make sense of the world, and harness the Power of Gathering to spark transformative change. Join us as we turn Kind Words into brave action for a more just and connected future.

Our Objectives:

• Move to Action: Transition from “talking about” to “doing” through brave, accountable steps.
• Deepen Connection: Rebuild the social and professional fabric of our sector through the power of intentional gathering.
• Foster Innovation: Explore new ways of working that prioritize human impact and justice.

What to Expect:

This multi-day conference features inspiring keynote speakers, immersive breakout sessions, site visits within the Nanaimo community, and vibrant evening socials designed to turn strangers into collaborators.

Delegates:

Attendees include staff, volunteers, and Board members from museums, art galleries, Indigenous cultural centers, heritage sites, archives, and related cultural organizations from across British Columbia and beyond.

Why Present?

The BCMA conference celebrates the shared wisdom of our community. Your unique perspectives – whether they come from a small volunteer-run site or a larger institution, whether you’re an emerging professional or established – are vital to our collective growth. Sharing your challenges, successes, and brave failures helps us all move toward a more resilient and purposeful sector. 

Proposals might focus on:

• Bravery & Accountability: How are we moving beyond land acknowledgments and justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion statements into tangible, measurable change?
• The Power of People: Supporting the workforce, mental health in the sector, and nurturing the next generation of museum professionals.
• Purpose-Driven Work: How our institutions help communities make sense of a changing world (climate change, social justice, truth and reconciliation).
• Innovative Gathering: Rethinking the “place” – how we use our spaces to bring people together in ways that matter.
• Kind Words to Brave Action: Case studies of projects that took a risk to prioritize community needs.

More Information

What we’re looking for:

• Diverse Voices: We prioritize presentations that include diverse perspectives, including rural, Indigenous, and emerging professional voices.
• Awareness: You’ll be speaking to a mixed level of expertise, skill sets, budgets, and professions. You don’t need to speak to everyone; in fact, please make your target audience clear.
• Bravery: Don’t be afraid to talk about what didn’t work. We learn the most from our shared challenges.

Key Dates

• Proposals due by: 11:59 p.m., April 15, 2026
• Contributors contacted by: June 1, 2026
• Conference dates: November 3 – 6, 2026