atives ▁from ▁a ▁dozen ▁American ▁art ▁museum s , ▁during ▁which ▁they ▁voted ▁the ▁organization ▁into ▁existence . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Forum ' s ▁ad ▁h oc ▁committee ▁worked ▁closely ▁with ▁prominent ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Association ▁of ▁Art ▁Museum ▁Direct ors ▁( A AM D ), ▁including ▁Philippe ▁de ▁Monte b ello , ▁Anne ▁d ' H arn onc ourt , ▁Kath ar ine ▁Lee ▁Re id , ▁and ▁James ▁Wood ▁( disambiguation ). ▁Ear lier , ▁in ▁aut umn ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁the ▁Pres idents ▁Council ▁held ▁a ▁formal ▁discussion ▁with ▁senior ▁cur ators ▁regarding ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁A AM C , ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁that ▁cur ators ▁were ▁invited ▁to ▁speak ▁to ▁this ▁committee . ▁In ▁Spring ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁Mr . ▁de ▁Monte b ello ▁announced ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁A AM C ▁in ▁his ▁ke yn ote ▁address ▁at ▁a ▁col lo qu ium ▁spons ored ▁by ▁the ▁American ▁Federation ▁of ▁Arts , ▁and ▁in ▁July ▁of ▁that ▁year , ▁James ▁C uno , ▁then ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁A AM D , ▁wrote ▁an ▁official ▁letter ▁of ▁end ors ement . ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁more ▁than ▁ 3 0 0 ▁cur ators ▁from ▁across ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁attended ▁the ▁first ▁A AM C ▁convention ▁held ▁at ▁the ▁Metropolitan ▁Museum ▁of ▁Art . ▁ ▁The ▁A AM C ▁has ▁held ▁an ▁annual ▁meeting ▁in ▁each ▁subsequent ▁year ▁and ▁continues ▁to ▁build ▁membership