conference = expensive = what's normal?

[Kron3007]

OP I wonder what you aim to get out of the conference. If it is just information, you can get just about all the info from other sources, such as journals and blog posts.

Conferences are places to make connections, and to get yourself noticed by interacting with others. They are good for advancing your career. They can also be excuses for a mini-vacation.

Whether you take naturally to conferences tends to depend on how much of an extrovert you are, and how good you are at taking initiative.

Personally I hate most hotels and especially big conference hotels, and avoid them as much as I can. I stay at an Airbnb and commute to the conference. That is generally a lot cheaper too. Some people stay in youth hostels. Much of the interacting goes on outside of the hotel, during meals and going for drinks.

I dont know that you can get all the info from journals etc., but I guess this depends on the field.  Typically in mine, people present work that has not been published so you really cant get it from journals etc. until it is through the review/publication process (many months or so later).  So, if you want to know what work is coming out before it is published, conferences are quite important.

That being said, I agree that the main function of conferences is networking and such.  This is where I met several people who ended up being external reviewers for my tenure application, grants, etc.  As a grad student I didn't quite understand the importance of networking beyond potential jobs or collaborations, but now see the constant need for a good pool of potential reviewers etc.   

[downer]

Given the OP's apparent unfamiliarity with the journals in their field, I don't think they are going to be too concerned about the latest unpublished articles. And very often people put their draft work up on their own home pages anyway -- so you just need to look at the conference program and google the presenters, and you will find their papers. A surprising number of talks also end up on YouTube.

One of the main pleasures of going to a conference these days is meeting up with old friends. Early career people need to make friends in the first place.

There is also the thrill of seeing the "famous names" in the field (which gets old quick) and the drama of seeing them revered or reviled by up-n-comers. It can be interesting seeing people thinking on their feet.

[Kron3007]

Yes, I dont think the art world would be  similar to my field where technology and such move quite quickly and journal articles are in some respects old news.  I find it interesting that people are putting draft work on their webpage and you see conference talks on youtube; neither of these things are common in my field or at least not as far as I know.  I know some fields also pre-publish in various places, but again I have not seen this in my field. 

[fast_and_bulbous]

I will chime in to add to the folks saying that networking is probably the most valuable part of conferences. It's the face to face stuff that I always take with me the most from conferences. Some of the conversations I've had ended up turning into productive collaborations (I am a 100% soft funded researcher so collaborations are absolutely critical).

I am also a big fan of NOT traveling to conferences, at least for some where just the talks are of interest (and the talks are streamed remotely). I would like to see a push for more virtualization and less traveling for conferences. But at the same time I can't get over how critical the face to face interactions are, and that can't currently be replicated "remotely".

[fleabite]

I think I'm familiar with the type of conference you mean, and it's quite different from the presenting-research type to which some of those in the sciences have referred. I'm assuming you're going to get nuts and bolts information on things like fundraising, arranging traveling exhibitions, promoting your gallery, and the like. There will probably be some people who have gone to a lot of conferences and will spend much of their time enjoying the area rather than attending workshops. But others, like you, will be there to work. If you're lucky, you'll be able to take home some actionable information, and you'll see some great galleries/colleges as a bonus.

I also understand your concern about costs: in the humanities and arts, $1000 is a vastly bigger part of a departmental budget than in many other fields. But since you are a practitioner rather than administrator by background, you probably need to come up to speed quickly on a lot of the matters that you will learn about at the conference. The fact that you were strongly encouraged to attend indicates that your colleagues recognize that and want you to succeed.

Hope you have a great time.

[revert79]

I think I'm familiar with the type of conference you mean, and it's quite different from the presenting-research type to which some of those in the sciences have referred. I'm assuming you're going to get nuts and bolts information on things like fundraising, arranging traveling exhibitions, promoting your gallery, and the like. There will probably be some people who have gone to a lot of conferences and will spend much of their time enjoying the area rather than attending workshops. But others, like you, will be there to work. If you're lucky, you'll be able to take home some actionable information, and you'll see some great galleries/colleges as a bonus.

I also understand your concern about costs: in the humanities and arts, $1000 is a vastly bigger part of a departmental budget than in many other fields. But since you are a practitioner rather than administrator by background, you probably need to come up to speed quickly on a lot of the matters that you will learn about at the conference. The fact that you were strongly encouraged to attend indicates that your colleagues recognize that and want you to succeed.

Hope you have a great time.

Thanks fleabite—this definitely makes sense.  I do need to come up to speed and this seems like part of a good start toward that goal.  Thanks so much for your perceptive comment, it sums up my situation with precision.
Thanks to you other folks too!  I am going to keep up the optimism level and try to get something real out of this.  I am still trembling about the 1000 but so be it.  Maybe I'll gain a novel & effective fundraising perspective so it makes less of a dent if I go again someday

[Vkw10]

Activities without a formal presentation and speaker listed often have opportunities to discuss, which helps network. My professional association meeting includes user groups, interest groups, dine around s, and un-conference spaces, all of which are great for networking.

Food at conference sites is expensive. Take snacks or find nearby store to buy them. Limit eating out to networking opportunities or a single splurge meal. Take a lightweight water bottle.

Attending a professional conference is an investment. Your goal is to come home with a new idea or a new contact that helps to make your program better.

[revert79]

And, think about the value you will be bringing back to your institution. In your role, you probably need to be thinking about the latest trends in the art world, the big names, the rising names, and so forth.

You will return with a lot of fresh ideas to rebuild your galleries and exhibitions, as well as new resources.

That will make the conference pay for itself in the long run.

Thanks !!  This is my hope—that it will make itself worthwhile because I bring back some useful concepts. 

As for the networking suggestions—yes I will do my best despite social fears.  I don't drink alcohol though—hope that doesn't sink me for socializing ha ha

One more thing—journals—I'm used to treating commercial art magazines such as Artforum like scholarly journals (normal artist behavior).  I agree that I need to figure this out fast; there is certainly something aimed at academic museums, galleries, and collections—v different than the art world in general.  Will google

[Vkw10]

One more thing—journals—I'm used to treating commercial art magazines such as Artforum like scholarly journals (normal artist behavior).  I agree that I need to figure this out fast; there is certainly something aimed at academic museums, galleries, and collections—v different than the art world in general.  Will google

Don't just google. Ask your librarians for help. They have resources that list journals by discipline and identify the scholarly ones. Our librarians are great about email and online chat questions like this.

[revert79]

Activities without a formal presentation and speaker listed often have opportunities to discuss, which helps network. My professional association meeting includes user groups, interest groups, dine around s, and un-conference spaces, all of which are great for networking.

Food at conference sites is expensive. Take snacks or find nearby store to buy them. Limit eating out to networking opportunities or a single splurge meal. Take a lightweight water bottle.

Attending a professional conference is an investment. Your goal is to come home with a new idea or a new contact that helps to make your program better.

Yes this is great advice.  Nature Valley Granola Bars ha ha
Journals: okay there are some.  Library time. 

[kaysixteen]

It's probably gonna sound snarky to assert that the reason this cost data may be strange and surprising to this newbie prof is that, as a grad student at many schools, probably it wouldn't have been conceivably doable to afford attending any such conferences, and it goeth without saying it certainly is impossible for almost all adjuncts, irrespective of additional pt retail income, and regardless of the fantastic rich get richer networking opportunities lost thereby.  Ah well.

[downer]

Many conferences have lower rates for grad students. Some have lower rates for part time faculty. Often grad students find cheap ways to attend conferences, couch surfing or sharing rooms.

It's been known for some people to go to conferences without paying the registration fee. It's not as if they have a lot of security there. Of course, I couldn't possibly condone such ingenious initiative.

[revert79]

Activities without a formal presentation and speaker listed often have opportunities to discuss, which helps network. My professional association meeting includes user groups, interest groups, dine around s, and un-conference spaces, all of which are great for networking.

Food at conference sites is expensive. Take snacks or find nearby store to buy them. Limit eating out to networking opportunities or a single splurge meal. Take a lightweight water bottle.

Attending a professional conference is an investment. Your goal is to come home with a new idea or a new contact that helps to make your program better.

Yes this is great advice.  Nature Valley Granola Bars ha ha
Journals: okay there are some.  Library time.

^^^ that's not supposed to be sarcastic.  Sorry.  Really do have a Nature Valley-based cost-saving plan !!

[mamselle]

I've been impressed with the College Art Ass'n (CAA) which has a "pay per session" fee structure, and several other setups that are easier for light pocketbooks to afford.

I've gone twice on that basis when they're in NYC (they alternate with West Coast and Midwest sites in rota), and have met people from my own home town that I doubt I'd have otherwise met.

I also was encouraged by press reps at two different tables to do book proposals to send them (one's in process now) since my sessions badge allowed visits to the book room as well.

I attend K'zoo (medieval/some Renaissance focus), "Texts and Contexts" (THEOSU), and a couple of regional groups' smaller talk sessions as I can.

I average two a year: this year Ohio medievalists and maybe K'zoo; if not, then Keene, NH; these are all by bus or train for the most part, staying in hostels or with friends, and packing food for the day with budgeted dinners here and there.

I've paid for almost all of them (all but 2) myself.

M.

[larryc]

These costs are pretty typical in my field, history. In recent years I've been branching out and have been surprised to discover that conference registration fees in other fields can be much higher. The National Conference on Interpretation was like $800 I think. That is flat out exploitive.

There are ways to chip at the edges of conference costs. Find an off-site hotel or Air BnB. Focus on regional conferences you can drive to. Pack your meals in your suitcase. Hell, back in the day I might have shown up at a conference late on the first day and fished a name tag out of the trash to get into the exhibit hall.

My department works hard to raise and allocate funds for junior faculty and grad students to attend conferences. You have to make your own party sometimes.