Since 2020, the CoMuseum International Conference has served museums and cultural professionals as both a physical as well as a digital platform.
Its key long-term goal is to share the best ideas and practices from around the world, highlight contemporary challenges and create a global network of professionals who will co-design a ‘culture-edge’ future for our societies.
This year’s CoMuseum conference is taking place from 3 to 5 December 2025 in a hybrid format:
- face-to-face in Athens and Thessaloniki
- via live streaming on 3 December for those of you who prefer to participate online.
As always, the conference will feature top international experts from museums and cultural institutions in Greece, the UK and beyond, who will share insights and ideas on the present and future of museums.
Over the course of three days, we will uncover tools, ideas and leadership models that empower museums to serve as bridges for resolving differences and catalysts for overcoming adversity.
The CoMuseum International Conference is the core activity of the British Council’s Museums Revisited capacity building programme for the museum sector in Europe that aims to explore the role of museums in society
15th CoMuseum International Conference: Reflecting on the Past, Reclaiming the Future
In 2025, CoMuseum marks its 15th anniversary – an opportunity to both reflect on the past 15 years of transformative museum practice while envisioning the future of museums as hopeful spaces.
This year’s conference frames museums as sites of human connection, imagination, healing and resilience. As global societies face increasing polarisation, rapid technological change and cultural fragmentation, we ask:
What does it mean to be human – and hopeful – today?
And if museums are stewards of the past and curators of our shared future, how can they cultivate a deeper, more sensitive and understanding approach to the human experience.
CoMuseum 2025 will explore the evolving role of museums in shaping a more inclusive, democratic and empathetic world. Through this dual lens – retrospective and forward-looking – we aim to imagine alternative futures and foster innovative practices that empower communities and redefine the cultural landscape.
Speakers
- Dr Wiebke Ahrndt – Director, Übersee-Museum Bremen (Germany)
- Sharon Ament – Director, London Museum (UK)
- Vassilis Charalampidis – Artistic Director, BIOS; President, European Creative Hubs Network (Greece)
- Stephanos Cherouvis – Senior Project Manager, Ecsite, European Network of Science Centres and Museums (Belgium)
- Maria Camilla de Palma – Founding Director of Castello D’Albertis Museum of World Cultures (Italy)
- Azra Bečević Šarenkapa – Museum Advisor, National Museum (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- Rosa Ferré – Co-director of TBA21 | Thyssen-Bornemisza Art (Spain)
- Natalie Giorgadze – General Director of Culture Action Europe
- Angeliki Grammatikopoulou – Art Historian, Exhibition Curator, Co-ordinator for the Museum of Migration, General Secretariat for Vulnerable Persons and Institutional Protection, Ministry of Migration and Asylum (Greece)
- Emmie Kell – Director Museums, Arts Council England (UK)
- Elina Kountouri – Director NEON, Organisation for Culture and Development D. Daskalopoulos (Greece)
- Joasia Krysa – Professor of Exhibition Research, Liverpool John Moores University and Liverpool Biennial (UK)
- Silke Krummel – CEO, Agency for International Museum Co-operation (Germany)
- Lizzy Moriarty – Independent museum consultant, Museum Expert, Museums Revisited, British Council (UK)
- Japheth ‘Jeff’ Monzon – Project Officer at Black South West Network, UnMuseum (UK)
- Heracles Moskoff – Secretary General for Vulnerable Persons and Institutional Protection, Ministry of Migration and Asylum (Greece)
- Daniel Muzyczuk – Director of Muzeum Sztuki (Poland)
- Liv Ramskjær – Secretary General, The Norwegian Museums Association (Norway)
- Lynn Scarff – Director of the National Museum of Ireland (Ireland)
- Dr Alessia Strozzi – Conservation Officer, Disaster Risk Reduction Specialist for Cultural Heritage (Italy)
- Culture for Change – (Greece)
Arts Council England Delegation
- Hannah Fox – Executive Director, Bowes Museum
- Sandra Shakespeare – Founder, Museum X (and leader of the Black British Museum project)
- Kim Streets – Chief Executive, Sheffield Museums Trust
- Dhikshana Turakhia Pering – Head of Creative Programmes, London Museum
Programme
- 3 December 2025: The conference will take place at the Benaki Museum (138 Pireos Street, Athens) – view the programme.
- 4 December 2025: A series of workshops and masterclasses will be held at the Benaki Museum (138 Pireos Street, Athens) – view the programme.
- 5 December 2025: The event will be held at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall (25 Martiou Street, Thessaloniki) – view the programme.
Registration
Registration for the CoMuseum Conference is now open – secure your place today!
Participation is free following registration.
Partnerships and support
The conference is organised by the British Council and the Benaki Museum, in collaboration with the Thessaloniki Concert Hall and the Norwegian Embassy.
Information
For further information on the CoMuseum and the Museums Revisited programme, please contact Maria Papaioannou at Maria.Papaioannou@britishcouncil.gr.
Past and future events
Previous editions of the International Conference for Museums are available on the CoMuseum website.
If you’d like to stay up to date with all our museum events, join our Museum Professionals Network, and register for our Arts newsletter and/or CoMuseum newsletter.
