News

Call for Papers: 2025 Education and Outreach Forum

27 Jan 2025

Do you have a compelling story to share about your experiences in developing or delivering museum learning and community engagement projects? Have you led an educational or outreach activity that stands out, or learned valuable lessons you’d like to pass on?

We invite proposals for presentations at this year’s Education and Outreach Forum, presented by the IMA in collaboration with NI Museums Council.

We are seeking dynamic and innovative presentations that align with one or more of the following categories:

  • Museums as Civic Spaces: Share projects or institutional approaches that highlight your museum/organisation’s role as a community hub.
  • Making Exhibitions and Artefacts Accessible: Discuss how you bring exhibitions and artefacts to life for different audiences.
  • Reflecting Community Diversity: Highlight how your work actively reflects and engages with the diversity of your communities.
  • Valuable Lessons or Proud Achievements: Present an educational or outreach activity you’re particularly proud of or share insights gained from a past initiative.

In addition, we welcome ‘project surgery’ proposals. If you’re designing or delivering a project and need fresh ideas, partnerships, or input from the sector, this is your chance to seek feedback and inspiration.


How to Submit Your Proposal

Send your proposal by 17:00 on Monday, 24 February 2025 to Margarita Vásquez Cárdenas at programme@irishmuseums.org.

Preferred submission format: Word Document including the following information for each speaker:

  • Full Name
  • Job Title (if applicable)
  • Institution (if applicable)
  • Style of Presentation (e.g., lecture, conversation, panel, etc.)
  • Proposed Title of Presentation
  • Abstract (max. 200 words)
  • Biography (max. 150 words)
  • Contact Details (email and telephone number)


Important Information:

  • Notification of selection will be within 14 days of the closing date for submissions.
  • Speakers must be available to present in person in Dublin on Friday, 16 May 2025.
  • The forum will be conducted in English.
  • Programme to be announced mid-April 2025.
  • For inspiration, click here to view information about previous IMA forums.


The Forum selection panel includes: Diarmuid Bolger, Catherine Doran, Michael Fryer, Julia Walsh, Gina O’Kelly and Margarita Vásquez Cárdenas


About the Forum

The Ed+O forum is a key event in the calendar for museum practitioners and educators from the wider cultural sector to meet and discuss topics of interest to their learning programmes, with a focus on the impact of museum on our communities. It is intended as an informal and supportive platform for discussion, reflection, and feedback on the recent development of projects. Our aim is to exchange learnings and connect practitioners to provide a place for critical engagement, where a lasting contribution can be made to the development of life-long education in the museum context.

The Ed+O forum is presented by the Irish Museums Association (IMA) in partnership with the NI Museums Council (NIMC).


For further information or if you wish to discuss your proposal, contact:

Margarita Vásquez Cárdenas | Irish Museums Association

Email: programme@irishmuseums.org