When is the Conference?
- September 21 – 24, 2026
- Monday, September 21: Summits
- Tuesday, September 22: Pre-Conference Tours and Workshops
- Wednesday, September 23: Conference Day One
- Thursday, September 24: Conference Day Two
Where is the Conference?
Spokane Convention Center, Spokane, WA
What types of sessions are at the Conference?
ATALM conferences provide innovative, interactive sessions that create highly-valued learning experiences for participants. This is accomplished through a variety of session formats of varying lengths and styles. Priority is given to sessions that allow the audience to connect with each other and learn about important topics in new, engaging ways. Proposals should clearly describe how the audience will benefit.
- Summits (Monday)
- ATALM is planning immersive Strategy Summits for Monday, September 21 in the following subject areas:
- Artificial Intelligence, Data Sovereignty, and Indigenous Knowledge Summit
- Indigenous Knowledge Centers: A Master Plan for Tribal Libraries Summit
- Shared Stewardship, Voluntary Returns, and Reclaiming Oral Histories Summit
- Strengthening Institutional Support for Native Artists Summit
- ATALM is planning immersive Strategy Summits for Monday, September 21 in the following subject areas:
- Educational Field Trips (Tuesday)
- Field Trips are half-day or full-day visits to local cultural sites. Most have a short educational component. When submitting a proposal, suggest how many participants can be accommodated and a budget.
- Pre-Conference Workshops (Tuesday)
- Workshops are half-day (3 hours) or full-day (6 hours) that provide hands-on learning opportunities. Attendees pay an additional fee to attend the workshop and expect to receive an in-depth treatment of the topic and handouts to use for future reference. Ideally, workshops should be interactive and allow the attendees time to practice the concepts and ideas presented.
- Concurrent Sessions (Wednesday – Thursday)
- Concurrent Sessions are 60-minutes and typically feature three or more presenters who share ideas, viewpoints, and experiences on key topics and issues. Questions and comments from the audience are encouraged.
- Forums/Listening Sessions (Wednesday – Thursday)
- These sessions are 60-minutes in length and are designed to allow for sustained interactions for participants and organizers around a particular topic. Forums are intended for organizers to get early feedback, facilitate a conversation around critical issues, or begin to frame new directions or approaches in a particular area. Ideally, organizers should document input received and produce a white paper that may be shared with ATALM audiences.
- Quick or Extended Skill Building Labs (Wednesday – Thursday)
- Skill Building Labs are either quick 60-minute sessions or extended three hour workshops designed to provide hands-on activities that enable participants to learn new skills and techniques in a variety of areas, although most are related to collections care. The descriptions for each session must be unique and clearly define what will take place in each session and if attendance at both sessions is mandatory. Within reason, ATALM will provide all materials and supplies to accommodate up to 20 participants per session.
- Reel Talks (Wednesday – Thursday)
- We invite submissions of short films to be presented as part of a curated screening and discussion series during the conference. All proposed sessions must fit within a 30 or 60 minute timeframe, including the film screening and accompanying presentation (post-screening dialogue, artist talk, or panel discussion) that deepens engagement with the film’s themes, process, or community relevance.
- Inspire Talks (Wednesday – Thursday)
- Inspire Talks are 30-minute presentations on timely, innovative, or challenging topics. Held immediately after lunch, these sessions are meant to inspire and are ideally suited for single presenters.
- Flash Talks (Wednesday – Thursday)
- Flash Talks are 10- to 15-minute, high-impact sessions that enable presenters to present key information in a concise format. Most are accompanied by PowerPoint slides. Typically, three Flash talks are scheduled per 60-minute session, leaving 15 minutes for Q&A. Talks are grouped by area of interest, i.e., archives, libraries, museums, historic preservation, etc.
- Posters (Wednesday)
- Posters combine the visual display of materials with the opportunity for informal discussion. A 60-minute session enables poster presenters to interact with conference audiences. Posters stay up for the duration of the conference. The available space for posting is a 48″ x 36″ tri-fold poster placed on a 6’ classroom-sized table. ATALM provides the poster boards, adhesives, and other materials to enable the assembly of posters on site.
- Roundtable Discussions (Wednesday – Thursday)
- Roundtable Discussions provide a brief opportunity to spark discussions and bring together people with similar interests on specific topics. Round Tables are scheduled for 30 minutes immediately after lunch on Wednesday and Thursday. Audiovisual is not provided for these sessions.
- Knowledge Exchange Sessions (Wednesday – Thursday)
- Knowledge Exchange Sessions take place in the Exhibit Hall, where tables are arranged for small-group conversations. Audiovisual is not provided for these sessions. Each session block lasts one hour and works as follows:
- Each presenter hosts one table discussion
- Tables seat 8–10 participants
- Participants select a table based on their interest
- After 30 minutes, participants rotate to a new table
- Presenters repeat their session twice for two different groups
- A session facilitator will keep time and help guide transitions.
- Knowledge Exchange Sessions take place in the Exhibit Hall, where tables are arranged for small-group conversations. Audiovisual is not provided for these sessions. Each session block lasts one hour and works as follows:
What are the focus areas for 2026?
- Artificial Intelligence
- Building/Space Design, Development & Management
- Collections Care & Management
- Developing & Managing Organizations
- Exhibit Planning, Design & Fabrication
- Finding and Securing Funding
- Increasing Community Engagement
- Methods for Successful Projects
- Native Artist Support
- Oral History
- Partnerships & Collaborations
- Technology Innovations
- Voluntary Returns & Shared Stewardship
What does ATALM consider when selecting sessions?
- Content related to the conference focus areas.
- Interactive or hands-on activities that provide tangible skills.
- Case studies of successful programs, with protocols for replication.
- Usefulness of practical applications.
- Presenter’s expertise on the topic presented.
- The presence of presenters holding a tribal affiliation.
Are presenters required to register for the Conference?
- All presenters are required to register by May 15th, and are eligible for the conference member rate.
- Sessions are not confirmed until all presenters are registered.
Is financial support available to attend the Conference?
- Presenter Support is limited and prioritized for Native presenters and those presenting multiple sessions.
- While support requests are welcome, they may be a factor during final program planning.
- Financial support should be requested in the Presenter Support Application or through the ATALM Scholarship Program.
- For full details, please review the ATALM Presenter Support Policy.
How do I submit a session proposal?
- All session proposals must be submitted online through the ATALM2026 Call for Session Proposals application.
- Primary presenters are responsible for entering accurate information for all co-presenters. Please obtain each co-presenter’s consent before submitting your proposal.
- To keep co-presenters informed, please add them as Collaborators in Submittable.
More Questions?
Email us at conference@atalm.org.