This is a first stab at coming up with a version of my "Guerilla Interpretation" idea that could be implemented during MCN 2010 in Austin. I may be crazy. Let me know what you think...

The Premise

Around the globe, cultural and historic sites celebrate and preserve the best of human civilization and the planet’s natural beauty. The vast majority have fewer resources and staff than they need for the care, communication and operations of their buildings and collections, let alone for interpretation and audience outreach. But like the proverbial tree falling in the forest, the question of whether these cultural sites are heard is rendered academic if no one is telling their stories. Interpretation of the world’s museums, monuments, historic sites and places of natural beauty is essential to ensuring awareness of their value, meaning, and future preservation through the generations.

The Proposal

During MCN 2010 in Austin, Texas, a team of volunteers will work with staff of a local museum or cultural site and use crowdsourcing to develop an effective, sustainable interpretation plan and framework that can be implemented rapidly and with the site's available resources.

The Aim

The aim of the Guerilla Interpretation Event is twofold: on the one hand, to provide critical interpretive and informational support for a local site whose stories are too-little heard; on the other, to underscore the importance of interpretation to any collection, conservation or preservation activity. Communicating cultural sites to a global audience is not an optional extra, to be undertaken only if funds are left over after a museum or site and its collections have been secured, conserved and presented; it is an essential part of every cultural initiative, ensuring ongoing community support and funding by touching and demonstrating impact on individuals in communities both local and global. Guerilla Interpretation turns world heritage sites into your and my classrooms and creative resources; there cultural ambassadors are born, inspired to share what they’ve learned and experienced with wider audiences and future generations.