Reposted from AMM

AMM 2026 Conference
Chicago,IL

What's with these new idea generation sessions?

For AMM 2026, we are inviting museum professionals and consultants in our network to help us facilitate idea generation sessions and speed-networking style idea gathering sessions.

Why? To help museum people connect around some common challenges and, through that process, walk away with lots of actionable ideas. If you have experience or expertise in any of these areas and/or simply love to lead brainstorming or networking activities, we encourage you to apply! Do you know a thing or two about motivating visitors, members, and social media followers to get more involved? Apply to lead Idea Generation Session: From Follower to Friend!

Have you had success with recruiting and developing volunteers? Apply to lead Idea Generation Session: Volunteer Engagement!

Have you found creative ways to reduce costs for any aspect of museum operations? Apply to lead Idea Gathering/Speed-Sharing: Mission Delivery on a Dime! Do you have experience in development, and making asks of individuals in particular? Apply to lead Idea Gathering/Speed-Sharing: Ambitious Asks That Worked!

Are you interested in or have personal experience with how museums are responding to attempts to censor or defund their work? Apply to lead Idea Gathering/Speed-Sharing: Fight or Flight!

Facilitators will have all the perks of a presenter (i.e. discounted registration rate) and collaborate with AMM on their assigned brainstorming or speed-sharing sessions.

Learn more about all of this year's presentation opportunities, find proposal tips, and review instructions in the Call for Proposals. Submit your idea by January 23.

About the Theme - We Hold These Truths

This year's theme is a nod to America's 250th, of course, but it's also an exploration of the "truths" that we hold steadfast in the work of museums or that we are challenging in order to advance. Proposals with connections to the theme are ideal, but not required. All ideas are welcomed!

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Reposted from Majestic Collaborations

New Skill Development Opportunity Webinar: From Day-to-Day to Disaster: Venues Shaping Local Preparedness

When: December 18, 2025

3:30pm EST

This webinar equips indie venue professionals, operators, and staff with practical tools and knowledge to advance from routine operations to disaster readiness, positioning their venues as leaders in local preparedness efforts. Attendees will discover actionable strategies for empowering teams, activating venues as community hubs, and strengthening readiness for emergencies of all sizes. Explore industry-leading resources—including site-specific assessment tools, funding strategies, and professional development opportunities—while connecting with a network dedicated to building resilient arts communities.

Participants will leave with checklists and a clear roadmap for integrating preparedness and well-being into their venue’s core operations. We will be sharing a condensed toolkit from the forthcoming

ReadyWhen Foundations in Events and Emergency Operations 10 hour Certificate

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The Grave Robber-The Biggest Stolen Artifacts Case in FBI History and the Bureau’s Quest to Set Things Right
by Tim Carpenter

The unbelievable true story of how one man stole tens of thousands of priceless artifacts and human remains from around the world---and the FBI’s massive undertaking to set things right.
The Grave Robber-About the Book

The unbelievable true story of how one man stole tens of thousands of priceless artifacts and human remains from around the world—and the FBI’s massive undertaking to set things right. In The Grave Robber, Tim Carpenter, former FBI Lead Investigator on the Art Crime Team, recounts one of the most extraordinary and unsettling cases in the history of art theft. Over the course of five decades, a lone graverobber accumulated an illicit trove of over 42,000 artifacts from cultures across the globe, including Native American, Haitian, Chinese, and others. The stolen items included nearly 500 ancestral remains, carefully looted from sacred burial sites and cultural heritage locations. Carpenter’s team, driven by an unwavering commitment to justice, embarks on a harrowing journey to track down this elusive criminal and uncover the full scope of the theft. What they find is nothing short of staggering: an illegal collection of immense historical and cultural significance, hidden away in a Midwestern home.

Part true crime narrative, part procedural, The Grave Robber offers a gripping, behind-the-scenes look at the meticulous work involved in tracking down one of the most prolific art thieves in history. Carpenter takes readers inside the FBI’s groundbreaking investigation, detailing the complex challenges of recovering stolen cultural artifacts and the legal and moral dilemmas of repatriating them to their rightful communities. Along the way, the Bureau’s efforts to confront these crimes evolve, as they come to terms with the deep historical wounds caused by such looting—especially the desecration of Native American graves and ancestral sites. With rare access to both the investigation and the impacted communities, Carpenter’s narrative sheds light on the lengths the FBI and tribal representatives go to in their pursuit of justice.

As the case progresses, the narrative expands from a tense pursuit of a criminal to a larger reckoning with history and cultural heritage. The repatriation of these sacred objects and remains to their rightful owners becomes an act of restoration—not just of physical artifacts, but of dignity and respect for the communities whose ancestors were so violently wronged. The story of The Grave Robber is one of redemption and transformation: for the FBI, which redefined its approach to cultural crimes, and for the tribes and cultures who finally see justice done. This riveting account of a stolen past and the quest to make it right reads like a thriller, but it is ultimately a story of healing, responsibility, and the importance of preserving history for future generations.

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Reposted from Performing Arts Readiness

The Performing Arts Readiness (PAR) project’s new article, “Advancing Emergency Planning for the Performing Arts with Low-Cost AI Tools,” offers practical guidance for using affordable AI subscriptions to strengthen emergency planning. Building on our earlier piece about free tools, this article shows how low-cost plans can improve workflows for Risk Assessment, Crisis Communication, and Business Continuity planning, with clear advice on privacy, accuracy, and responsible use. It discusses using features such as Custom Instructions, Projects and team workspaces, and Deep Research. It also provides adaptable prompt examples you can use immediately in planning sessions or tabletop exercises. Written by Steve Eberhardt, PAR Project Coordinator, the article is designed for small and mid-sized organizations that want deeper planning support without enterprise budgets.

As PAR concludes on December 31, we will send details on how to continue accessing recordings of our webinars and the other assets found on our website.

Your friends at the Performing Arts Readiness project,

PAR@Lyrasis.org

www.PerformingArtsReadiness.org

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Reposted from Tim Richardson

Preventing Toxicity: A Leadership Lesson from an Apple Pie Disaster

Starting in the late 1990s, I began making an award-winning El Niño Apple Pie at Thanksgiving. It was a recipe I found in USA Today in October 1998. The first time I made it, I picked the apples from a tree in front of my grandparents’ mountainside home. I made the crust from scratch and topped it with a cranberry oatmeal streusel under the watchful eye of my grandmother.

The Power of a Simple Metaphor

One year, though, I made a toxic apple pie. Let me explain. My cousin had stayed at our family home a few weeks before Thanksgiving and, unbeknownst to me, spilled something in the oven while cooking. To clean it, she used an industrial-strength product – truly heroic in power – but didn’t properly wipe it down or rinse the residue. When I baked my pie, all that cleaner odor was absorbed into my beautiful culinary creation. When my niece tasted it, she immediately dubbed it “the toxic apple pie.” It’s been a running family joke ever since.

Toxicity Doesn’t Start Big—It Starts Unnoticed

Lately, I’ve been thinking about that pie and how easily the whole situation could have been avoided if the toxic cleaner had simply been cleaned up quickly. It’s a lot like toxic relationships. Maybe you’ve had one. Toxic relationships at work rarely appear out of nowhere. They’re usually the result of deeper organizational issues that go unaddressed (just like the unseen mess left in the oven). Some of the most common causes include:

• Poor communication

• Misunderstandings

• Unresolved conflict

• Jealousy among teammates

• Resentment

The effects of toxic relationships can be incredibly harmful to morale. They can lead to turnover, disengagement, quiet quitting, loss of productivity, chronic stress and anxiety, absenteeism, and even challenging behaviors toward customers. In extreme cases, toxicity can escalate into aggression or violence. And toxicity isn’t limited to workplaces. It can split families, damage lifelong friendships, and create deep rifts between siblings. It can lead to arguments, alienation, and even permanent separation or divorce.

Clean Up Early, Clean Up Often The solution, while not always easy, is simple:

Clean up your messes as soon as possible. Just like the oven, relationships require maintenance – before small messes turn into toxic ones. Healthy relationships at work and at home don’t require perfection. They require attention. Address small messes early. Apologize when needed. Forgive when possible. Learn from your mistakes. Do everything you can not to repeat them. And stay committed to keeping your “oven” clean so the people around you can thrive.

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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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