Hi again all,

Thanks to friends in NY, MA, AL, and WV for getting back to me about ways you've changed up your trainings to take advantage of virtual opportunities. We do intensive capacity development work here in Utah and managed that even during covid. But thinking about how to balance pre- and post-pandemic practices has been a trick, so I appreciate the hive mind!

Thanks again and happy almost weekend!

Best, Megan

Megan van Frank | Director, Center for Community Heritage | Utah Humanities

202 W 300 N, Salt Lake City, UT 84103 | www.utahhumanities.org | [log in to unmask]

I am working remotely -- the best way to reach me is via email. Thank you!

From: Museum on Main Street <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Kyle Warmack <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 11:25 AM
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Virtual Capacity Support Models

External Email - Exercise Caution

Enjoy Crossroads, Megan! Our WV tour was from September 2021-July 2022, so our capacity training in winter/spring 2021 was pretty heavily influenced by COVID restrictions.

I used a Google Forms survey to get feedback from all sites on topics they wanted covered most, then set up five training workshops. Three were virtual. Two were held in-person because they were more expansive topics that also required some hands-on activities. The installation workshop was held in-person, and I agree with some of our colleagues that it should definitely be done that way. Many of our site directors later expressed gratitude that they'd had experience assembling the exhibit together before it arrived at their site, which saved them a lot of headaches.

My site directors naturally formed intercommunication channels, so I did not formalize monthly virtual meetings. I can see us pursuing that route with future MoMS tours.

Good luck!

Kyle

P.S. Like Jen in Massachusetts, I'd been to all the sites prior to the tour—an in-person walkthrough of their location with me was actually a requirement during the application process. I'm sure that only works for those of from smaller states.

Kyle Warmack

Program Officer

West Virginia Humanities Council

[log in to unmask]

304.346.8500

1310 Kanawha Blvd E.

Charleston, WV 25301

From: Museum on Main Street <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Laura Anderson <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 12:39 PM
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Virtual Capacity Support Models

External Email - Exercise Caution

Good morning!

Our capacity-building sounds quite similar to that undertaken by Mass Humanities and we first implemented this approach with advice and encouragement from Mississippi Humanities in 2020.

Attached is an agenda for the first virtual meeting held for all sites together, which includes a schedule of meetings/topics to take place throughout the coming year. I visited each location earlier this year as well. And we'll get together in person for a set-up workshop after our year of monthly Zoom meetings.

Note based on experience already this fall: While I don't believe a 2.5-day get together at the beginning of the MoMS cycle is necessary in the age of virtual meetings, I do believe that with our next exhibit I'll do a one-day gathering in person at the beginning, followed by a year of monthly virtual sessions and capped by in-person exhibit set up training.

Hope this helps!

Laura in Alabama

Laura Caldwell Anderson

Director of Partnerships and Outcomes

205.558.3992 | [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]

alabamahumanities.org

From: Museum on Main Street <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Jennifer Atwood <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 8:11 AM
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Virtual Capacity Support Models

External Email - Exercise Caution

Hi Megan,

Mass Humanities did mostly virtual meetings and trainings for Moms: Crossroads leading up to the Installation Workshop, which we did in-person. I am so glad we were able to do that in-person! I can’t imagine trying to do the installation workshop virtually, especially as a first time MoMs program officer.

I’ve attached a list of our trainings and meeting topics. We did meet at least once a month as a group. I had some particular topics I wanted to cover, but I also spoke one-on-one with everyone a few times to learn about topics the sites wanted to cover as a group.

I also met with each site at least once in-person pretty early on so I could see their spaces (Massachusetts is geographically small enough to do this easily).

The response has been very positive with the monthly virtual meetings and with the exhibit now touring the sites still want to check-in with each other virtually once a month to hear how things are going and learn from the sites ahead of them in the tour. They are a great group and its been rewarding watching them bounce ideas off of each other and share their excitement for the program together.

I hope that helps,

Jen Atwood

Program Officer

Mass Humanities

From: Museum on Main Street <[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Megan Van Frank
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 12:32 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Virtual Capacity Support Models

External Email - Exercise Caution

Hi MoMS friends,

As we prepare to launch our Crossroads cohort in Utah, I am looking for models of capacity support that involve in person and virtual pre-exhibition meetings. I have heard rumors from the mothership that some states are doing monthly virtual meetings and I am wondering how you are pairing that with in-person offerings, how you're breaking out content, and what you're doing in those meetings. I do have ideas but hearing from you all always makes this work even better. If you'd be willing to share how you've been managing this, I'd be grateful.

Thanks all!

Best, Megan

Megan van Frank | Director, Center for Community Heritage | Utah Humanities

202 W 300 N, Salt Lake City, UT 84103 | www.utahhumanities.org | [log in to unmask]

I am working remotely -- the best way to reach me is via email. Thank you!