Announcing the VRA Travel Awards Endowment! ✈

The Visual Resources Association (VRA) is thrilled to announce the establishment of the Travel Awards Endowment. Founded through the generosity of a fellow VRA member, the fund provides long-term support for the Travel Awards program. 

We’re off to a great start, but we need your help to grow the endowment! 💰💰💰

Our goal is to get the Travel Awards Endowment to its first milestone, $15,000, by the end of 2023. To get us rolling, the donor has generously offered $5,000 as a base fund. To provide additional inspiration to potential supporters, they have also agreed to match the first $5,000 in donations. 🎉

Since sharing news of the endowment at the annual conference last week we have received $1,800 in contributions from our community, which will be matched. That means the fund currently stands at $8,600 in pledges. Help us make our goal of $15,000 by donating today!

All donations made toward the fund increase the total amount of funding available to the Travel Awards program each year. Your tax-deductible contribution enriches the professional lives of your visual resources colleagues by making conference participation more accessible. Many of us have benefited from the Travel Awards program; it’s time to give back! 

No donation is too small--and remember, whatever you give will be doubled until we hit $5,000 in matching funds!

Please consider donating today. 💙

DONATE TO THE TRAVEL AWARDS ENDOWMENT

Announcing the VRA 2023 Travel Award Winners! ✈

The VRA Travel Awards Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of Travel Awards for the 2023 VRA Conference in San Antonio, TX.  The application pool this year was strong, and we are pleased to be able to fund nine excellent applications:

• John Adebayo, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee – New Horizons Student Award and Luraine Tansey/VRA top-up Award

• Sarah Byrd, Fashion Institute of Technology – New Horizons Award and Luraine Tansey/VRA Top-up Award

• Johana Canales, University of Alabama – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Award

• Charlie Coffey, Wesleyan University - Luraine Tansey/VRA Travel Award

• Allie Craver, Pérez Art Museum Miami – Luraine Tansey/VRA Travel Award

• Rachel DeNagy, University of Colorado, Boulder – Garneta E. Taormina Memorial Student Award and Luraine Tansey/VRA Top-up Award

• Matt Ely, North Dakota State Archives – New Horizons Award

• Elisabeth Narkin, National Gallery of Art - Kathe Hicks Albrecht Award

• Wen Nie Ng, Virgina Tech - Luraine Tansey/VRA Travel Award

The Travel Awards Committee thanks all of this year’s applicants. Additional thanks go to our generous travel award sponsors and the VRA Executive Board for their support of the Travel Awards Committee. 

Congratulations again to this year’s recipients,

Dr. Jeannine Keefer,

Chair, Travel Awards Committee

Deadline Extended: VRA 2023 Travel Awards ✈

Good news! The deadline to apply for a VRA Travel Award has been extended to July 30th!

Travel Awards are here to provide financial support for your attendance at the 2023 VRA Conference in San Antonio, September 26-28, 2023. You do not need to be a member of the VRA to apply for a Travel Award.

Travel Awards Application

A preliminary conference schedule can be found here: https://vra2023.sched.com/​. To assist with budgeting conference registration fees and the hotel rate are available on the conference webpage.

Before you apply, please read "Travel Award Rules and Guidelines” for VRA Travel Awards Applicants, and "Types of Travel Awards," both linked here as PDFs.

Please also note that award checks are scheduled to be mailed to recipients after the Awards ceremony at the conference and as such, recipients will not have acce​ss to those funds ​ahead of the conference to set against travel expenses. 

Travel Awards are intended to provide partial support for an individual's conference attendance, and typically supplement support from one's employer and/or personal resources​. 

We always suggest budgeting for the conference hotel if you can manage it. Staying at the Hotel Valencia Riverwalk in San Antonio supports the organization and provides ample time to get to know your fellow attendees. It is also a great deal this year! VRA has secured rooms at the special conference rate of $169 (+taxes) per night.

The list of recipients will be announced the week of August 11. Contact the Travel Awards Committee at travelawards@vraweb.org with any questions.

Announcing the VRA 2023 Travel Awards! ✈

We are delighted to announce that VRA Travel Awards are available for attendance at the 2023 VRA conference in San Antonio, September 26-28, 2023! The application submission deadline is July 7 at 11:59 pm EDT​. The list of recipients will be announced the week of July 31. Contact the Travel Awards Committee at travelawards@vraweb.org with any questions.

A preliminary conference schedule can be found here: https://vra2023.sched.com/​. To assist with budgeting, the conference registration fees and hotel rate are available on the conference webpage.

Before you apply, PLEASE READ "Travel Award Rules and Guidelines” for VRA Travel Awards Applicants, and "Types of Travel Awards," both linked here as PDFs.

You do not need to be a member of the VRA to apply for a Travel Award.

Travel Awards Application

Please also note that award checks are scheduled to be mailed to recipients after the Awards ceremony at the conference and as such, recipients will not have acce​ss to those funds ​ahead of the conference to set against travel expenses. 

Travel Awards are intended to provide partial support for an individual's conference attendance, and typically supplement support from one's employer and/or personal resources​. 

For 2023, we are fortunate to have generous financial support from sponsors and funds provided by the membership including: 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Award. Up to $1,000

Earmarked for applicants from underrepresented and underserved communities, which may include but is not limited to: neurodiversity, persons with (in)visible disabilities, gender identity, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, socioeconomic status, religion, sex, age.

Two New Horizons awards.  $850 to $700 each

Earmarked for applicants in one or more of the following categories:  first-time conferee, solo, part-time, or geographically isolated practitioner.

Tansey awards. $1000-$400 each

These awards are intended for applicants with insufficient (or no) institutional support from their employer or academic program.

Tansey Top-Up awards. $300-$250 each

These awards are intended for applicants who have demonstrated need for only partial support on top of other funding (typically from employers or graduate programs).  

New Horizons Student award. $300

Earmarked for a currently enrolled student.

Garneta E. Taormina Memorial Student Travel award. $300

For full-time graduate students enrolled in an accredited degree program and considering a career in visual resources and/or digital humanities. 

More awards may become available and will be announced via email, as well as further details about the conference. Please email travelawards@vraweb.org if you have any questions not answered by the documents noted above. 

So don't delay - apply today!

VRA 2020 Baltimore Travel Award Applications Due Friday, November 15

Dear VRA Colleagues,

The clock is ticking on applications for Travel Awards to support attendance at the 2020 VRA Conference in Baltimore, MD this coming March 24 through 27.  The deadline for receipt of applications will be this Friday, November 15, 2019, at 11:59 EST. The list of recipients will be announced via the VRA listserv on Friday, December 20, 2019.

Before you apply, PLEASE READ “Travel Award Rules, Guidelines and Tips” for VRA Travel Awards Applicants, and “Types of Travel Awards.”

HERE’S THE LINK TO THE APPLICATION.

You do not need to be a member of the VRA to apply for a travel award, but please note that to receive an award an applicant must become a member of VRA and must attend the 2020 Conference.

Please also note that award checks are distributed at a designated event during the conference and as such, recipients will not have access to those funds ahead of the conference to use for their travel expenses, and must thus use awards as reimbursements following the conference.

In order to allow funding to assist the greatest number of attendees, Tansey awards will be distributed according to financial need, i.e. full awards (up to $850) may be given to some, whilst lower amounts may be awarded to others with partial institutional and/or other support. Travel Awards are intended to provide partial support for an individual’s conference attendance, and typically supplement support from one’s employer and/or personal resources.

For the 2020 award cycle, we are fortunate to have generous financial support from sponsors and funds provided by the membership including:

• The Kathe Hicks Albrecht award of $850, for a first-time VRA Conference attendee.
• Two New Horizons awards of up to $850 each.  These awards are aimed at members in the following categories: solo VR professionals, part-time VR professionals, geographically isolated VR professionals, VR professionals in smaller institutions, and/or first-time conference attendees.
• The New Horizons student award of $300, for a full-time student enrolled in an accredited degree program and considering a career in visual resources.
• The Garneta E. Taormina Memorial Student Travel Award of $300, for a full-time graduate student enrolled in an accredited degree program and considering a career in visual resources and/or digital humanities.
• Tansey fund awards ranging from $250 to $850 each.

Please email me if you have any questions not answered by the documents noted above.

Each year, we typically receive many more applications than the number of awards we have to bestow.  So, don’t delay – apply today!

The Travel Awards Committee looks forward to receiving your applications,

Allan Kohl
Co-Chair, VRA Travel Awards Committee Librarian, Visual Resources and Library Instruction
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
akohl@mcad.edu
612-874-3781

Apply Today for a VRA 2020 Baltimore Travel Award

Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to announce that VRA Travel Awards are available to support attendance at the 2020 VRA conference in Baltimore, Maryland, March 24 (Tuesday)-March 27 (Friday), 2020.  The deadline for receipt of applications will be Friday, November 15, 2019, 11:59pm EST.  The list of recipients will be announced via the VRA listserv on Friday December 20, 2019.

Before you apply, PLEASE READ “Travel Award Rules, Guidelines and Tips” for VRA Travel Awards Applicants, and “Types of Travel Awards.”

HERE’S THE LINK TO THE APPLICATION.

You do not need to be a member of the VRA toapply for a travel award, but please note that to receive an award an applicant must become a member of VRAand must attend the 2020 Conference.

Please also note that award checks are distributed at a designatedevent during the conference and as such, recipients will not haveaccess to those funds ahead of theconference to use for their travel expenses, and must thus use awardsas reimbursements following the conference.

In order to allow funding to assist the greatest number ofattendees, Tansey awards will be distributed according to financial need, i.e.full awards (up to $850) may be given to some, whilst lower amounts may beawarded to others with partial institutional and/or other support. Travel Awards are intended to provide partial supportfor an individual’s conference attendance, and typically supplement supportfrom one’s employer and/or personal resources.

For the 2020 award cycle, we are fortunate to have generous financial supportfrom sponsors and funds provided by the membership including:

• The Kathe Hicks Albrecht award of $850, for a first-time VRA Conference attendee.
• Two New Horizons awards of up to $850 each.  These awards are aimed at members in the following categories: solo VR professionals, part-time VR professionals, geographically isolated VR professionals, VR professionals in smaller institutions, and/or first-time conference attendees.
• The New Horizons student award of $300, for a full-time student enrolled in an accredited degree program and considering a career in visual resources.
• The Garneta E. Taormina Memorial Student Travel Award of $300, for a full-time graduate student enrolled in an accredited degree program and considering a career in visual resources and/or digital humanities.
• Tansey fund awards ranging from $250 to $850 each.

Please email me if you have any questions not answered by the documentsnoted above.

Each year, we typically receive many moreapplications than the number of awards we have to bestow.  So, don’t delay – apply today!

The Travel Awards Committee looks forward to receiving yourapplications,

Allan Kohl
Co-Chair, VRA Travel Awards CommitteeLibrarian, Visual Resources and Library Instruction
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
akohl@mcad.edu
612-874-3781

Travel Awards 2018

Dear Colleagues,We are delighted to announce that VRA Travel Awards are available for attendance at the 2018 VRA conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 27-March 30th, 2018.  The deadline for receipt of applications will be Monday, November 13, 12pm EST.  The list of recipients will be announced on the VRA listserv the week commencing December 18, 2018.Before you apply, PLEASE READ “Travel Award Rules, Guidelines and Tips” for VRA Travel Awards Applicants, and “Types of Travel Awards.”HERE’S THE LINK TO THE APPLICATIONYou do not need to be a member of the VRA to apply for a travel award, but please note that upon winning an award an applicant who is not a member of VRA must purchase a membership.Please also note that award checks are distributed at the conference and as such, recipients will not have access to those funds ahead of the conference to set against travel expenses.In order to allow funding to go further, Tansey awards will be distributed according to financial need i.e. full awards (up to $850) may be given to some, whilst lower amounts may be awarded to others with partial institutional/ other support. Travel Awards are intended to provide partial support for an individual’s conference attendance, and typically supplement support from one’s employer and/or personal resources.For 2018, we are fortunate to have generous financial support from sponsors and funds provided by the membership including:

• Two New Horizons awards of $850 each.  These awards are aimed at members in the following categories: solo VR professionals, part-time VR professionals, geographically isolated VR professionals, VR professionals in smaller institutions, and/or first-time attendees
• A New Horizons student award of $300, for a full-time student enrolled in an accredited degree program and considering a career in visual resources
• Kathe Hicks Albrecht award of $850
• Tansey fund awards ranging from $250 to $850 each

Please email if you have any questions not answered by the documents noted above.So don’t delay – apply today!We look forward to receiving your applications,Marcia Focht & Allan KohlCo-Chairs, VRA Travel Awards Committee

VRA Travel Awards

The VRA Travel Awards Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of Travel Awards for the 2017 VRA conference in Louisville:Kathe Hicks Albrecht Award — Elliot McNally, Savannah College of Art & DesignNew Horizons Full Award — Joanne Lammers, Academy of Motion Picture Arts & SciencesNew Horizons Full Award — Jamie Zeffery, California State University, Los AngelesNew Horizons Student Award and Luraine Tansey/VRA Travel Award— Andrew Wang, Indiana UniversityLuraine Tansey/VRA Travel Awards:Kristin Britanik, The Andy Warhol MuseumSusan Jane Williams, Independent Cataloging and Consulting ServicesIan McDermott, LaGuardia Community College, CUNYSheryl Frisch, Cal Poly, San Luis ObispoKate Thornhill, Oregon Health & Science UniversityMeghan Musolff, University of Michigan LibraryZoe Waldron, New York Public LibraryCongratulations to the award recipients, and thank you to all applicants for their interest and excellent applications.Additional thanks go to contributors to the travel awards fund, our generous travel award sponsors, the VRA Executive Board and the Travel Awards Committee.We're looking forward to seeing all of you in Louisville,Marcia Focht and Michael DonovanCo-Chairs, Travel Awards Committee

VRA Travel Awards

Dear VRA colleagues,

The VRA Travel Awards Committee is pleased to announce the following recipients of Travel Awards for the 2015 VRA conference in Denver:Archivision International Award – Frances Narkiewicz, Chester Beatty Library, DublinKathe Hicks Albrecht Award — Rosanna Meindl, Rhodes CollegeGallery Systems — Ann Walt Stallings, Isabella Stewart Gardner MuseumNew Horizons Full Award — Leah Rios, University of ArizonaNew Horizons Full Award — Vanessa Miller, College for Creative StudiesNew Horizons Student Award — Keri Marken, Corita Art Center/UCLALuraine Tansey Memorial Award —Marie Elia, University of BuffaloMember Challenge Award – Inga Theissen, Macalester College

Luraine Tansey/VRA Travel Awards:Michael Donovan, University of ChicagoLinda Callahan, Mount Holyoke CollegeBeth Wodnick Haas, Princeton UniversityHannah Marshall, Cornell UniversitySarah Gillis, Worcester Art MuseumMolly Schoen, University of Michigan, Ann ArborJennifer Kniesch, Dickinson College

Congratulations to the award recipients, and thank you to all 36 applicants for their interest and excellent applications.

Additional thanks go to contributors to the travel awards fund, our generous travel award sponsors, the VRA Executive Board and the Travel Awards Committee.We're looking forward to seeing all of you in Denver,Vicky Brown and Jeannine KeeferCo-Chairs, Travel Awards Committee

November Member Challenge UPDATE

Happy November VRA!This is the second update to the Travel Awards November Member Challenge.We are well on our way in our quest to attain that all important extra travel award for attendance at VRA 33 in Denver.As you can see, so far we have raised $515 – fantastic job October donors!We are more than half way there and November has just begun. Don’t wait around, donate today: simply go to the VRA Membership ‘Join’ page here: httpS://vraweb.org/membership/join/ and select ‘Separate Donations and Chapter Membership’. Sign in to MemberClicks and enter the amount of your donation, large or small (every little helps!) in the Tansey Travel Award Donation box. If you are renewing your individual membership, you can donate via this form too.We need just $335 or $83.75 a week for the remainder of the period to meet our minimum - so a mere 23 grande lattes/week. So keep those coffee machines plugged in, and with the money you save, donate today!  NOTE: Any funds we raise beyond the minimum $850 will still be matched by our anonymous donor.And in case you are craving to see the video pitch again, here are Allan and Marcia to remind us of what this is all about: http://vimeo.com/109474497Stay tuned for next week’s update…Vicky and Jeannine (TA Co-Chairs)

Are you up to the VRA Travel Award Committee's November Member Challenge?

To coincide with this year’s VRA membership renewal, the VRA Travel Awards Committee is delighted to introduce to you [drum-roll…..] the November Member Challenge!The challenge to us all, the membership, is to raise at least $850 in travel award donations from now until November 30. If we reach or (dare we even suggest) exceed this figure, we will be rewarded with an extra travel award in this year’s cycle*. This amazing offer comes courtesy of an anonymous donor who has pledged to match our travel award fundraising efforts, dollar for dollar, during the period from now until November 30.If we meet our target, the TA committee would like to dedicate this extra award in honor of the founder of the VRA Travel Awards, Luraine Tansey, 01/29/1918 - 06/18/2014.It’s easy to donate – simply go to the VRA Membership ‘Join’ page and select ‘Separate Donations and Chapter Membership’. Sign in to MemberClicks and enter the amount of your donation, large or small (every little helps!) in the Tansey Travel Award Donation box. If you are renewing your individual membership, you can donate via this form too.  Just think, if everyone gave the equivalent of two to three coffees’ worth….You can make your payment by credit card or check, and as long as you hit the ‘Submit’ button by November 30, your donation will have helped to secure an all-important additional award to support one of you, our members, in attending the forthcoming conference in Denver, Colorado.So don’t delay – donate today and help us meet the Challenge!Here are Marcia and Allan who will run through that with us once more http://vimeo.com/109474497(you can watch this again from the VRA Travel Awards committee webpage if you prefer)Keep watching the VRA-L for progress updates….Yours in anticipation,Vicky and Jeannine (Travel Awards Committee Co-Chairs)*(N.B. If we fail to reach the $850 target (but “No,” we hear you cry) donations will be rolled back into the Tansey fund and that extra award will evade us.)

VRA Conference Travel Awards--Applications Now Open!

We are delighted to announce that VRA Travel Awards are available for attendance at the 2015 VRA conference in Denver, Colorado March 11-14.  The deadline for receipt of applications will be Monday, November 17, 12pm EST.  The list of recipients will be announced on the VRA listserv the week commencing December 15.A preliminary conference schedule with a listing of workshops and sessions has already been posted at: http://vra33.sched.org/ and information about costs is posted here: http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra33/registration/ and here: http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra33/accommodations/Before you apply, PLEASE READ "Travel Award Rules, Guidelines and Tips” for VRA Travel Awards Applicants, and "Types of Travel Awards", both linked here as PDFs.HERE'S THE LINK TO THE APPLICATION (also accessible from the VRA Travel Awards Committee webpage)You do not need to be a member of the VRA to apply for a travel award, but please note that upon winning an award an applicant who is not a member of VRA must purchase a membership.Please also note that award checks are distributed at the conference and as such, recipients will not have access to those funds ahead of the conference to set against travel expenses.In order to allow funding to go further, Tansey awards will be distributed according to financial need i.e. full awards (up to $850) may be given to some, whilst lower amounts may be awarded to others with partial institutional/ other support.For 2015, we are fortunate to have generous financial support from sponsors and funds provided by the membership including:

• Two New Horizons awards of $850 each.  These awards are aimed at members in the following categories: solo VR professionals, part-time VR  professionals, geographically isolated VR professionals, VR professionals in smaller institutions, and/or first-time attendees
• A New Horizons student award of $300, for a full-time student enrolled in an accredited degree program and considering a career in visual resources
• Tansey fund awards ranging from $250 to $850 each

More awards may become available and will be announced on this listserv. Also, stay tuned and watch VRA-L and the VRA website for further details about the conference.  Please email if you have any questions not answered by the documents noted above.So don't delay - apply today!We look forward to receiving your applications,Vicky Brown & Jeannine KeeferCo-Chairs, VRA Travel Awards Committee

VRA 2014 Travel Award Recipients

The VRA Travel Awards Committee is pleased to announce the following recipients of Travel Awards for the 2014 VRA conference in Milwaukee:Kathe Hicks Albrecht Award -- Vicki Sipe, University of Maryland, Baltimore CountyNew Horizons Full Award -- Heather Lowe, California State University San BernardinoNew Horizons Full Award -- Maureen Burns, IMAGinED ConsultingScholars Resource -- Karen Kessel, Sonoma State UniversityGallery Systems -- Ana Cox, Phoenix Art MuseumNew Horizons Student Award -- Helenmary Sheridan, Northwestern University and student at University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignRobert Tyler Kohl Memorial Award -- Amy Robinson, University for the Creative Arts (UCA)Luraine Tansey/VRA Travel Awards:International Award -- Sarah Butterill, OCAD UniversityMorgan Bell, University of WashingtonJasmine Burns, University of WisconsinMarie Elia, University at BuffaloJen Green, Plymouth State UniversityStephen Jennings, Harvard UniversityBrenda Lozano, Moraine Valley Community CollegeJenni Rodda, Institute of Fine Arts, NYUMolly Tighe, Mattress Factory and Pittsburgh Symphony OrchestraCongratulations to the award recipients, and thank you to all 44 applicants for their interest and excellent applications.Additional thanks go to contributors to the travel awards fund, our generous travel award sponsors, the VRA Executive Board and the Travel Awards Committee.We're looking forward to seeing all of you in Milwaukee,Vicky Brown and Amanda RybinCo-Chairs, Travel Awards Committee