ARA Conference 2024 – beyond the programme ….
The Archives and Records Association Annual Conference takes place 28-30th August at the Birmingham Events and Conference Centre has an amazing programme with three days of conference programme: three top keynote speakers, over 60 presentations across 7 themed streams.
But we don’t stop there! Networking is a vital part of any conference, the face-to-face opportunities to make connections and learn from people informally is a vital part of what our conference provides. As the only conference in the sector that brings together the three key professional areas of recordkeeping: archives, records management and conservation, our conference provides a unique environment to break out of silos and discover what lies beyond.
The Information Village hosts a range of exhibitors and provides an opportunity to chat in person to many of the experts and suppliers that help the recordkeeping sector do their job. This includes our Premier sponsor, Ancestry UK, our gold sponsors, Bruynzeel and Libnova and a host of other organisations:
AM Digital
ArchivesSpace
Artefactual
Atlas Systems
Automated Document Services
Conservation Resources
CXD International
Gemini Data Loggers
KIM Software Solutions
Leadership Through Data
Preservica
Townsweb Archiving
Social Events
No conference is complete without a range of social events!
For those arriving before the conference officially starts, we offer a Tuesday night welcome drink at the conference venue – a chance to shake off the dust of travel and get into the mindset to make the most of the days to come.
Wednesday Night Supper and Social
It has become a tradition for our Wednesday night supper and social to give delegates a flavour of the town or city that hosts our conference. For 2024 the supper and social will be held in the glorious banqueting suite of the Birmingham Council Chambers. The informal supper is timed so that those who wish to can also go out and take advantage of Birmingham’s lively nighttime scene.
Thursday night gala dinner and awards
Held in the conference venue the Gala Dinner has a pre-dinner drinks reception, three course meal with wine, awards presentation, entertainment and dancing (for those who are inclined).
As in previous years we will have tables hosted by ARA members of staff. If you are at the conference solo and want to know at least one person you are sitting down to dinner with, you can sign up for one of these tables and the ARA staff member will make sure that introductions are made and that conversation flows. We will also be offering a no-alcohol table for those who would like that option.
This year, rather than have a live band we have a host for the entire evening who will also be on hand to host the awards and provide some entertainment – before the dancing begins.
Des Coleman is our host and entertainer. During his career he has appeared in many guises. As an actor, host, compere or vocalist, on Children in Need, or as a pundit, even sitting on the 'This Morning' sofa. But it was as a presenter that he won a Royal Television Society award, and with a Christmas single under his belt as a reporter on 'The One Show' Des soon turned his hand to presenting the BBC weather. Des has appeared on numerous TV shows including: East Enders, The Bill, Casualty, Doctors, East Midlands Today, Wild Weather, Is Harry on the Boat & Submerged. You can find out more about Des here.
We also have two extra events on the Wednesday and Thursday:
An address from out-going ARA President – Aideen Ireland
Is it OK?
The return of our equity, diversity and inclusion themed session that allows conference delegates to ask questions, get it wrong (or find out they are right) in a non-judgemental, informal atmosphere that encourages frank but respectful discussion of topics that may challenge, but can also help us be better allies...
Why you shouldn’t miss it!
This year’s theme: ‘Climate and Crisis: Tackling It Together’ could not be more pertinent or timely. Over three days we will address the major crises and challenges facing our communities and our profession, learning from our community and building stronger responses, together. The Climate Crisis is the challenge of an era with the responsibility to take action falling upon us all. Our profession must respond, learn from best practice and find new ways to contribute to the global effort. Our work faces other crises not least funding and resourcing challenges. We are better tackling this together too, and we want the conference to be a catalyst for this.
We had a phenomenal turnout for ARA 2023 - 'Communities' and we would like to build on this and invite you to join us for what promises to be an exceptional conference.
A versatile programme that we hope will cater to our wide variety of stakeholders, an action-packed Information Village and social networking functions so that we can carry on the conversations across three separate evenings.
Accessibility
The conference venue is fully accessible to those using mobility aids and we encourage all delegates to let us know any required adjustments that will help them get the best out of the conference,
Once again, this year we will be providing a quiet room for those who need some downtime from networking and throngs of people. We also provide a named member of staff who can help support those who might need someone to help them negotiate networking and meeting new people.
Book now!
Register here: https://openingdoors.eventsair.com/ara2024/registration