ReadyWhen Foundations in Event and Emergency Operations

Pre-conference intensive for cultural venue professionals preparing for climate and disaster impacts

Museums, libraries, historic sites, and other cultural venues operate sophisticated systems for managing people, resources, and facilities—capabilities that become critical community assets during disasters. This conference, IFCPP and Majestic Collaborations are partnering to present a tactical bootcamp to earn the ReadyWhen Foundations Certificate in Event and Emergency Operations, which translates in-demand cultural properties expertise—crowd management, logistics under pressure, resource coordination, and safety planning—into frameworks cultural institutions can use to enhance both daily operations and disaster preparedness.

The classroom component of the certification will be taught in a full-day pre-conference on Sunday, April 18. Learn practical strategies for assessing your facility's resilience capacity, coordinating with emergency management partners, and positioning your institution as a community resource during crisis—unlocking new funding streams through disaster planning and emergency readiness grants. Whether you're improving safety protocols for public programs, documenting institutional capacity for funders, or exploring positioning your venue as a community resilience hub, this training builds transferable skills in logistics, accessible design, stakeholder coordination, and adaptive planning.

Come a day early to take part in an Immersive Intensive at French Quarter Festival on Saturday April 17th! Experience operations firsthand through a 3-4 hour guided tour of the festival infrastructure, featuring interviews with professionals and interactive learning activities. See how large-scale event systems function in real-time. This session fulfills the practicum requirement of the ReadyWhen Foundations Certificate in Event and Emergency Operations.

Registration opens in just a couple weeks—stay tuned!

Who should attend: Cultural property and venue staff, city officials and municipal workers, security professionals, event producers and venues, historic property managers, cultural organization directors, operations and facilities staff preparing for disruption.

Part of a broader learning program in New Orleans, April 2026—where 20 years post-Katrina, we're exploring what it means to protect cultural infrastructure in an era of accelerating disasters.

Reposted from ArtSentry

ArtSentry-

Takeaways From Our Latest Webinar: Reinventing Museum Security

Our recent webinar brought together leaders from Montgomery MFA, Argus Cultural Property Consultants, and Art Sentry to share new strategies, real-world results, and innovations shaping the next generation of protection.
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Are You Heist-Proof? 5 Essential Questions to Expose Hidden Security Gaps

Recent high-profile museum thefts have shown that no institution is completely immune to risk. By asking the right questions now, you can uncover hidden vulnerabilities and strengthen your museum’s defenses.
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Reposted from SafeHaven Security

SafeHaven Upcoming Training-

Free Webinar
December 9 | 2:00pm CST

Seasonal Sanity: Protecting Your Mental Health Through the Holidays

The holiday season can be a time of joy, connection, and celebration—but it can also bring stress, loneliness, and emotional challenges. This webinar, led by mental health expert and licensed professional counselor David Lengefeld, provides practical strategies for recognizing and managing mental health concerns during the holidays. Participants will gain insights into coping mechanisms, self-care practices, and ways to support loved ones while maintaining their own well-being.

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Reposted from AAM

AAM 2026 is heading to Philadelphia

The 2026 AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo is in Philly, May 20-23, for four days of transformative learning, meaningful connections, and practical solutions you can bring back home. Find out why your colleagues are calling the AAM Annual Meeting “the best professional development experience of my life."

Super Early Bird Registration Opens Soon.

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Reposted from CISA/DHS

UPCOMING EVENTS-

CISA REGION 8 QUARTERLY THREAT BRIEFING – CISA Region 8 and the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) Region 8 are hosting an Unclassified Quarterly Threat Briefing Webinar. This webinar will review physical, cyber, and foreign threats to critical infrastructure and supply chain security.

Date: December 9, 2025
Time: 10 am MST
Registration Link: CISA Region 8 Quarterly Threat Briefing
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ANNOUNCEMENTS, TOOLS, AND RESOURCES

CISA RELEASES THREE UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS (UAS) SECURITY GUIDANCE PRODUCT – On November 19, 2025, CISA released three new products to help critical infrastructure owners and operators understand and reduce risks from unmanned aircraft systems. Unmanned Aircraft System Detection Technology Guidance for Critical Infrastructure provides critical infrastructure owners and operators with key considerations for how to select and leverage detection technology to increase awareness of UAS activity over a facility or site. Suspicious Unmanned Aircraft System Activity Guidance for Critical Infrastructure Owners and Operators offers criteria for recognizing suspicious UAS activity and recommendations for responding appropriately.  Safe Handling Considerations for Downed Unmanned Aircraft Systems provides information on how to prepare for and respond to downed UAS that may pose a safety or security concern.
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BULLETPROOF DEFENSE: MITIGATING RISKS FROM BULLETPROOF HOSTING PROVIDERS – On November 19, 2025, CISA, in collaboration with U.S. and international partners, released Bulletproof Defense: Mitigating Risks from Bulletproof Hosting Providers, a guide that provides internet service providers (ISPs) and network defenders with an overview of this cybercriminal activity along with key steps, best practices, and resources to protect their customers and their networks.
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MICROSOFT EXCHANGE SERVER SECURITY BEST PRACTICES” ADVISORY – On October 30, 2025, CISA, the National Security Agency (NSA), in collaboration with international cybersecurity partners, released the "Microsoft Exchange Server Security Best Practices" guidance. This blueprint builds upon CISA’s Emergency Directive 25-02: Mitigate Microsoft Exchange Vulnerability.
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JOINT GUIDANCE FOR SECURING OT SYSTEMS – On September 29, 2025, CISA, in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre, and other international partners released new joint cybersecurity guidance: Creating and Maintaining a Definitive View of Your Operational Technology (OT) Architecture.
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CISA STRENGTHENS SHARED RESPONSIBILITY NATIONWIDE WITH DIRECT CYBER SUPPORT TO SLTT PARTNERS – CISA has transitioned to a new model to better equip state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments to strengthen shared responsibility nationwide. CISA is supporting our SLTT partners with access to grant funding, no-cost tools, and cybersecurity expertise to be resilient and lead at the local level. For more information about CISA’s Cybersecurity.
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Reposted from AMM

This year's awards events brought us joy and hope, and they may just be the inspiration you need right now With gratitude for our recipients, we invite you to carve out a little time to hear their stories, learn from their experiences, and gather their advice. Here are some of our takeaways: Leadership is listening first, then taking action.

Chris Morehead has dedicated his energies to finding ways to strategically improve and grow system-level operations, all with great care for the people involved. Learn about Chris’ leadership style, the obstacles he’s navigated in museum operations, and where he seeks inspiration and support at this stage of his career.

Innovation in museums isn’t just about tech — it’s about finding new ways to connect with people. How do you get visitors to understand a century-old piece of technology that you can’t turn on? Meet the team at Naper Settlement who sought to bring their c. 1912 Wood Bros. threshing machine using new technologies.

"Everyday is a choice." You choose how you show up, whose voices you elevate, and how you make space.

Rahim Thompson is the Senior Program Manager at Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center (IHMEC). Learn about his people-centered approach to programming and how he’s fostering an environment where everyone feels seen, respected, and empowered.

Every kid visiting your museum today could grow up to be your greatest advocate.

Sara Jane DeHoff is an advocate, philanthropist, and community leader. She has served on the boards of nearly every major arts and education organization in the Toledo area, including the Toledo Museum of Art (TMA). During a conversation with Adam Levine, the museum’s president and CEO, Sara Jane reflects on her motivation and passion for the arts, and her hopes and dreams for the sector.

Collaboration across institutions allows us to achieve more than we could alone.

Recognizing that their museum was not accessible to low vision and blind audiences without assistance, the State Historical Society of Iowa set out to transform their visitor experience. Hear from the team members who are spearheading this work across the agency, along with their community partners, about their methods and lessons learned.

Social justice in museums is never a finish line. It’s work, it’s community, it’s renewal.

Listen in on a conversation with Dr. Elena Gonzales, who has been devoted to community collaboration and advancing social justice since the start of her career in museums, and learn more about her latest project, Aquí en Chicago.

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Reposted from Tim Richardson

Never Stop Learning: Why Coasting Kills Growth

Yesterday, while working with a client in Utah, I had the pleasure of having four of my professional speaking peers in the audience. I also invited another friend—someone who has a keen interest in speaking. While he’s not a professional speaker, he’s seen many presentations and has done quite a bit of speaking himself. All of them were there by my invitation to hear my keynote and provide feedback to help me improve my presentation. I did the same thing last week for a group of local peers while giving a presentation solely for practice. One of the attendees from last week told me afterward how much he appreciated the fact that, after more than 30 years of speaking professionally, I still seek feedback and regularly look for opportunities to improve my message and delivery. He said it would be easy to coast at this point in my career. But I am not about to coast. I’ll keep seeking opportunities to grow as long as I continue to speak. I can learn from peers—and from speakers much younger than I am—and I’m committed to increasing the frequency of opportunities like these.

If you’re even thinking about coasting, this article is for you. In my view, the longer you’ve been doing something professionally, the more you should think about how to do it better. As we age, we tend to become complacent. We coast. We rest on our laurels. We think that what we’ve already learned will be enough to finish strong. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you’re a veteran salesperson, seek out a relationship with a younger colleague and learn all you can from them. If you work in technology, regularly meet with the 20-somethings in your office to hear their viewpoint on emerging trends. If you’re an executive, consider starting a mastermind or brain trust of young and upcoming leaders in your organization. Learn how they like to be coached, mentored, and led.

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is a myth. Yesterday, I learned a lot from debriefing with my peers. And I know this much: I’ve got a lot more growing to do—and so do you. Never stop learning. Never stop growing. Never stop teaching.

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Reposted from PAR

Dear colleagues,

The Performing Arts Readiness (PAR) project’s latest article, “Enhancing Emergency Readiness in the Performing Arts with Free AI Tools,” offers step-by-step guidance on how performing arts organizations can use free artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and others to begin or refine their emergency planning process.
Despite growing risks, many performing arts organizations have yet to develop formal emergency plans. This article offers accessible ways to begin that process.
Written by Steve Eberhardt, PAR Project Coordinator, the article explains how these tools can help you draft key components of your Risk Assessment, Crisis Communication, and Business Continuity Plans while also addressing privacy and accuracy considerations when using free AI accounts. It includes adaptable example prompts to help you put these ideas into practice right away.
Explore how these accessible technologies can support your organization’s next planning session or preparedness discussion and take the first steps toward a more resilient future. A companion article, to be published later this month, will explore how organizations with access to paid AI accounts can use advanced features for deeper planning.

Your friends at the Performing Arts Readiness project

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Reposted from Tim Richardson

When Frustration Turns to Understanding

Agitated by the lack of expediency. Frustrated by long lines. Annoyed at the inefficiency of the store procedures. Then, the lady in front of me in the grocery line was taking forever to get her items out of the cart. So, to pass the time, I read the ridiculous magazine cover promises and headlines. The one I wanted to see was, “How to Navigate the Incredible Inefficiency of Your Local Grocery Store!” There was no one to help her unload the groceries from a cart overflowing with food, drinks, and household items.

I sighed and muttered under my breath, “This is ridiculous.”
She turned toward me with a sad look. She was young. She had piercing blue eyes.
And for the first time, I really looked at her. Then I noticed her hands – curled from palsy.

From Frustration to Empathy a Change of Heart
My frustration turned to embarrassment. My agitation was replaced by empathy. My annoyance turned into action.

As I began to help her unload her groceries, I woke up. It had all been a dream. But it stayed with me all day. The frustration, agitation, and annoyance I sometimes have is totally real. Acting in that way would have been very natural if this situation had really happened. I write and speak about pausing. Pausing to notice. Pausing to listen. Pausing before responding. And certainly, pausing to understand. The truth is, I am often agitated by things like the slow driver in front of me, the lack of understanding of simple directions, or the inefficiencies of people and businesses I interact with. In Stephen Covey’s acclaimed bestseller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, there’s a principle I often quote: “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Yet once again, I failed to live what I teach. I didn’t stop to consider the other person. That dream reminded me that empathy often hides behind inconvenience. When we pause long enough to see others, our irritation can transform into understanding and our perspective changes everything.

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Reposted from AMM

Council of Regional Museum Associations

Some Good (Museum) News
Holiday Edition

Join Us Live December 9^th, 2025
11am PT/12 pm MT/ 1pm CT/ 2pm ET

Your six regional museum associations are teamed up once again for Some Good (Museum) News - a special holiday edition!

Inspired by John Krasinski's "Some Good News", we have hosted museum-focused broadcasts to spotlight the inspirational and uplifting stories and programs of our nation's arts and culture organizations. During a special holiday season broadcast, we're going to:

shout out the amazing people out there advancing the mission of their museums
get inspired by museum "wins" - big and small
celebrate the opportunities we've had to gather as a community in a year of new obstacles

Tell Us Something Good

Are there people you'd like to thank for their service (volunteers, staff, or community members)? Any wins to celebrate - big or small? How about hopes and dreams for the New Year?

Submit your story along with a photo or video using the online form
We will share your stories during the Some Good (Museum) News - Holiday Edition webcast on December 9 at 2pm Eastern, 1pm Central, Noon Mountain, 11am Pacific.

Want to join us live?
Join us for a moment of wellbeing, happiness, and humor! Register for Some Good (Museum) News - Holiday Edition

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