Announcing the Recipients of 2024 VRA Awards!

VRA is proud to announce two important awards presented at the 42nd annual conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota on October 10th, 2024. 

Distinguished Service Award

Each year, VRA honors an individual who has made an outstanding career contribution to the field with the Distinguished Service Award (DSA). The 2024 DSA was proudly presented to Meghan Rubenstein, Colorado College, Curator of Visual Resources & Lecturer. Rubenstein truly deserves the DSA for her exceptional technical expertise, far-reaching service, and ongoing dedication to the field of Visual Resources.

As nominator Lael Ensor-Bennett said in her nomination letter, “Meghan has been instrumental in the governing and care of the VRA for much of the past eight years.” In a similar vein, John Trendler wrote, “Meghan’s passion for visual and digital literacy is evident in everything she does. Whether she’s leading a workshop, giving a presentation, or simply offering advice to a colleague, she’s always looking for ways to make a positive impact.”

Nomination Speech Transcript, Lael Ensor-Bennett

Acceptance Speech Transcript, Meghan Rubenstein

Nancy DeLaurier Award

The Nancy DeLaurier Award (NDL), is named for one of the pioneers of the visual resources profession. It annually honors a visual resources professional for distinguished achievement in the field. “Achievement” may take the form of published work, oral presentation, project management, software development, technology application, website creation, or other outstanding effort. This year, the NDL was awarded to members of the Trans Metadata Collective in recognition of their role in the research and development of “Metadata Best Practices for Trans and Gender Diverse Resources.”

Elias Larralde wrote in support of the nomination, “The resource is a crucial document for many different stakeholders in our field, most importantly the Trans individuals and subjects that are often hidden in collections around the world.” Maureen Burns wrote that, “...tireless work is clearly evident– coordination, research, discussions, writing, development, review, and dissemination– making this project very deserving of the 2024 DeLaurier Award.”

Nomination Speech Transcript, Lesley Chapman

Acceptance Speech Transcript, B. M. Watson

Congratulations to the very deserving 2024 VRA Awards recipients and sincere thanks to their thoughtful nominators!

VRA 2024: Land Acknowledgement

Minneapolis, Minnesota is part of the homeland of the Dakota and Anishinaabe (Ojibwe). Today, Dakota, Ojibwe, and many other Indigenous Americans make their home in the Twin Cities. As the Visual Resources Association visits Minneapolis for our 2024 Annual Conference, we acknowledge and pay respect to the Indigenous people of Minneapolis, past and present.

Cultural heritage work has both a colonial history and present. As such, it is incumbent upon us to lessen the ongoing, harmful impact of settler colonialism. This, however, is not a statement of passivity. As a profession, there are things each of us can do.

What members of VRA can do:

1. Support and uphold ethical stewardship:

1. engage in critical cataloging 

2. pursue equitable partnerships

3. appropriately enhance the visibility of underrepresented artists

4. facilitate the repatriation of stolen collections

5. work to mitigate the climate impact of visual resources work

2. Support the hiring, retention, and promotion of your BIPOC colleagues

3. Join the Equitable Action Committee

Donation Links:

In support of the Minneapolis Native community, the Visual Resources Association has donated $400 to Little Earth toward their campaign for a new passenger van.

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A Message From Little Earth:

Little Earth is a 9.4-acre HUD subsidized housing complex in the industrial urban core of Minneapolis. Founded in 1973 through grassroots activism, it is the only American Indian preference Section 8 rental assistance community in the United States. Home to 1200 residents representing 38 tribal affiliations, Little Earth is a model for self determination for all Native peoples with its work to eliminate systemic barriers in education, health, and career development. Our wraparound support services integrate a range of programs including Adult and Family Empowerment, Youth Empowerment, the Native Youth Culture Program, the Noojimowin Counseling Program, Native Youth Arts Collective, the Native Youth Workforce Development Program, and the Urban Farm.

Thank you for supporting Little Earth in our vision of empowering our residents by creating a culturally strong, supportive, healthy, and unified community. Our work disrupts the cycle of intergenerational trauma and colonization and moves our community towards Native sovereignty. 

New Passenger Van (our current campaign)

All three of Little Earth’s faithful old passenger vans were severely damaged by vandalism, and two are a total loss. These vans are used daily for transporting kids to school, Elders to medical appointments and the pharmacy, families for food shelf runs, and community pets to the veterinarian. Your generous support will help us purchase a new or gently used replacement. 

Donate to Little Earth

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We encourage attendees to join us in materially supporting the Native community in Minneapolis by donating to Little Earth or another local organization:

• All My Relations Arts 

• Minneapolis American Indian Center 

• Native Youth Arts Collective 

• We Are Still Here Minnesota

Resources for Self-Education:

About Minneapolis

• Connect land acknowledgement to action, Native leaders urge

• Where We Stand: The University of Minnesota and Dakhóta Treaty Lands 

• Why Treaties Matter Exhibition 

• Writing Land Acknowledgements, UMN LibGuides 

About Visual Resources Work

• Best Practices in Authority Work Relating to Indigenous Nations in the U.S.

• Collaborators’ Bill of Rights

• Creating subject headings for Indigenous topics : a culturally respectful guide

• Embracing a Complicated Relationship: Indigenous Museum Practices

• Indigenous Knowledge Organization, X̱wi7x̱wa Library

• Local Contexts Labels & Notices

• Recruitment, Retention, and Experiences of Art Library Professionals

• Toward a Decolonial Archival Praxis: Digitizing the Lloyd Best Archive in Trinidad and Tobago 

About Land Acknowledgements

• Beyond the Land Acknowledgement

• A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgment

• Guide to Indigenous Land and Territorial Acknowledgement for Cultural Institutions 

• 'I regret it': Hayden King on writing Ryerson University's territorial acknowledgement

• Native Land

VRA 2024: Local Attractions Guide

As you prepare for a week of learning and networking at this year’s VRA annual conference, don't miss out on the chance to experience some of the best that Minneapolis has to offer.

Looking for fall foliage? Check out Minnesota DNR’s fall color map for historical averages in the state. And if you have some extra time in your schedule, visit the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (30 minutes by rideshare) where you can recreate Prince's iconic fall photoshoots!

Photo © Steve Parke, 1999

Our Conference Experience Planning Group has compiled an interactive map and list of local attractions, all near our home base at the Embassy Suites! Whether you're looking for local eats, shopping, museums, or a quiet spot to relax, this list has you covered.

List compiled by Nadine McAllister, Officer & Conference Experience Liaison, with contributions from Ann McShane and Margaret McKee and the Conference Experience Planning Group.

VRA 2024: One Week Left of Early Bird Registration!

Thinking of joining us at VRA 2024 in Minneapolis? As of August 27th, all rooms are sold out at the former $179/night rate. However, we were able to secure additional upgraded rooms at $209 (+taxes) per night. Be sure to make your reservation by next Friday, September 6, 2024 to secure this rate (subject to availability) and join us October 8-10th, on-site at the Embassy Suites in downtown Minneapolis. Check out the conference website for more information. The program is available on Sched, with full descriptions of each session. Whether you're a first-time attendee or seasoned conference-goer, our 2024 Conference Attendee Guide will answer all of your questions -- it includes info for virtual attendees, transportation, accessibility and more!

Register for the Conference Here!

We also are offering three outstanding tours this year! Conference attendees can take advantage of exclusive tours of two exhibitions at Walker Art Center, Special Collections at Minneapolis Central Library, and the Visual Resources Center at Minneapolis Institute of Art. These all require prior registration, and the Walker has a small fee, so be sure that you’re registered ahead of time. Please note, the tour registration form is separate from conference registration.

Register for Tours Here!

Questions about either registration form? Please contact Membership Services Coordinator Lise Hawkos at join@vraweb.org if you need help to complete your registration.

All are welcome to join us for the keynote address by Kao Kalia Yang, a Hmong American teacher, speaker, and writer. 

In her presentation titled “Between Images and Words,” Kao Kalia Yang will read from and explore how the form of the picture book has expanded meaning within her work. Yang will discuss how the contributions of her illustrators have shifted and deepened her stories, how the conversation between both opens up possibilities for readers of all ages, and what lives in between images and words: the breadth of the emotional landscape. 

The Convocation Keynote is scheduled for October 8th, 2024, at 3:30 p.m. CDT, and will be open to the public via livestream (link to come).

...And So Much More to Look Forward to at VRA 2024!

The programming at VRA 2024 offers many opportunities to connect with peers in the field, explore new topics, and get involved with VRA! Join our Community Happy Hour to meet your fellow conference-goers, learn from the poster presenters, and peruse the array of wonderful raffle prizes sponsored by vrcHost.

Drop into one of the Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and Committee meetings, with gatherings focusing on IIIF, the Color Film Emergency Project, Digital Humanities, the Education Committee, Intellectual Property Rights Committee, and more! 

In our Breakout Sessions, learn about ITHAKA's Open Community Collections Initiative from experts in the field and get an exclusive preview of Specto, a new digital collections platform from Ex Libris, part of Clarivate.

VRA 2024: One Month left to get Early Bird Registration!

The Visual Resources Association (VRA) 2024 Conference Registration is open! Be sure to make your reservation by September 6, 2024 to secure the reduced Early Bird registration rate (subject to availability) of $179 (+taxes) per night, and join us October 8-10th, on-site at the Embassy Suites in downtown Minneapolis. Check out the conference website for more information. The program is available on Sched, with full descriptions of each session. Have any further questions? Check out our 2024 Conference Attendee Guide to get all of your questions answered, whether you're a first-time attendee or seasoned conference-goer -- it includes info for virtual attendees, transportation, accessibility and more.

Register for the Conference Here

We also are offering three outstanding tours this year! Conference attendees can take advantage of exclusive tours of two exhibitions at Walker Art Center, Special Collections at Minneapolis Central Library, and the Visual Resources Center at Minneapolis Institute of Art. These all require prior registration, and the Walker has a small fee, so be sure that you’re registered ahead of time. Please note, the tour registration form is separate from conference registration.

Register for Tours Here

Questions about either registration form? Please contact Membership Services Coordinator Lise Hawkos at join@vraweb.org if you need help to complete your registration.

All in-person conference attendees this year will receive this tote bag featuring a design created by Asahi Nagata, a Japanese freelance illustrator based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. With experience in vintage image restoration and a deep love for 1940s to 1960s commercial art and traditional printing, Asahi's work features vibrant bold color palettes and a retro elegance in texture.

The photographic slide-inspired design is an homage to both our host city of Minneapolis, and how much VRA has grown. What began as an informal group of slide librarians is now an international organization comprised of digital asset managers, librarians, curators, archivists, educators, museum professionals, art historians, copyright specialists, and more.

Annual Conference Mentorship Program

Each year our association has many members who are attending their first or second conference. Even with user-friendly conference programs a newcomer may have questions or need advice. The Annual Conference Mentor Program matches a seasoned conference-attendee (mentor) with such a first-timer. This is a fun and collegial program that has had much success and positive feedback. Both mentors and mentees have found the program greatly enhances their conference experience. If you're interested in signing up to be a Mentor or Mentee for this year's conference, you may request a conference mentor or volunteer as a mentor when you register for the conference, or contact the Membership Committee’s Mentor Coordinator. 

Announcing the VRA 2024 Travel Awards Recipients! ✈

Dear VRA Colleagues,

The VRA Travel Awards Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of Travel Awards for the 2024 VRA conference in Minneapolis, MN. The application pool this year was strong and we are pleased to be able to fund eleven excellent applications.

Lesley Carey – Luraine Tansey/VRA Travel Award

Emma Carter – Luraine Tansey/VRA Travel Award

Daniel Cicholwlas – Garneta E. Taormina Memorial Student Award and New Horizons student award

Jori Dale – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Award

Laura Darlington – New Horizons Award

Nora Davies – Kathe Hicks Albrecht Award and Luraine Tansey/VRA Top-up Award

Otto Luna – Luraine Tansey/VRA Travel Award

Grant Mandarino – Luraine Tansey/VRA Travel Award

April Martin – New Horizons Award

Julia Murphy – Luraine Tansey/VRA Top-up Award

Anna Zook – Luraine Tansey/VRA Travel Award

The Travel Awards committee thanks all of this year’s applicants. Additional thanks go to our generous travel award sponsors and the VRA Executive Board for their support of the Travel Awards Committee.  

Congratulations again to this year’s recipients,

Dr. Jeannine Keefer, 

Chair, Travel Awards Committee

VRA 2024 Attendee Guide

About the Schedule

VRA 2024 is a single-track, hybrid conference. A nice thing about single-track programming is that it eliminates the FOMO (fear of missing out) that can arise during multi-track conferences. It also makes it a bit easier for us to offer hybrid programming — live-streaming takes a large amount of money and labor! 

While VRA is designed to be as hybrid a conference as possible, workshops, tours, meals, and certain meetings are only available in person. 

There are several other opportunities to network, learn, and explore at this year’s conference. Each day includes 15-minute breaks between sessions, an hour and fifteen minutes for lunch, and two coffee breaks. Events like our Welcome Reception, Members Breakfast, and Community Happy Hour are all great ways to make new connections. 

All registrants will also have access to a VRA Slack channel where you can interact and share your thoughts throughout the conference.

We also are offering three outstanding tours this year! Conference attendees can take advantage of exclusive tours of two exhibitions at Walker Art Center, Special Collections at Minneapolis Central Library, and the Visual Resources Center at Minneapolis Institute of Art. These all require prior registration, and the Walker has a small fee, so be sure that you’re registered ahead of time: Register for tours here! Please note, the tour registration form is separate from conference registration.

For Virtual Attendees

We will be live streaming all general sessions and certain events like the Convocation Keynote and Awards Ceremony. Certain events, like workshops and the Welcome Reception and Members Breakfast, will only be offered on-site. 

All registrants will receive a daily morning email from VRA during the conference with Zoom links for each day. The webinars will be live 15 minutes prior to the start of programming, and remote attendees are encouraged to log in a little early so we can assist with troubleshooting as needed. All registrants will also have access to a VRA Slack channel where you can interact and share your thoughts throughout the conference.

For First-Time Attendees

Each year our association welcomes many who are attending their first or second conference. Even with user-friendly conference programming; a newcomer may have questions, need advice, or simply want help meeting new people in a new place. Our Annual Conference Mentor Program is a fun and collegial program. Both mentors and mentees have found the program enhances their conference experience.

You may request a conference mentor or volunteer as a mentor when you register for the conference, or contact the Membership Committee’s Mentor Coordinator.

For Speakers, Moderators, and Volunteers

All speakers, moderators, and volunteers must register for the conference ahead of time. If you are attending the full conference, you are eligible for $50 off full conference registration. If you are only attending the day of your presentation, you may register for a day pass. 

When you register for the full conference as a speaker, you will use the same registration form as all other conference attendees. When you get to the end of the form where it says “How would you like to pay?” please select “Invoice Me” from the list, then click on the “Pay Later” button. Our membership coordinator will add your discount and send you an updated invoice.

All sessions have a moderator. Moderators will be provided with training prior to the session. If you are interested in moderating a session, please reach out to initiatives@vraweb.org.

There are many opportunities to help shape the conference through volunteering. Please reach out to initiatives@vraweb.org if you are interested in lending a hand. 

Thank you everyone who is helping to make this year’s conference a success! 

Getting Around Minneapolis

Minneapolis offers several ways to get from point A to point B, including an award-winning transit system with light rail and buses. The city is also served by taxis, Uber and Lyft, the famous Skyway System, and bike rentals on the streets with dedicated bike lanes all over the city.

For those flying into the city, the METRO Blue Line is a dependable, low-cost light rail system that can get you from the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport straight to the conference hotel. Tickets are sold at ticket machines at the rail stations.

• More on Transportation in Minneapolis

• Minneapolis Light Rail & Bus Information

• An Accessibility Guide to Minneapolis

• Your Guide to the Minneapolis Skyway System

Fund Your Attendance

VRA offers several opportunities to support attendance at our annual conference via Travel Awards. First-time attendees, new members, students, international members, isolated professionals, those from underrepresented and underserved communities, and those actively participating in the conference programming are especially encouraged to apply. Applications for Travel Awards are being accepted through July 8, 2024.

VRA Refund Policy

Planning and arrangements for facilities, catering, and other program elements are based in part on registration numbers. Unanticipated circumstances may occasionally require registrants to cancel their registrations and request a refund. We ask that you do this as a last resort.

Refunds of event registration fees requested by registrants will be made on request through the start of the program; however, an administrative cancellation fee of $50 will be charged. Please note that in most cases refund requests will not be accepted after a program has concluded.

If a conference, workshop, tour, or other program is canceled by the Association, all registration fees will be refunded.

Accessibility

We want to make choices that make VRA 2024 as accessible and welcoming as possible. 

Every session has a moderator who ensures people use the microphone for their questions and presentations. Certain events, like the Keynote, have live captions. General sessions and the Keynote are live-streamed. 

Most importantly, we want to hear from you about what you need! Please reach out to initiatives@vraweb.org to make arrangements for individualized accessibility concerns like dietary restrictions, seating arrangements, and other conference-specific needs. If you need something addressed during the conference, please contact initiatives@vraweb.org, or any member of the VRA Executive Board. 

The conference hotel, Embassy Suites Minneapolis Downtown, has their accessibility features outlined on their website. If you need an accessible room, please let the hotel know that directly when you book your room. 

VRA 2024 Minneapolis Conference Planning Team

• Maria Nuccilli, Sr. Director for Events & Initiatives | Wayne State University

• Molly Schoen, Jr. Director for Events & Initiatives | Fashion Institute of Technology

• Nadine McAllister, Officer & Conference Experience Liaison | Brown University

• Emily Smith, Public Relations & Communications Officer | Oakland Museum of California

• Meghan Rubenstein, Technology Advisor | Colorado College

• Otto Luna, Co-Chair, Education Committee | University of New Hampshire

• Amy McKenna, Co-Chair, Education Committee | Williams College

• Ann McShane, Conference Experience Planning Group | Emory University

• Margaret McKee, Conference Experience Planning Group | The Menil Collection

• Allan Kohl, Conference Experience Planning Group | Minneapolis College of Art and Design

VRA 2024: Announcing Keynote Speaker Kao Kalia Yang!

The VRA Executive Board is pleased to announce the VRA 2024 Conference keynote speaker, Kao Kalia Yang. She is a Hmong American teacher, speaker, and writer. Yang is the award-winning author of the memoirs, The Latehomecomer, The Song Poet, Somewhere in the Unknown World, and Where Rivers Part. She has authored several children's books, including A Map Into the World, The Most Beautiful Thing, and The Shared Room. Yang’s work has been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Book Critics Circle Award, as Notable Books by the American Library Association, and garnered four Minnesota Book Awards. You can learn more about Kao Kalia Yang and her work on her website.

In her presentation, titled “Between Images and Words,” Kao Kalia Yang will read from and explore how the form of the picture book has expanded meaning within her work. Yang will discuss how the contributions of her illustrators have shifted and deepened her stories, how the conversation between both opens up possibilities for readers of all ages, and what lives in between images and words: the breadth of the emotional landscape. 

The Convocation Keynote is scheduled for October 8th, 2024, at 3:30 p.m. CDT, and will be open to the public via Zoom. Register here!

Have you registered for the VRA 2024 Conference yet? Register now to take advantage of reduced Early Bird registration rates, and join us October 8-10th, on-site at the Embassy Suites in downtown Minneapolis or virtually. Check out the conference website for more information. The program is available on Sched, with full descriptions of each session.

Announcing the VRA 2024 Travel Awards! ✈

We are delighted to announce that VRA Travel Awards are available for attendance at the 2024 VRA conference in Minneapolis, October 8-10, 2024! The application submission deadline is July 8 at 11:59 pm EDT​. The list of recipients will be announced on the VRA listserv the week of July 31. Contact our committee at travelawards@vraweb.org with any questions.

A preliminary conference schedule can be found here: https://vra2024.sched.com/. To assist with budgeting, the conference registration fees and hotel rate are available on the conference webpage.

Before you apply, PLEASE READ "Travel Award Rules and Guidelines” for VRA Travel Awards Applicants, and "Types of Travel Awards," both linked here as PDFs.

You do not need to be a member of the VRA to apply for a Travel Award. 

Travel Awards Application

Please also note that award checks are scheduled to be mailed to recipients after the Awards ceremony at the conference and as such, recipients will not have acce​ss to those funds ​ahead of the conference to set against travel expenses. 

Travel Awards are intended to provide partial support for an individual's conference attendance, and typically supplement support from one's employer and/or personal resources​. 

For 2024, we are fortunate to have generous financial support from sponsors and funds provided by the membership including: 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Award. Up to $1,000

Earmarked for applicants from underrepresented and underserved communities, which may include but is not limited to: neurodiversity, persons with (in)visible disabilities, gender identity, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, socioeconomic status, religion, sex, age.

Two New Horizons awards.  $850 to $700 each

Earmarked for applicants in one or more of the following categories:  first-time conferee, solo, part-time, or geographically isolated practitioner.

Tansey awards. $1000-$400 each

These awards are intended for applicants with insufficient (or no) institutional support from their employer or academic program.

Tansey Top-Up awards. $300-$250 each

These awards are intended for applicants who have demonstrated need for only partial support on top of other funding (typically from employers or graduate programs).  

New Horizons Student award. $300

Earmarked for a currently enrolled student.

Garneta E. Taormina Memorial Student Travel award. $300

For full-time graduate students enrolled in an accredited degree program and considering a career in visual resources and/or digital humanities. 

More awards may become available and will be announced on this listserv. Also, stay tuned and watch VRA-L and the VRA website for further details about the conference. Please email (travelawards@vraweb.org) if you have any questions not answered by the documents noted above. 

So don't delay - apply today!

VRA 2024: Call for Posters!

The annual conference of the Visual Resources Association (VRA) is hybrid this year, meeting in person in Minneapolis, MN, as well as virtually from October 8–10, 2024. The Visual Resources Association is a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to furthering research and education in the field of image management within the educational, cultural heritage, and commercial environments.

The VRA Conference Planning Committee welcomes applications for in-person poster presenters at the conference. Unfortunately, at this time there is no virtual option for posters. The poster session will be held Wednesday, October 9, 4:30 p.m. CDT. The conference’s full schedule of events is available at https://vra2024.sched.com

The application deadline is Monday, July 8, 11:59 p.m. PDT 

A poster session presents a topic using visual aids in conjunction with direct interaction with conference attendees. Posters can depict workplace initiatives, research in progress, and other topics of contemporary interest. Presenters will stand with their posters and engage directly with conference attendees. Posters can be displayed in the traditional manner using a physical poster board or by using up to 3 presentation slides. The VRA will not be able to provide laptops for use in the poster sessions.

Suggested topics include:

• Community outreach

• Copyright/intellectual property

• Digital asset management, digital curation, digital preservation, etc.

• Digitization (workflows, digital capture and imaging technologies)

• Digital scholarship and digital humanities

• Diversity, equity, inclusion, cultural competencies, social justice

• Project management (communication, grant writing, prioritization, leadership, etc.)

• Linked data

• Materials/Objects collections

• Metadata/Cataloging ethics (decolonizing vocabularies, radical cataloging)

• Technologies (GIS and mapping, 3D imaging, etc.)

• Tools: open source, evolution, future trends

• Workplace cultures and professional transitions (academic departments, libraries,

cultural heritage institutions, archives, corporate, etc.)

This is not an exhaustive list! All ideas are welcome and will be carefully reviewed.

Poster presenters are responsible for printing their materials and mounting them in the display area at the conference ahead of the scheduled viewing time. If using presentation slides, presenters will need to bring their own laptops. Easels and tables will be provided.

How to submit your poster proposal:

Please fill out the form linked below by Monday, July 8th at 11:59 p.m.

Submit A Poster Proposal Here

The form asks for a 250-word statement describing your poster as well as its title. Applicants will be notified if their proposals have been accepted or not by July 18. If you have any questions regarding the submission process, please contact the VRA Directors for Events and Initiatives at initiatives@vraweb.org.

Registration for VRA 2024 is now open!

The Visual Resources Association (VRA) 2024 Conference Registration is now open! Register now to take advantage of reduced Early Bird registration rates, and join us October 8-10th, on-site at the Embassy Suites in downtown Minneapolis or virtually. Check out the conference website for more information. The program is available on Sched, with full descriptions of each session.

Register for the conference here!

We also are offering three outstanding tours this year! Conference attendees can take advantage of exclusive tours of two exhibitions at Walker Art Center, Special Collections at Minneapolis Central Library, and the Visual Resources Center at Minneapolis Institute of Art. These all require prior registration, and the Walker has a small fee, so be sure that you’re registered ahead of time. Please note, the tour registration form is separate from conference registration.

Register for tours here!

Questions about either registration form? Please contact Membership Services Coordinator Lise Hawkos at join@vraweb.org if you need help to complete your registration.

For Speakers & Volunteers

All speakers must register for the conference ahead of time. If you are attending the full conference, you are eligible for $50 off full conference registration. When you register, you will use the same registration form as all other conference attendees. When you get to the end of the form where it says “How would you like to pay?” please select “Invoice Me” from the list, then click on the “Pay Later” button. Membership Services Coordinator Lise Hawkos will add your discount and send you an updated invoice to complete your payment. Please ignore the first automatically-generated invoice you receive immediately after registering—the VRA Membership Services Coordinator will reach out to you separately with an invoice reflecting your discount.

If you have questions about your eligibility for this discount, please contact initiatives@vraweb.org. Please note, this discount is only applicable for full conference registrations. If you are only attending the day of your presentation, you may register for a day pass.

Ready to book your stay? To reserve a room at the Embassy Suites at the special VRA Conference rate of $179 (+taxes) per night, use the VRA 2024 Annual Conference Booking Link. Be sure to make your reservation by September 6, 2024 to secure this rate (subject to availability).

VRA 2024 Minneapolis Website & Schedule Now Live!

The Visual Resource Association (VRA) 2024 Conference website and schedule is now live! Click here to view the website. The conference will be held October 8–10, 2024, at the Embassy Suites in the heart of downtown Minneapolis, MN. VRA 2024 follows a single-track hybrid conference model, which means no attendee will miss out on any sessions, and makes hybrid programming easier for our volunteers. Registration for the hybrid conference will open on Monday, June 3rd. The Early Bird Registration rate is available until September 6th. 

This year’s programming highlights the diverse expertise of the VRA community — including sessions on digital preservation, accessibility, digital humanities, primary source literacy, culturally-responsive collection building, and a workshop on digital mapping — as well as the rich cultural offerings of Minneapolis. Click here to view the program on Sched.

We will be live streaming all general sessions and certain events like the Opening Keynote and Awards & Recognition Lunch for those who register to attend virtually. The workshop, tours, meals, and certain meetings are only available in person.

There are also several other opportunities to network, learn, and explore at this year’s conference. Each day includes 15-minute breaks between sessions, an hour and fifteen minutes for lunch, and two coffee breaks. Events like our Welcome Reception, Members Breakfast, and Community Happy Hour are all great ways to make new connections. 

We also are offering three outstanding tours this year — these all require prior registration, and some may have a cost, so be sure that you’re registered ahead of time. All tours are listed on Sched, and registration for tours will open at the same time as conference registration.

This year’s conference art was created by Asahi Nagata, a Japanese freelance illustrator based in Minneapolis. The photographic slide-inspired design will be featured on the conference tote bag given to all attendees, and is an homage to both our host city, and how much VRA has grown in the past 40+ years.

Ready to book your stay? To reserve a room at the Embassy Suites at the special VRA Conference rate of $179 (+taxes) per night, use the VRA 2024 Annual Conference Booking Link. Be sure to make your reservation by September 6, 2024 to secure this rate (subject to availability). Located in the historic Plymouth Building and directly connected to the Minneapolis Skyway System, this all-suite hotel features modern amenities alongside historic architecture. Guests enjoy a free made-to-order breakfast, free evening reception, fitness center, and heated indoor pool.

Prefer to attend remotely? You will be able to indicate that you plan to attend remotely at the time of registration. Registration rates are the same for both virtual and on-site attendees.

Interested in attending but need support in order to join us? Look out for the Travel Awards call for applications in a few weeks! 

VRA 2024 Minneapolis Call for Volunteers

VRA 2024 will be held October 8–10, 2024, at the Embassy Suites in downtown Minneapolis, MN. The VRA Executive Board needs your help to make our conference a success! 

We have opportunities for both planning and on-site work, and will tailor your responsibilities to the amount of time you can commit to the planning efforts. Please note, volunteers are eligible to receive the speaker discount when registering for the conference.

If you are interested, please complete this form by May 2, 2024. 

We are seeking volunteers to help in the following areas:

Conference Experience Planning Group

• Organizing tours, dine arounds, meetups and more

• Identifying potential keynote speakers and local collaborators 

• Compiling local resources for attendees

• Adding local flair to the conference as a whole  

On-Site/Hybrid Volunteers

• Registration Desk 

• Session Moderators + Coordinators

• Supporting VRA Tech Advisor during on-site sessions

• Monitoring Zoom during hybrid sessions

If you are thinking about getting more involved in VRA, this is a great opportunity to test the waters without a long commitment. We welcome both new and longtime members in this process: the more volunteers we have, the better and more diverse the conference will be!

Sign up to volunteer for VRA 2024 Minneapolis!

Please reach out to initiatives@vraweb.org with any questions. 

VRA 2024 Call for Proposals

The VRA Executive Board is soliciting content proposals for the 2024 VRA Conference to be held from October 8–10, 2024, at the Embassy Suites in downtown Minneapolis, MN.

The VRA Executive Board reminds everyone that the strength of our content depends on the willingness of our members and other professionals to submit proposals. We want to encourage all members and other potential attendees to reflect on their own work experiences and ideas and consider those as the potential basis for a paper or workshop that can help others in the field of digital object management.

Past conference schedules can give you an idea of the range of topics presented in previous years; for further inspiration you may also wish to read through a list of suggested topics compiled from post-conference survey responses. 

Click here to access the conference proposal form.

Suggested topics:

• Coding (PHP, Python, SQL, etc.)

• Community outreach

• Copyright/Intellectual property

• Digital asset management, digital curation, digital preservation, etc.

• Digitization (workflows, digital capture and imaging technologies)

• Digital scholarship and digital humanities

• Diversity, equity, inclusion, cultural competencies, social justice

• Project management (communication, grant writing, prioritization, leadership, etc.)

• Linked data

• Materials/Objects collections

• Metadata/Cataloging ethics (decolonizing vocabularies, radical cataloging)

• Storytelling and oral history

• Technologies (GIS and mapping, 3D imaging, etc.)

• Tools: open source, evolution, future trends

• Workplace cultures and professional transitions (academic departments, libraries, cultural heritage institutions, archives, corporate, etc.)

This is not meant to be an exhaustive list. Do not hesitate to propose something new or highlight an area of concern that you feel has not been adequately addressed in the past. Moderators may put out calls for presenters within a proposed topic before or after the submission of a proposal. The VRA Executive Board will be looking for articulate and concise submissions with lists of presenters, but submissions without presenter lists are encouraged as well.

Content may take the form of papers, sessions, special interest/user groups, workshops, posters sessions, and committee meetings. All proposals are welcome, and if you have other conference ideas or suggestions that do not fit the conference proposal form, please reach out to the Directors for Events and Initiatives, Maria Nuccilli and Brian Shelburne.

• A paper is an individual idea submission, which will be reviewed for possible grouping into a session. Your ideas, whether they come to us independently or as part of a group, are equally valued in the Board’s proposal and selection process.

• A session is a 60-minute moderated panel consisting of no more than 3 presenters speaking for 15 to 18 minutes each, followed by a brief facilitated question and answer period. If you feel your session topic requires additional time, consider dividing it into two sessions, consisting of a Part I and a Part II.

• A special interest/user group is a 60-minute informal, community-driven, facilitated group discussion on topics related to a specific segment of the VRA membership.

• A workshop is a 2-, 4-, or 8-hour event to develop skills and experience in the field of visual resources with hands-on activities.

• A poster session presents a topic using visual aids in conjunction with direct interaction with conference attendees. Posters can depict workplace initiatives, research in progress, and other topics of contemporary interest.

The conference format will be hybrid, allowing for the possibility of presenting and/or attending remotely. The proposal form includes a section to specify if you are interested in presenting online or in person.

The Equitable Action Committee (EAC) will be available to assist in providing guidance for annual conference session organizers and all presenters. Accepted organizers and presenters are invited to consult the EAC to incorporate equity and inclusion best practices. Depending on the extent of support requested, the EAC will be able to provide one-on-one consultations to evaluate and discuss specific aspects of organizers’ in-progress plans. Discussions can involve (but are not limited to): assessing inclusivity in panelists and perspectives; identifying gaps in accessibility; addressing concerns about contentious topics; and directing organizers, moderators, and speakers to additional resources. This initiative will help promote VRA’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as create a more welcoming space for civil and critical engagement at the annual conference.

Please contact the Directors for Events and Initiatives, Maria Nuccilli and Brian Shelburne at initiatives@vraweb.org with any questions or concerns.

Again, the proposal deadline is Monday, April 1, 2024.  Click here to access the conference proposal form.