New Directions for 2012: A Historic Homeowners Expo
After the 2011 Conference was held this past May, the Conference Steering Committee evaluated the landscape for the 2012 event. We saw that 2012 would be a year full of exciting events. Below are four events coming to the region in the spring and summer of next year:
- 2012 National Main Streets Conference, Baltimore, MD – April 1-4
- 2012 AIA National Convention and Design Exposition, Washington, D.C. – May 17-19
- Journey Through Hallowed Ground 2012 Annual Conference, Frederick, MD – May 22-23
- National Alliance of Preservation Commissions Biennial Forum, Norfolk, VA – July 18-22
In addition 2012 will offer a wide range of workshops from our statewide and national partners addressing the needs of historic preservation commissioners, heritage areas, museums, and others interested in preservation and public heritage. On top of all these educational opportunities, 2012 will also feature a multitude of events celebrating the bicentennial of the War of 1812 in Maryland.
The Conference Steering Committee saw an opportunity to present a new type of event in 2012. This April we will present a one-day exposition in Baltimore geared towards the many owners of historic homes in Maryland. This historic homes and neighborhoods expo will offer a variety of opportunities for homeowners including an exhibit hall featuring contractors with a high level of expertise in working with older homes. Beyond the exhibit hall the expo will provide hands-on demonstrations and talks on issues relevant to owners of older homes and those living in historic districts. We are in the process of finalizing the date and location and hope you will join us for this new and exciting program.
We will keep you up to date about this and other educational events offered through our partner organizations around the state. If you have any questions or wish to be involved in the Historic Home and Neighborhood Expo, please contact Jessica Feldt at 410-685-2886 or jfeldt@preservationmaryland.org.
2011 Preservation and Revitalization Conference
The 2011 Preservation and Revitalization Conference was held in Annapolis on May 19 and 20. Over 500 participants converged in the historic district for two days of educational sessions highlighting both national and local trends in the field of historic preservation. In addition to the 23 classroom sessions, 9 field sessions and workshops highlighted the preservation and revitalization efforts across Maryland.
The Conference also featured two special events including a reception to welcome attendees to Annapolis at the Banneker-Douglass Museum. We were pleased to welcome Dr. Ned Kaufman as our keynote speaker for this year’s plenary session. Dr. Kaufman challenged attendees to rethink how they address the issues of green preservation and protecting the most humble of our historic treasures. The final event of the Conference was the
Maryland Historical Trust Awards and 50th Anniversary Celebration which presented awards to outstanding projects and preservation leaders in Maryland and honored the Trust’s 50th anniversary in the State House Rotunda.
Please contact Jessica Feldt at jfeldt@preservationmaryland.org with any questions about the conference.
Conference Survey Results - Conference Receives High Marks from Participants
The majority of respondents to a recent survey of participants rated all aspects of this year’s Historic Preservation and Revitalization Conference -- from registration process to sessions -- as excellent or good. When asked for their overall impression of the conference, 49% rated it excellent, 40% good and 9% fair with no one rating it as poor. With 91% of respondents naming the educational sessions as a key factor in deciding whether to attend, slightly fewer (88%) found the sessions to be excellent or good with speakers rated excellent by 51% of respondents. The Annapolis location was a draw for more than 67% of respondents, although the multiple session venues in the historic district drew a mixed response. Substantially more than half (64%) enjoyed the facilities, but 36% found them less satisfactory.
The survey also provided valuable information for planning future educational programs. In addition to identifying education sessions as important determinants of attendance, conference location and opportunities to network are important deciding factors. A large majority of respondents (72%) named urban preservation and revitalization an important future topic. However, updates to statewide initiatives, green preservation and case studies ranked as very important topics to more than 60% of respondents.
2011 Conference Schedule-at-a-Glance (PDF)
2011 Conference Program (PDF)
Attendee List (PDF)
Speaker Biographies (PDF)