Affinity Group Resources

What is an affinity group?
An affinity group is a group of colleagues brought together by a common need, goal, or expertise. An affinity group, whether it is organized by region, discipline, or museum type, can be an excellent way to connect with colleagues from other museums and to share information and solutions to everyday challenges. VAM recognizes the importance of this informal networking, and encourages VAM members to participate in affinity groups in their area or discipline.

How to Start an Affinity Group
If you are interested in participating in an affinity group, and you can’t find one that you’re your needs, consider forming a new group. Starting an affinity group through VAM is simple! Just follow the steps below.

1. Contact Jennifer Thomas, Program Director, 804.788.5823 to let her know you are interested in starting a group.
2. VAM will send out an email to all members, and post the announcement on our website about the new group to help you recruit interested colleagues.
3. As you receive responses, you can take it from there, but we'll be around to help.

How VAM Can Help Established Affinity Groups
Once you have a group established, VAM will continue to help! To take advantage of these offerings, contact Jennifer Thomas, program director.

We will post your group in our affinity group section on the website, along with any news or information you want to pass along.
We give you access to meeting space at our annual conference and at the VAM offices, so you have a chance to get together with your group.
We will provide a web-based list serve or bulletin board for your group, so that you can keep in touch with each other.

Regional Groups within Virginia

New in 2009! Eastern Shore Museum Network Launched
With support of the Virginia Foundation for Humanities, there is a new affinity group of museums on the Eastern Shore. The group includes Cape Charles Historical Society Museum, Eastern Shore of Virginia Historical Society-Ker Place, Eastern Shore Railway Museum, Chincoteague Oyster & Maritime Museum, Barrier Islands Center, Tangier Island History Museum and Interpretive Cultural Center, and the Eastern Shore Public Library. The members will be working together to share knowledge, experience, materials, and to solve common problems.

Fredericksburg Museums Council
Contact: David Berreth, Director, Belmont, The Gari Melcher’s Memorial Gallery
540.654.1015

Lynchburg Area Museum Professionals group (LAMP)
Contact: Ted Delaney, Old City Cemetery Museum & Arboretum
434.847.1465

Loudoun Heritage Consortium
Contact: Tracy Gillespie, Director of Curatorial Operations, Morven Park
703.777.6034

Museums on the Boulevard (Richmond)
Contact: Frank Robinson, Executive Director, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
804.262.9887

Museums of the Northern Neck
Contact: Patricia Kelly Long, Executive Director, Northern Neck Tourism Council
804.333.1919

Peninsula Museums Forum
Contact: Anna Holloway, Director of Education, The Mariners’ Museum
757.591.7740

South Hampton Roads Museum Forum
Contact: LeMoine Jones, Education Director, The Old Coast Guard Station
757.422.1587

Virginia Groups Organized by Discipline

New Affinity Group!
The registrars and collection managers in the Richmond, Virginia area have created the Richmond Registrars’ Roundtable (RRR). RRR meets every other month for behind-the-scenes tours of members’ collection storage. The group will discuss problems and offer solutions for issues ranging from collections storage to proper cataloging protocols. Contact: Kim Watson.Museum Stores
Museum Stores of Hampton Roads
Contact: Diane Johnson, Chrysler Museum of Art
757.965.2031

Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Museum Store Association
Contact: Michael Higdon, Hillwood Museum and Gardens
202.243.3932

Curatorial
Curator’s Roundtable
Contact: Eileen Mott, Coordinator, Statewide Exhibitions Program, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
804.204.2682

Development
Virginia Association of Fund-Raising Executives

Virginia Groups Organized by Type of Museum

ACUMG
Contact: Barbara Rothermel, Director of the Daura Gallery , Museum Studies Program,
Study Abroad Coordinator , Lynchburg College
434.544.8343

Arts Councils in Virginia
Arts Council of the Blue Ridge
Arts Council of the Eastern Shore
Arts Council of Fairfax County
Arts Council of Richmond
Arts Council of the Twin Counties
Arts Council of the Valley
Blue Ridge Arts Council
Council of the Arts of Herndon
Highland County Arts Council
Loudoun Arts Council
Piedmont Council of the Arts
Shenandoah Arts Council

Affinity Group News
New Affinity Group Meets!
The registrars and collection managers in the Richmond, Virginia area have created the Richmond Registrars’ Roundtable (RRR). RRR are planning a reception for all registrars and collections managers attending the VAM conference in March. Contact Kim Watson for details or to RSVP.

The Peninsula Museums Forum met in December. Read the meeting minutes.
The Peninsula Museums Forum met in October. Read the meeting minutes.
The Peninsula Museums Forum met in August. Read the meeting minutes.

Eastern Shore Museum Network met on Tangier in August. Details can be found online.

Lynchburg Area Museum Professionals (LAMP) Offers Volunteer Information Fair at the Maier Museum of Art