News / EMYA2024 testimonials by Museum Studio travel bursaries /

Since 2017, Museum Studio has been offering each year around 6 travel bursaries (previously known as the Events travel grants) that are awarded to the staff of museums nominated for EMYA who would otherwise be unable to attend, to emerging museum professionals – the next generation of innovators, as well as to the EMF National Correspondents.

We thank Museum Studio for its generous support and to our grantees for joining us in celebrating the EMYA2024 Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony in Portimão from 1 to 4 May 2024.

Here are the testimonials the 2024 grantees shared with us!
For more information about the Travel Grants please visit here

Yuliya Vaganova presenting at the EMYA2024

What an amazing experience!

It brings me great honour to represent the European Museum Forum as a Swedish National Correspondent and to have participated in the EMYA 2024 Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony in Portimão, Portugal.

It was incredible to meet museum professionals from all over Europe and hear about their inspiring work, challenges, and practices on “Museums in Pursuit of Social Impact”. I am deeply interested in efforts toward social inclusion in museums and the difference museums can make, as I believe they can.

The conference was an enriching experience for me. Seeing the dedication of our museum communities in serving citizens all over Europe was not only inspiring but also encouraging and empowering. We need to support each other and showcase examples of what the path towards more sustainable societies can look like and how museums can be places for constant innovation.

It was also a reminder to continue asking who is excluded and why, as Errol Francis, Artistic Director and CEO at Culture&, reminded us in his presentation. He also asked about how museums make us feel and the difference museums can make in the pursuit of social justice. What kind of diversity do our museums really include? Do museums represent and mirror the diversity of contemporary society? These were also questions raised by Sonia Solicari, Director of the Museum of the Home. Despite our similar challenges, it was particularly overwhelming to hear testimonies from colleagues where war is a brutal reality.

I am strengthened in my conviction of the value of collaboration, and the conference gave me a stronger sense of belonging to a community where great potential for collective change exists. As Nayat Karaköse reminded us, “Dialogue is our only recipe”.

I am grateful for all the discussions, shared experiences, professional practices, and new friendships.

I have served on the board of the Swedish Association for Exhibition Professionals, Forum för utställare, and participated on the jury for the Swedish Exhibition of the Year Award. I also serve as the board secretary of ICOM Sweden and have been appointed as the ICOM representative on the jury for the Swedish Museum of the Year Award, Årets Museum, which is a collaboration between ICOM Sweden and the Swedish National Museum Association, Riksförbundet Sveriges museer. My perspectives have expanded thanks to these professional settings and interactions with other museum professionals. Thus, I was thrilled to receive an invitation to join the European museum community and take part in The European Museum of the Year Award as the National Correspondent for Sweden. I am excited to contribute and appreciate this outstanding opportunity.

My deepest thanks to the Museum Studio Travel Grant for their valuable contribution to my participation. And a big shout-out to the jury and the amazing work they do. Finally, I would like to thank all who organised the conference.

Christian Penalva  
Head of Exhibitions at the Cultural Historical Museum Kulturen in Lund, Sweden


Wow! What a fantastic conference it has been! Four days of inspiration, discussions, exchange of experiences, and knowledge.

Lovely Portimão welcomed us warmly and hosted us wonderfully, for which I think we are all extremely grateful.

Before coming to the EMYA Conference, I watched all of the nominees' presentations so many times… and could not wait to learn more about those places during the event. And as the conference days passed, that's exactly what happened - we all had this amazing opportunity to visit fifty magical places without even leaving our seats. What I personally took home (apart from many tins of delicious sardines bought in Portimão Museum’s store ;-)) was a backpack of inspirations and amazing ideas that confirm what I already felt - that museum people are truly creative and devoted to their job.

What strikes me the most (and makes me happy) is the change I see in the way museums operate now – they are no longer dark, cold buildings presenting lifeless objects that intimidate those who enter, but become friendly spaces where one wants to spend valuable time (for example with families). They become places that cooperate with local communities and, what's more, where communities have influence on the way museums develop and speak about the past, present, and future.

I was surprised by the multimedia solutions presented by the Burrell Collection and by an extremely innovative approach to telling stories and building relationships with the community presented by the Kalamaja Museum. I found Siida - Sámi Museum and the Museum of Making very inspiring.

Additionally, as part of the conference, I took part in the workshop “The Thin Border Between Popularisation and Popularity. How Museums (Should? Can?) talk about difficult history” conducted by Paulina and Piotr from the Sybir Memorial Museum, which created an opportunity to discuss questions about any borders we can see in our museum work with people from so many different institutions.

For all these amazing experiences and memories I gathered, I would like to thank the representatives of Museum Studio, EMF Board of Trustees, and EMYA Jury who granted me the Travel Grant and enabled me to attend the EMYA2024 Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony.

Joanna Michalska 
Mazovian Museum in Płock, Poland, EMYA2024 Nominee


I am very grateful for the travel grant that enabled me to attend the EMYA - European Museum of the Year Awards 2024, held on 1-4 May in Portimão. Organised by the European Museum Forum and hosted by the Municipality of Portimão, the conference was an enriching experience that provided valuable insights and opportunities for professional growth.

The theme of the event, "Museums in Pursuit of Social Impact," was particularly relevant, emphasising the crucial role of museums in fostering social change, promoting inclusivity, and addressing contemporary societal issues. Throughout the conference, I attended numerous sessions that offered fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to museum practice. The keynote presentations and discussions were particularly impactful and deserving of emphasis.

One of the highlights was witnessing the announcement of the winners in various categories. The Sámi Museum Siida in Finland received the European Museum of the Year Award for its exemplary efforts in ethical participation and inclusive conservation practices. It was inspiring to learn about their commitment to creating new opportunities for local communities and fostering cultural dialogue.

The conference also provided important networking opportunities. I engaged with museum professionals from across Europe, including former award winners and other nominees. These interactions have already led to potential collaborations and significantly expanded my professional network.

I extend my sincere gratitude to the grant committee and all those involved in making this opportunity possible. This experience has been instrumental in my role as the National Correspondent for the European Museum Forum and in my professional development. The knowledge and connections gained will significantly benefit my work moving forward.

Thank you once again for your support.

Best regards,
Lana Karaia, EMF National Correspondent, Georgia


Thank you so much, Museum Studio, for enabling me to participate in EMYA2024!

I have been working in the museum sphere for a relatively short time – 5 years. Despite this brief period, it has been an intense journey, convincing me that there is nothing more fulfilling than working in a museum. Attending EMYA2024 in Portimão marks a professional milestone I had only dreamed of! The conference offered invaluable insights for every museum professional. Amidst daily challenges, museum work can become intensely focused, sometimes losing sight of the broader perspective. EMYA provided the opposite experience – with 50 presentations from nominated museums across Europe, it broadened my understanding of key themes and trends in the museum sector, highlighting universal joys and struggles.

Keynote lectures were particularly enriching, setting a robust museological backdrop for the conference. I attended from dual roles as co-curator of Kalamaja Museum and project manager of collections at Estonian Maritime Museum, and found the conference deeply relevant to both positions.

Unexpectedly, EMYA provided a sense of validation through the nomination and judging process. With the Kalamaja Museum team, sharing our museum's journey with EMYA judge Dominika Mroczkowska-Rusiniak was profoundly affirming and inspiring. The nomination process allowed us to revisit the whirlwind of creating a museum with and for our community. Witnessing community members' joy and pride during the Silletto Prize celebrations was truly moving. Seeing them acknowledged on a European level for sharing their stories and support was beautiful.

I am immensely grateful to EMYA and The European Museum Forum for empowering museum professionals and community members alike. Thank you! Aitäh!

Laura Jamsja
Curator, Kalamaja Museum, the Winner of the Silletto Prize for Community Participation and Engagement 2024


I attended both the EMYA2024 Annual Conference and Ceremony in Portimão on behalf of Museum of the Home.

The range of museums shortlisted was hugely inspirational and I came away with so many notes and ideas from colleagues across the sector, through many brilliant and often humbling presentations.

I very much valued the networking opportunities throughout the conference at which everyone was so open in sharing both the joys and challenges of creating a museum for the twenty-first century. I have made both new contacts and new friends - which is encouraging me to keep a more international perspective on our work back in London.

I was particularly honoured to collect the Meyvaert Museum Prize for Environmental Sustainability on behalf of Museum of the Home. The award has been a huge boost for the Museum team and motivated us to try even harder in our pursuit of a happier planet and in understanding the powerful role of museums in changing lives.

I extend heartfelt thanks to Museum Studio for their generous sponsorship of the travel grant without which Museum of the Home would not have been able to send a representative.

With huge gratitude and many happy memories.  
Sonia Solicari, Director, Museum of the Home


The EMYA nominee list has automatically determined my travelling and internship destinations for many years. For the last year, I have been working in Europe. This is a new experience for me, sometimes it feels like I am at the beginning of my professional journey again. Therefore, the opportunity to see the best museum practices, get acquainted with colleagues, and agree on cooperation is a unique chance for which I am very grateful to Museum Studio. Several days of an intense programme, with conversations during lunches, dinners, concerts, performances, I had no time to understand anything about the city of Portimão, because I wanted to listen to all the presentations and be saturated with the ideas and inspiration that were in the air. 

My biggest impressions are related to the Khanenko Museum and the Kalamaja Museum. These museums are, of course, very different and in different settings. But both have flexibility, courage, creativity, and absolute love and trust in people. For me, these are definitely the museums of the future. 

I was very pleased that many museums sent large teams to the conference. This is very cool, it is truly honest, teamwork of like-minded people. In general, I was pleasantly surprised by the very friendly and easy atmosphere of the event. The care of the organisers was felt at every step, and its highest point was the edible souvenirs. When I brought home the museum's tinned sardines, my children said: a normal museum is a museum with good food. I must admit that this is a wise observation. 

I think this meeting was a reward not only for the winners, but for all the participants for their work and creativity this year. I will be very happy to meet my colleagues in the new season. 

Vera Yarilina, Sachsenhausen Museum, Germany


In 2023, the Khanenko Museum applied for the EMYA award for the first time and was selected among the nominees. We thank the members of the jury who were brave enough to come to Kiev to evaluate the work of the museum during the war.

Daring to take part in the competition was a bold step for the museum, as the collection is currently under conservation due to the danger of shelling by Russia. But the museum offered an innovative and strong concept of the institution's action, which can continue to work, becoming a place for rethinking history and inventing new methods of work and ways of expression. In addition, we talked about the dignity of serving the profession, developing the resilience and resistance of the institution and society. We did not receive an award in the final, and it would be important for us to receive comments from the professional jury about our work. This is important for us, and we would see it as respect for the daily work of our colleagues despite the shelling and dramatic working conditions.

Thanks to the grant, we had the opportunity to participate in the conference, to be in the field of professional communication with colleagues from other European countries, and to exchange experiences. The organisation of the conference presented the highest professional level of preparation and is a model for events of this level (from the application to the programme of excursions that were able to immerse us in the context of the city and the history of the region). Creating a safe, professional and friendly communication field is of great value to us today. We sincerely thank the conference coordinator Pedro Branco for his accompanying participation, support, and great human empathy.

Thanks to the participation, we were able to analyse the concepts of other museums and talk with colleagues about their projects. Most of the presented projects arouse sincere admiration for the work of colleagues and their level of professionalism. For our part, we were able to compare our concept and draw certain conclusions regarding the clear articulation of the idea and the appropriateness of participation - when we decided not to present a new building or an updated exposition, but to talk about the essence of the role and meaning of the museum institution even with the empty walls.

We hope that the concept presented by us found a response among the participants, as many colleagues expressed their gratitude and respect for our work and the innovativeness of our approaches. This is an important professional distinction for us and provides energy for further progress.

Sincerely and with great respect to all the EMYA team,

Yuliya Vaganova
Director General
The Bohdan and Varvara Khanenko National Museum of Arts, Kyiv


From May 1 to 4, 2024, I had the honour of attending the European Museum of the Year Conference and Award Ceremony, held by the European Museum Forum in the city of Portimão, Portugal. This year, our Museum was one of the 50 European museums selected among the nominees.

The conference provided an opportunity to share experiences, learn about the successes and challenges of the European museum community, and establish international connections for further inter-institutional projects.

It was important for me to share our Museum's experience of working during the full-scale Russian invasion that involved our team's efforts to document the ongoing war through collecting the artefacts and testimonies, as well as to reveal the war realities in the exhibition projects in Ukraine and abroad. The EMYA Annual Conference also provided a platform to present our commemorative initiatives and address the challenges the Museum faces almost daily in the extreme conditions of the Russian invasion.

To overcome the obviously unfavourable circumstances for museum work in Ukraine now, the Ukrainian institutions should develop international communication, particularly in order to implement the best and most successful approaches of our colleagues throughout Europe. Therefore, participation in the panel discussion with the other participants from the European “traumatising history” museums, as well as witnessing the presentations of the museums from different clusters, was an important experience for me as the museum director.

It is important for me to emphasise the attention of the organisers and audience to the problem of protecting the Ukrainian cultural heritage from the threats of Russian aggression. In particular, the remarkable event for the entire cultural sector of Ukraine was awarding my Ukrainian colleague Ihor Poshyvailo, Director General of the National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity, with the Kenneth Hudson Award for Institutional Courage and Professional Integrity.

I am grateful to the European Museum Forum and the Museum Studio for the opportunity to participate in the EMYA Conference and Award Ceremony of 2024 and to represent the work of our Museum during the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war. I firmly believe that these events, marked by the representation of several Ukrainian museums, have an important role in developing the cultural resilience of Ukraine and the entire Europe in the face of modern threats, and contribute significantly to building lasting international cultural cooperation.

Yurii Savchuk
Director General,
National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War