Through the generosity of the Utah Division of Arts & Museums Office of Museum Services, with funding from the State of Utah, we are able to offer financial assistance for the 2026 Western Museums Association Annual Meeting in partnership with the Utah Museums Association.

Timeline

June 26, 2026 | application deadline
July 23, 2026 | award notifications sent

Award Types

• Registration Assistance: $200 discount on registration fee
  
• Registration Waiver: registration fee waived
  
• Scholarship: includes registration fee, WMA|UMA Community Lunch ticket, and up to 4 nights lodging at the conference hotel. (Applicants with a commute of 50 miles or more will be prioritized.)

Eligibility & Expectations

• Must be a current UMA member. Log into your account to check your expiration date or join here.
• At the time of the conference must be a staff member/volunteer at a Utah museum or enrolled in/recently graduated from a museum-related degree program at a Utah university. Awards may be revoked should the recipient no longer be employed in a relevant field or position. Recipients agree to notify UMA of any changes that may affect their eligibility to receive financial assistance.
• Individuals currently serving on the UMA Board are not eligible to apply.

• Scholarship and Registration Waiver Award recipients are expected to attend the full conference, starting with the opening reception on Wednesday, September 23 at 5:00 pm through the round table sessions on Saturday, September ending at 5:00 pm unless other arrangements have been made with UMA staff. 
• Award recipients agree to complete a report about their experience after the conference.
• Award recipients may choose to add tours, workshops, or event tickets at their own expense.

If you have any questions while completing your application, please contact Ruth White at info@utahmuseums.org.