I am by nature a collaborative person, so when Melissa told me that was the theme of this month’s MMA Review, I was all about it. Collaboration for MMA mostly comes in the form of serving as leadership for other organizations that do similar work to support the museum or arts and culture communities. I am currently on the boards of the UP Arts and Culture Alliance and the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan. Aside from investing in the success of the goals and activities of those organizations, which is really the core purpose of these partnerships, there are three other things that I think the collaborations have offered.
The first is resources. It is a rare meeting for any of these organizations that I don’t learn something that helps me do my job better, or helps MMA serve museums better. Just last week at the UP Arts and Culture Alliance meeting I got templates for two documents I’ve been working on and saw a board engagement activity that will help move a conversation we are also having at MMA.
While resources are a crucial aspect of collaboration, it's the relationships we build that truly enable those resources to be utilized effectively. I meet a lot of people that I’d be comfortable sending an email to, but I think it takes more consistent engagement to develop the kind of colleague relationships that I can really lean on. I barely knew Larry Wagenaar at the Historical Society of Michigan when I started at MMA, and our two organizations didn’t have a great connection at the time. But after serving on the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan board with him, I truly consider him a friend and someone I can call for help or perspective. We regularly talk about what we are working on and look for opportunities for our organizations to support each other’s work. And that is just one example of many of the relationships I’ve been able to develop with colleagues throughout the state because of our work together.
But I think the greatest benefit for these collaborations has been about opportunity. Because we are already sharing resources and have developed relationships, when an idea or need presents itself, we can spring into action. As part of the Board of the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan I met and worked with Debbie Mikula from the Michigan Library Association. One of the first things I did after I heard about the IMLS “reduction” on Saturday was send her an email. For those who may not be aware, this cut had the potential to significantly impact funding for libraries, museums, and archives. This week, MMA was part of the Joint Statement on IMLS from Michigan Libraries, Museums, and Archives released by the MLA, and we will continue to work together as the situation evolves. Would Debbie and I have connected if we didn’t already know each other? Probably. But it was so much easier to have the needed conversations because we did.
There is so much more to say about how collaboration has benefited the Michigan Museums Association and increased our capacity to serve the Michigan museum community. In the end, collaboration isn’t just about sharing resources, building relationships, or seizing opportunities, though these are certainly valuable outcomes. It’s about creating a network of mutual support that strengthens our collective impact. By working together, we multiply our effectiveness and expand our capacity to make meaningful change, not just within our organizations, but across the communities we serve. As I reflect on my own experiences, I’m reminded that the greatest successes come not from individual effort, but from the shared vision and strength we find in collaboration. It’s this spirit of cooperation that truly drives progress in the museum and cultural sectors, and it’s a mindset I’m proud to continue fostering through my work with MMA and beyond.
Lisa Craig Brisson
Executive Director
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