Dear Members, Supporters, and Friends,

It may be a cold December day outside of the MANY office with holiday lights filling the streets of Troy and ice beginning to form on the banks of the Hudson River, but inside we are celebrating new growth bursting through buds on tree branches. With a record number of proposals for conference sessions, more scholarships to award than ever before, and leaders of the field nominated for Awards of Distinction, we are focused on our 2023 annual conference “Finding Center: Access, Inclusion, Participation, and Engagement” that will be held in Syracuse from April 15th to the 18th. Mark your calendars, conference registration opens on January 23!

Syracuse is in the Central Region of our state, and the home of the Onondaga Nation,

the Central Fire of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. It is a walking city filled with marvelous architecture, universities, theaters, boutiques, and great places to eat. People from all over the world have come to call Syracuse home. The arts, culture, and food of the city reflect that diversity. 2023 conference registration rates will remain the same as 2022 and we are doing our best to keep special event prices low to allow as many people as possible to participate. 

World renowned museums in the Central Region and downtown Syracuse will open their doors to conference attendees for tours, programs, and special events. The historic Hotel Syracuse, restored to its 1924 glory, will be our conference headquarters. Syracuse is easily accessible. It is a two-and half hour drive from both Albany and Buffalo, round-trip flights from New York City airports can be found for under $300; we have a Delta Airlines discount code we will share when we open registration. The Syracuse Amtrak station makes train travel a great option. 

We are honored that Omar Eaton-Martinez, the Senior Vice President for Historic Sites at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, will be our keynote speaker. Concurrent session presenters will share their experiences and offer actionable solutions to help New York museum professionals successfully meet the challenges we face and exceed expectations of our funders, supporters, and communities. Sessions with prompts to generate discussions will generate new ideas and shared visions for the future of museums.

I wish you all joyous holidays and a very happy new year and look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in Syracuse in April. 

With thanks,

Erika Sanger