Abstract

The following letter is in response to the panel “All Ears? How Museums Use Community Advisory Groups to Listen and Act towards Local Relevance and Engagement,” which was conducted on February 18, 2023 at the College Art Association and sponsored by the CAA Museum Committee. The transcript to the panel was circulated to museum professionals to respond. The author of this response selected the letter response format to convey a conversational tone, one that can be imagined to take place in a casual setting such as in the author’s or the requester’s home at the kitchen table. People are often most comfortable and likely to be most candid in settings while sharing food and beverages. The focus of this letter is to share open responses with considerations toward the limitations expressed on behalf of the institutions but with a stronger focus on the community representatives who are often individuals, groups, and lesser resourced organizations that often respond to the requests to take part in the work of larger institutions.