Posts Tagged National Main Street Conference
Colleagues Corner: Summer Specializing
Posted by Preservation Maryland in Colleagues Corner on June 12, 2012
You can fit in water time and preservation time this summer.
Even though summer doesn’t technically begin for another week, schools are getting out, beaches are filling up and the air is filled with the aroma of grilling. When I think of summer, I think of taking time to do something that I love. While I was thinking about what my summer project would be, it occurred to me that my inbox has lately been filled with the professional equivalent of summer projects. There are lots of chances to follow a more specialized preservation passion over the summer. Below are just a few.
Later this week, in Tuskegee, Alabama, the National Trust for Historic Preservation is holding a national conference on Rosenwald Schools. The conference page is full of great resources, so even if you are not able to head down to Alabama, you can dig more into these remarkable historic resources. The resources include a searchable database of schools from Fisk University.
More in the mood for organizational development? Maryland Nonprofits have regular trainings on a variety of development, membership, and general organizational topics throughout the summer. One that caught my eye happens on July 11 and is called the Social Media Bootcamp. It has social media training for beginners and intermediate levels.
If you’re interests run more towards commissions, this year sees the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions hold their biannual Forum just a few hours away in Norfolk, Virginia. The conference runs July 18 to July 22 and has tours, sessions, roundtables, and networking opportunities. Closer to home the final workshop in the series the Maryland Association of Historic Preservation Commissions has been holding will be June 16 in Easton and will cover Design.
Maybe the National Main Streets conference that happened this past April in Baltimore made you want to participate next year. The 2013 conference will be in historic New Orleans and the call for proposals has gone out. Showcasing the great work done all around Maryland does not have to go away with proximity. If you’re interested in presenting, check out how to submit a session.
Finally, I would be sorely remiss if I didn’t mention the War of 1812 Bicentennial which is seemingly everywhere right now. It’s exciting for those of us who are becoming more familiar with that chapter of history through the celebration, so I can only imagine the excitement level of the War of 1812 experts out there! I mentioned a lot of what is happening in this feature last month, but the central place to find out what is happening in Maryland is the website of the Maryland War of 1812 Commission. The ships start rolling into the Inner Harbor this weekend and will be around until the 19th of June. Hope to see you there!
Jessica Feldt
Shining a Light on Main Streets
Posted by Preservation Maryland in Education Programs on April 3, 2012
The National Main Streets Conference is in Baltimore right now and Preservation Maryland is thrilled to be a part of the event. The conference has drawn over 1,000 participants, including many from out of state who are getting introduced to Baltimore and Maryland for the first time. If you were unable to make it for the conference, don’t worry, you can still catch conference highlights online. With the Main Streets in town, I thought it would be a good opportunity to share more information about the Main Street program and the role it plays in preservation.
The National Trust Main Street Center is housed in the National Trust for Historic Preservation. They work with areas across the country working to revitalize their communities by preserving the unique character of the community. They use the Main Street Four-Point Approach to help downtowns and business districts turn their historic and cultural resources into economic development. Here in Maryland, Main Street Maryland works with Maryland’s designated Main Streets using this approach.
I have met attendees from across the country working hard to promote and preserve their communities. Attendees are volunteers and employees of Main Streets, but also business people, member of community associations and city officials. The Main Streets tie together the bricks and motor work of preservation with boosting community pride with economic revitalization. I look forward to the final day of my first National Main Streets Conference and learning more about the work being done across the country. I hope you will have some time to watch one or both of the sessions being streamed over the course of the day and when you’re done head out to dine or shop at your nearest Main Street community.
Jessica Feldt
Colleagues Corner: Getting Ready for the Fall
Posted by Preservation Maryland in Colleagues Corner on August 2, 2011
August is a time for looking ahead and preparing for the fall. We get back-to-school gear, fit in that last summer get-away, and, if you’re like me, count the days until college football starts. It’s also a good time for us in the preservation community to get ourselves and our organizations ready for fall. Here at Preservation Maryland, we are reviewing work plans, cleaning out filing cabinets, and strategizing about how to serve our members better. Below are a few opportunities for you and your organization to get ready for this fall and beyond.
- The National Main Streets Conference is coming to Baltimore April 1-4, 2012. Take full advantage of having this conference here in Maryland and consider submitting a session proposal to share your challenges and successes with a national audience.
- If you are working on preserving a historic resource in your community, consider nominating it for the Endangered Maryland program. Nomination materials are being finalized and will be released in the next week and a half. In the meantime, if you have questions or ideas contact me at jfeldt@preservationmaryland.org.
- Preservation Maryland is also seeking nominations for our Annual Preservation Awards. If you know of any outstanding projects or dedicated preservationists, please consider submitting a nomination. The nomination deadline is September 16, 2011.
- The Maryland Historical Trust has announced dates and opened registration for their fall Grants Workshops. The workshops are free and give a great overview of funding options for heritage preservation projects.
- Lay the groundwork with your elected officials. On the state level, we anticipate another difficult budget year and can start helping to ensure preservation funding today by keeping in touch with them about your successes and inviting them to any of your upcoming events. If you’re new to advocacy efforts, the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Center for State and Local Policy has guides available on advocacy topics like Communicating with Elected Officials.
- On the topic of advocacy, Dorchester County Tourism will be holding two training sessions this week for an all-day event on Capitol Hill on September 14, in an effort to raise support for the proposed Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park in Dorchester County. The two training sessions are August 9 and 10 from 5:30 – 7:00 PM. For more information or to sign up, contact amanda@tourdorchester.org or call 410-228-1000.
Jessica Feldt
