Announcing ICS 2021 Keynote Speaker Jisgang Nika Collison

Looking Ahead Together

In 2016, the Ontario Museum Association (OMA) created an action plan to support a strong and successful museum sector in Ontario and an effective and collaborative workforce. In 2021, this work is ongoing and evolving, and the OMA is building a network of museums and museum professionals to ensure that a diversity of voices are recognized and considered in decision making and program planning.

As the museum sector finds its place in a changing and uncertain environment, the OMA seeks to respond to the interests of members at all career stages and in all areas of practice, and to ensure that resources are used to support sector efforts and avoid duplication. As the OMA considers the creation of its new strategic plan and ways to support the sector's digital transformation, we wish to establish mechanisms that ensure the input of members is consistently and continuously solicited and incorporated.

An Invitation to Participate

The OMA invites members to join the Professional Development Advisory Committee and 2021 Conference Program Committee.

• Do you want to get more involved in the Ontario museum community? 
• Do you want to help create learning opportunities that are inspiring, engaging, challenging, and inclusive? 

We have two committees with open invitations for participation, join us!

Opportunity 1: OMA Professional Development Advisory Committee

• The purpose of this committee is to provide guidance and feedback to the OMA regarding the professional development needs and priorities of museum workers in Ontario in order to plan valuable and dynamic learning opportunities. 
• 1 or 2 year commitment, quarterly meetings

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

Opportunity 2: OMA Annual Conference 2021 Program Committee

• Develop the call for proposals and select conference speakers and activities that reflect sector needs and create an engaging Conference for delegates.
• 1 year commitment, monthly meetings

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

Feel free to submit expressions of interest for both opportunities.

Questions? Email pd@museumsontario.ca

 

The OMA’s first virtual conference was a success! With a new format came new possibilities, and we want to share some highlights from this transformed version of our Annual Conference.

We were pleased to welcome The Honourable Lisa McLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, who addressed OMA delegates and answered important questions about the future of Ontario's museums.  

Couldn’t join us for the OMA conference 2020? We want to hear from you!

Click HERE to complete a 5 minute, anonymous survey about the factors that influence your conference participation decisions. Your input will help us design an OMA Annual Conference in 2021 that suits your needs, and make participation in 2021 even more accessible and inviting to all members of our community.

Thursday, March 25
1:30 PM EST Keynote Address

Ang.nga hll kuuyada: It Is Precious To Me
Presented by Jisgang Nika Collison, Executive Director and Curator of the Haida Gwaii Museum.

“By nature, museums reflect the social climate they exist within. Responsible museums bring attention to historic and current paradigms, all the while looking to the future. […] Saahlinda Naay Saving Things House (a.k.a. the Haida Gwaii Museum) is not an institution in and of itself; rather, it is part of the institution that makes up Haida society, Canadian society, and beyond. Working with mainstream museums to repair some of our shared history and redirect common rhetoric is bringing two worlds together and, is in fact, creating a new one." 

Jisgang Nika Collison belongs to the Kaay'ahl Laanas clan of the Haida Nation. She is executive director and curator of the Haida Gwaii Museum at Kay Llnagaay and has worked in the field of Indigenous language, arts and heritage for more than 20 years. Deeply committed to reconciliation, Nika is a senior repatriation negotiator for her Nation, pursuing reparation and relationships with mainstream museums and other institutions on a global scale.

Join us for Jisgang Nika Collison’s keynote at the online Symposium on March 25 at 1:30 pm EST.

Click here to see the Program and Register

A limited number of bursaries are available for individuals from Indigenous organizations. Find out more HERE.

Strengthening our Bonds is an online social and networking gathering on March 24, 2021 hosted by the Canadian Museum of History Indigenous Internship Program. 

Participants will have the unique opportunity to:

• Meet new people from Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations and communities, and take part in live virtual conversations in large and small group settings 
• Exchange insights and experiences, and gain fresh perspectives to bring inspiration to your career
• Network with like-minded professionals across Ontario and beyond!

All participants at the Indigenous Collections Symposium can access this event at no additional charge. But separate sign-up is required, as this gathering will be tailored to fit participants’ interests and goals. Be sure to register for the symposium early and sign-up for Strengthening our Bonds by Friday, February 26th! 

Museums in Context
Format: Online
Dates: May 3 - July 11, 2021
Course Director: Amber Lloydlangston, Museum London

Participants are introduced to the social history and development of museums through an exploration of a series of themes and contexts. These include: The Historical Context (museum origins; Towards a Contemporary Definition of "Museum"), The Professional Context (Changing Nature of the Museum Workforce; Tools to Support Professionalism), The Social Context (Museums & Forces of Change, Envisioning the Future of Museums).

Log into your Individual Member account and click on My Courses to register.

Find out more about the Certificate in Museum Studies Program HERE.

Questions? Email pd@museumsontario.ca

Thursday, February 18
1:00 PM EST

Charity Village is hosting a live, online workshop to learn advanced tools and tangible skills to build trust and connection online faster. This webinar is designed for those communicating online 1-1 or in groups. This seminar is brought to you by Build a Biz Kids and the generosity of the Canadian Red Cross.

Some topics include reducing zoom fatigue for you and your team; building trust faster and more authentically with new clients or students; and how to increase your confidence and feel more connected when interacting with others online.

Register HERE.

February 24, 2021
12:00 PM – 1:15 PM EST

While the global pandemic has accelerated the use of online solutions, tools, and services, it has also exposed that a digitally enabled world works for some, but not all equally. This discussion gathers international perspectives to discuss meaningful and relevant digital strategies, to identify new partnerships and models of working, to consider what a hybrid world might look like, and how to move forward the sector together.

Read more and register HERE.

Watch Digital Engagement Series Session #1:
Digital Collaboration: Context and Needs HERE.

Watch Digital Engagement Series #2: One by One HERE.

Do you know an individual or an organization who has worked to create opportunities and break down barriers for Ontarians with disabilities?

The David C. Onley Award for Leadership in Accessibility remains open for nominations until February 26, 2021.  

There are four award categories: 

• the Employee Engagement Award
• the Role Model Award and 
• the Youth Leadership Award  
• Honour Roll Award

The Employee Engagement, Role Model, and Youth Leadership categories are all individual awards, with each recipient receiving an award of $5,000.

For more information, click HERE.

Thursday, March 4th
3:00pm EST

Join the Bytown Museum as they discuss today's issues being addressed by museums, galleries and science centres across Canada, in a panel featuring:
 
Alex Badzak - CEO, Ottawa Art Gallery
Marie Chapman - CEO, Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21
Margaret Beckel - CEO, Canadian Museum of Nature
Sandy Baumgartner - CEO, Saskatchewan Science Centre
Vanda Vitali - Executive Director, Canadian Museums Association

Admission is Pay-What-You-Wish. Click the link below to register. 

Read more and register HERE.

Wednesday, March 3 and Thursday, March 4

This year's Arts Ahead, run by Centennial College students, will explore wellness in the arts and cultural sector to promote physical, emotional, and financial health. Inspired by the pressing need to remove the stigma surrounding mental health and wellness discussions, especially in the COVID-19 pandemic, Arts Ahead encourages people to reflect on how to take care of themselves and others. 

Read more HERE.

Thursday, March 11th

Join Galeries Ontario Galleries for a workshop focusing on how galleries can work with artists to strengthen their collection. Discussions may include alternate methods of collecting, supporting artists through art making, how to work with artists and your collection, and the impacts of donations on artists.  

Read more and register HERE.

The PSHSA has provided a new online training resource to help Ontario workers recognize and prevent infectious hazards in the workplace. Developed in consultation with infection control consultants and epidemiologists, this eLearning program is designed to equip workers with knowledge in how infections spread and what action can be taken to protect themselves and others from infectious hazards in the workplace.

Read more HERE.

 

If you are already an OMA member, please renew your membership when you receive an email reminder. If you are not a member, please consider joining, either as an institution or an individual. You can find information about member categories and benefits on our website.

Please also consider making a donation to the OMA on our website or through Canada Helps.

Your support of the OMA and your participation in events like this webinar make us stronger as a sector, and we appreciate each and everyone one of you.

An OMA membership connects you with our network of over 1000 members, representing 700 museums, galleries, and heritage sites across the province. In addition, an OMA membership provides you with the latest news via the ONmuseums newsletter, eNews alerts, and COVID-19 resources to mitigate impact for Ontario museums, galleries and heritage sites.

 

The OMA has prepared a dedicated webpage of COVID-19 communications and resources, updated as new information and resources become available.

Read more HERE.

For all questions or inquiries please contact the OMA: community@museumsontario.ca or call 416-348-8672 / 1-866-662-8672.

Marie G. Lalonde
Executive Director
mlalonde@museumsontario.ca