Conference

2026 MAGDA Annual Membership Meeting & Booking Conference

October 7 – 9

Chico Hot Springs, Pray, Montana

REGISTRATION OPEN THROUGH SEPTEMBER 11!

2026 Registration Form
Virtual Booking Form
Scholarship Form

2026 Conference *Working Agenda:

*Schedule subject to change while planning in progress!

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7

12:00 p.m.        CHECK-IN & LUNCH 

12:30 p.m.        WELCOME: Alissa Kost, Executive Director, MAGDA

12:45 – 1:30 p.m.       INSTITUTIONAL INTRODUCTIONS : SPEED GREETING – To keep it fresh, this year we will host a fun, one-minute speed greet. Shake hands, fist-bump, or hug each person in attendance, speed-dating style!

1:40 – 2:00 p.m. STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING UPDATE: Previously recorded. Krys Holmes, Director, and Kristin Burgoyne, Deputy Director, 504/ ADA Accessibility Coordinator, Montana Arts Council, Helena

2:05 – 3:05 p.m.  ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS – Session 1

1.  BUILDING A DOCENT TEAM: Ann Caprez, Lead Docent at Montana Museum of Art & Culture, Missoula. 

2. EDUCATION PROGRAMS ON A BUDGET: Kayla de la Ossa, Executive Director, Schoolhouse History and Art Center, Colstrip. MAGDA Board Treasurer.

3. EDUCATION AND PROGRAM GRANTS: Christina Barbachano, Executive Director, Holter Museum of Art, Helena.

3:15 – 4:15 p.m.    ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS – Session 2

4:15 p.m.          BREAK 

4:30 p.m.           PROPOSED EXHIBITIONS FOR TOUR 

5:30 p.m.           NO-HOST CASH BAR AND LIVE MUSIC

6:30 p.m.           DINNER

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8

8:00 a.m.           BREAKFAST 

9:00 a.m.           MAGDA PROTOCOL: Alissa Kost, Executive Director, MAGDA. (MANDATORY MEMBER ATTENDANCE) – Traveling Exhibition Agreements

9:30 a.m.        ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP & BUSINESS MEETING: Previously recorded. Rafael Chacon, Bruce and Suzanne Crocker, Director, Montana Museum of Art & Culture. MAGDA Board President. The future of MAGDA.

10:00 a.m.         BREAK

10:15 – 11:45 a.m. PANEL DISCUSSION: THE ETHICS OF A.I. IN VISUAL ART AND MUSEUMS.  Panelists: Stoney Samesoe, Director, Open A.I.R., Michael Cassens, Director of UM Esports, University of Montana, Krystal Two Bulls, Executive Director, Honor the Earth, Ben Bloch, Visual Artist, Cameron, MT.

12:00 p.m.       LUNCH 

1:15 p.m.       EDUCATION PROGRAM DESIGN COMPETITION – You loved last year’s Art Handling Olympics, so this year we are bringing you a new competitive game, designing a community education program! Teams of 10 will work together to create a lesson plan, a project title, a description, and a budget for a new educational program. You will be provided with prompts and a worksheet to guide and equalize the field. The winner of the GRAND PRIZE will be selected by a team of judges.

2:45 p.m.         BREAK  

3:00 p.m. KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: ART BRIDGES FOUNDATION

4:00 p.m.       BREAK, NO-HOST CASH BAR

4:30 p.m. HANDS-ON ARTISTS WORKSHOP: Louis Still Smoking. MAGDA Sponsored Artist. Linocuts or Silverpoint

6:00 p.m.          DINNER

7:30 p.m. AUCTION CLOSES

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9

8:00 a.m.          BREAKFAST 

9:00 a.m.          REVIEW OF PROPOSED EXHIBITIONS 

9:30 a.m.         IN-PERSON BOOKING SESSION

11:30 a.m.        ADJOURN

The Annual Conference combines exhibition booking opportunities with professional development and training for personnel and volunteers of the region’s art centers. 

Professional development workshops cover topics of relevance to member organizations, based on their indicated needs. A sampling of seminars conducted by leading professionals include:

  • Educational programming
  • Fundraising
  • Board / staff relationships
  • Exhibition preparation
  • Marketing / communications
  • Budgeting / cash flow analysis 
  • Volunteer management
  • Gallery / museum practices and ethics
  • Hands-on art workshops