SEMC Announces the 2023 Competition Winners and Leadership Award Recipients

October 30 | 2023

SEMC is Pleased to Announce the 2023 Competition Winners and Leadership Award Recipients

Dear SEMC,

In another transitional year for our southeastern museum community, it feels wonderful to highlight museums and museum professionals that have shown consistent resilience, grace, courage, creativity, scholarship, and technological savvy. Whether celebrating forward-thinking, inclusive exhibitions, brilliantly designed museum publications, or a social media campaign that stopped your scroll, all the 2023 competition winners are to be congratulated for truly inspiring projects that deserve widespread recognition.

Likewise, our 2023 Award recipients have each distinguished themselves in a multitude of ways, whether over long careers or in the last few years. We celebrate their leadership, empathy, inclusivity, professional expertise, and hard work on behalf of the museums and communities they serve, and are excited to honor them at the 2023 Awards Luncheon in Louisville in just a few short weeks!

Congratulations to all our 2023 competition winners and award recipients. SEMC is so proud of your accomplishments!

With appreciation,

Zinnia Willits

SEMC Executive Director

Under $10,000 Budget

Gold: McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture - Repatriation of the Archeology and the Native Peoples of Tennessee

Silver: Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia- Art is a Form of Freedom.

Bronze: Marco Island Historical Society - Art of the Dig: Wells Sawyer's Watercolors

Under $25,000 Budget

Gold: Museum of History and Holocaust Education, Kennesaw State University - The Sky's the Limit: Women Pilots of WWII

Silver: Gregg Museum of Art and Design, North Carolina State University - Egyptian Tent

Bronze: Historic Cain Hill, Inc. - Niloak and Beyond: 20th Century American Swirl Art Pottery

Over $25,000 Budget

Gold: Telfair Museums - The Art of William O. Golding: Hard Knocks, Hardships and Lots of Experience

Silver: Orange County Regional History Center - Figurehead: Music and Mayhem in Orlando's Underground

Bronze: Telfair Museums - Feels like Freedom: Philip J. Hampton

Honorable Mention: Birthplace of Country Music Museum - I've Endured: Women in Old-Time Music

Over $100,000 Budget

Gold: Memphis Brooks Museum of Art - Harmonia Rosales: Master Narrative

Silver: Frazier History Museum - The Commonwealth: Divided We Fall

Bronze: Mississippi Department of Archives and History - The World of Marty Stuart

Many thanks to the 2023 Exhibition Competition Chair and Jurors:

Michelle Schulte (Chair), Chief Curator and Director of Public Programs, LSU Museum of Art at the Shaw Center for the Arts

2023 Exhibition Competition Jurors:

Matt Farah, Exhibition Coordinator, The Historic New Orleans Collection
Alan Wheat, Director of Education, Mississippi Department of Archives
Ferin Jones, Exhibits Curator and Publicity, The West Baton Rouge Museum
Dana-Marie Lemmer, Director and Curator, Wiregrass Museum of Art
Benjamin Hickey, Curator of Exhibits, Hilliard Art Museum
Ashleigh Oatts, Education Coordinator, T.R.R. Cobb House at the Watson Brown Foundation

Category: Best in Show

Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida: All Things Beautiful: Wonders From the Collections of the Florida Museum of Natural History (Book or Catalogues)

Category: Annual Reports

Gold: University of Florida Thompson Earth Systems Institute: Thompson Earth Systems Institute 2021-2022 Annual Report

Silver: Museum of Science and History (MoSH): MoSH 2021-2022 Annual Report

Bronze: Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida: Florida Museum of Natural History Annual Report 2021-2022

Category: Book & Catalogues

Gold: Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida: All Things Beautiful

Silver: New Orleans Museum of Art: Called to the Camera: Black American Studio Photographers

Bronze: Lauren Rogers Museum of Art: A Century of Collecting

Honorable Mention: Telfair Museums: Bold Expressions: The Collection of Lorlee and Arnold Tenenbaum

Category: Brochures and Rack Cards

Gold: The Mint Museum: Picasso Landscapes: Out of Bounds Special Events Brochure

Silver: The Mint Museum: Join the Excitement Member Brochure

Bronze: The Mint Museum: The Mint Museum Coveted Couture Gala Program

Category: Campaigns

Gold: Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia: 75th Anniversary Campaign

Silver: Gibbes Museum of Art: Art Charleston Campaign

Bronze: LSU Museum of Art: I, Too, Am Thornton Dial Campaign

Category: Gallery Guides

Gold: Telfair Museums: The Age of Armor: Telfair Experience Guide

Silver: Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia: Jane Manus, Undaunted

Bronze: Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia: Longleaf Lines Coloring Book

Category: Invitations

Gold: The Mint Museum: The Mint Museum Coveted Couture Gala Invitation/Save the Date

Silver: Telfair Museums: Telfair Ball 2023 Invitation

Bronze: Marco Island Historical Society: Witches and Warlocks Gala Invitation

Category: Magazines & Newsletters

Gold: The Mint Museum: The Mint Museum Magazine

Silver: LSU Museum of Art: Art Talk Newsletter

Bronze: Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia: Facet

Honorable Mention: Huntington Museum of Art: Members' Magazine

Category: Mailers & Calendars

Gold: The Mint Museum: Potters Market at the Mint Sponsorship Mailer

Silver: The Mint Museum: The Mint Museum Members Mailer

Category: Posters

Gold: Museum of Science and History (MoSH): Pink Palace

Silver: Museum of Science and History (MoSH): Rise Up

Bronze: Hunter Museum of American Art: Hunter Underground Fundraiser Poster

Many thanks to the 2023 Publication Competition Chair and Jurors:

Amanda Briede (Chair), Senior Curator of Exhibitions, Frazier History Museum, Louisville, KY

2023 Publication Competition Jurors:

Nicholas Cook, Exhibitions and Design Manager, Frazier History Museum, Louisville, KY
Brooks Vessels, Assistant Museum Curator and Exhibit Designer, Filson Historical Society, Louisville, KY
Monty Fields, Curator of Exhibits, Kentucky Derby Museum, Louisville, KY
Brad Vetter, Freelance Design and Letterpress Printing, Louisville, KY

Category: Digital Education - $1,001-$4,999

Gold: Atlanta History Center: Cyclorama Virtual Tour

Silver: Atlanta History Center: Mystery Throughout History Virtual Tour

Category: Digital Education - $5,000-$9,999

Gold: Gregg Museum of Art and Design, North Carolina State: 3D Modeling to Enhance Access To and Understanding of Historic Textiles

Category: Digital Marketing - Under $1,000

Gold: Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art: Virginia MOCA Artists in Residence Content Campaign

Silver: Hunter Museum of American Art: 70th Anniversary Fundraising Campaign

Category: Gallery Installations - Under $1,000

Gold: Rogers Historical Museum: Music Interactive

Category: Gallery Installations - $1,001- $4,999

Gold: Hunter Museum of American Art: East Lounge Interactive Screen

Category: Gallery Installation - $5,000 - $9,999

Gold: Greensboro History Museum: Gears of Democracy

Category: Gallery Installations - Over $10,000

Gold: North Carolina Museum of Art: Digital Labels

Silver: Taubman Museum of Art: Titian to Monet Immersive Experience

Bronze: Cortina Productions: WOW! Interactive Projection Wall

Category: Media Production - Under $1,000

Gold: Greensboro History Museum: Gears of Democracy Main Video

Silver: Greensboro History Museum: Gerrymander Madness Video

Category: Media Production - $1,001 - $4,999

Gold: Atlanta History Center: Mystery Throughout History Video

Silver: Hunter Museum of American Art: Day in the Life at the Hunter Video

Bronze: New Orleans Museum of Art: Called to the Camera Exhibition Video

Category: Media Production - Over $10,000

Gold: Taubman Museum of Art: Titian to Monet Immersive Experience

Category: Virtual Media - Under $1,000

Gold: Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia: Instagram Stories Trivia

Silver: Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia: Museum Madness

Bronze: Rogers Historical Museum: Window Display Contest

Bronze: Hunter Museum of American Art: Memories and Inspiration Social Media Campaign

Category: Virtual Medial - $1,001-$4,999

Gold: New Orleans Museum of Art: Called to the Camera Social Media Campaign

Many thanks to the 2023 Technology Competition Chairs:

Scotty Almany (Jury Foreman), Deputy Director of Operations and Project Management, Taubman Museum of Art, Roanoke, VA
Alexander Brooks (Chair), Education Manager, Gaston County Museum, Dallas, NC
Scott Warren (Chair), Historic Site Manager II, President James K. Polk State Historic Site, Pineville, NC

2023 Technology Competition Jurors:

Angie Albright, Director Shiloh Museum of Ozark History, Shiloh, AR
Truly Matthews, Director of Education & Engagement, Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, Virginia Beach, VA
Starr Peters Director of Exhibits, Kentucky Science Center, Louisville, KY
Melissa Tran, Assistant Director of Distance Learning, The National WWII Museum, New Orleans, LA
Joshua Watson, IT Director (CIO), Mississippi Department of Archives & History Jackson, MS
Tyler Winger, Exhibits & Operations Manager, Muhammad Ali Center, Louisville, KY 40202

Congratulations to the 2023 SEMC Award Recipients!

SEMC will celebrate these individuals at the

*2023 Awards Luncheon

November 15, 2023, 12:00pm EST

The Galt House Hotel, Louisville, Kentucky

*A roundtable discussion with 2023 Award Recipients will be live-streamed on the SEMC Facebook page!

Read the SEMC 2023 Awards Announcement

2023 James R. Short Award

Patrick Daily

Executive Director (Retired)

Hickory Landmarks Society

Hickory, North Carolina

2023 James R. Short Award

Robin Reed

Senior Associate, Jan McKay and Associates, Director of Museums

Fort Monroe Authority, Casemate Museum (Retired)

Hampton, Virginia

2023 Museum Leadership Award

Tricia Miller

Deputy Director of Collections and Exhibitions and Head Registrar

Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia

2023 Emerging Museum Professional Award

Dakota Brown

Education Director

Museum of the Cherokee People

Cherokee, North Carolina

Many thanks to the 2023 Awards Committee:

Rosalind Martin (Chair), Director of Education, Knoxville Museum of Art, Knoxville, TN
Pamela D.C. Junior, Director (Retired), Two Mississippi Museums, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, MS
Nancy Strickland Fields, Director, and Curator, Museum of the Southeast American Indian, Pembroke, NC
David Butler, Executive Director, Knoxville Museum of Art, Knoxville, TN
Ahmad Ward, Executive Director, Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park, Hilton Head, SC

Congratulations to the 2023 SEMC Award Recipients!

THANK YOU!!

We want you to know that we greatly appreciate your support through membership and will continue to work hard to provide training, virtual connection and resources to our southeastern museums community.