Call for papers: Scotland's Museums and Galleries Strategy Symposium 2027

Event date: Wednesday 3 March 2027

Organiser: Museums Galleries Scotland

Location: Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, 11 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2IJQ

Scotland’s Museums and Galleries Strategy Symposium is a key annual gathering for people working and volunteering in the Scottish museums sector. The one-day event is an opportunity to discuss the role, impact and needs of our museums framed within our collective work to realise the priority areas of Scotland’s Museums and Galleries Strategy.

We welcome contributions to help shape the programme of the Symposium. This can be done by answering our call for papers by submitting a proposal or by emailing us your ideas before Monday 26 October 2026.

This page includes all the information you need about the event, scope of the programme, key dates, and the option to answer our call for papers or submit ideas of topics you would like covered even if you do not wish to be involved personally.

We welcome proposals that will contribute to the development of a programme that will include:

A diverse range of speakers sharing their experiences with the aim of inspiring or passing on learning to others on work related to the Connection, Workforce or Resilience strands of the strategy.
Proposals about museum collections that relate to any of the three strategy strands.
Speakers who have something important to say and can share a unique story or perspective in relation to any area of the Strategy.
Speakers who encourage constructive dialogue or thinking around topical issues affecting our sector
Workshops or smaller group discussions to provide guidance, advice or facilitate discussion on strategy priority areas related topics.

In developing the programme we will seek a balance and representation with respect to

gender
ethnicity
disability
geographical location
organisation type
presenters level of seniority

In order to create opportunities for new and diverse perspectives we may need to prioritise speakers who have not previously presented at the Symposium.

Objectives

MGS organises this annual event to:

Support continued engagement with the Strategy for Scotland’s Museums and Galleries.
Showcase examples of inspiring practice across the strategy priority areas through a diverse range of speakers.
Respond to current needs of the sector through the programme content.
Provide a networking opportunity for sector colleagues.
Provide an advocacy opportunity with Scottish Government representatives and key stakeholders that showcases our sector.

The event aims to follow MGS’s anti-oppression principles and accessibility standard.

Audience

All people who work and volunteer in the museums and galleries sector – this includes people at different stages of their career.
Colleagues from key stakeholders, heritage and cultural organisations, Scottish Government staff working in relevant policy areas.

Event format

This is a hybrid event; we are expecting about 200 people to attend in-person and 90 people to attend online.
We have a dual programme with sessions in an auditorium and concurrent workshops/sessions in a separate smaller room, which can accommodate a maximum of 40 people.
Typically, we have three workshops and three panel sessions in the course of the day.
Sessions are usually 45 minutes – 1 hour each.
Auditorium sessions are live streamed, workshops are not.
Remote speakers can only be included in sessions taking place in the auditorium.
We are also considering walking tours or ways of using outdoor space as part of the programme that meets access standards. We will have access to a small garden.

We welcome proposals for:

Panel sessions with multiple speakers
Presentations
Workshops
Walking tours or visits
Keynote speakers
Organisations you would like to see in the Collaboration Space

Submit a proposal

To answer our call for papers and submit a proposal, please complete this Microsoft form by 26 October 2026. If you have any questions, please contact our team by emailing inform@museumsgalleriesscotland.org

Fill out the Microsoft form

A panel of representatives with members from across MGS will review proposals and decided which to include in this year’s programme.

Proposals will be assessed by the panel based on the following criteria: