Inclusion 2025 + ICOM Report: Museums & COVID-19

As institutions realize their potential reach, the moral imperative of embodying diversity and inclusion becomes all the more clear. That is, as leaders making a positive impact on the lives of communities and individuals, museums have the power to create empathy, foster dialogue and cross-cultural learning, reduce social and economic barriers that negatively affect well-being, promote understanding and respect, and meet local needs in a way that builds stronger communities.” Inclusion 2025

Inclusion 2025: A Practitioner’s Guide to Inclusive Museums is one of many components of the Museum Accessibility, Inclusion and Engagement Collaborative (MAIEC) project that was launched in December of 2015 by the OMA, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) and the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI). The MAIEC project is our response to the challenge we posed to the broader museum community in the 2016 Conference, and a recognition of the needs we face as a sector to do better, and continue doing better, in truly being inclusive to the communities we serve.

Read the full guide and resources HERE.

In order to gather information about how the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak is affecting and
will effect the cultural sector in the short and long term, ICOM launched a global survey to
analyse the impact of lockdowns. The survey covered 5 themes: the current situation for
museums and staff, expected economic impact, digital resources and communication, museum security and conservation of collections, freelance museum professionals.

This report analyses almost 1,600 responses from museums and museum professionals
in 107 countries, across five continents, which were collected between 7 April and 7 May
2020.

Read the full report HERE.

The Virtual Museum of Canada is an investment program that helps Canadian museums and heritage organizations build digital capacity so we can all access a wide variety of stories and experience.

Co-presented by the Virtual Museum of Canada's Director Megan Richardson.

Webinar recording available online HERE.

Presentation slides available HERE. 

Are you missing your museum colleagues? Join the OMA every Wednesday morning for an informal chat and update. Every week there will be a brief presentation from OMA staff on a theme followed by an open discussion. This is an opportunity for you to connect with the OMA and with your colleagues across the province.

Meeting #8 – Wednesday, June 10, 2020 at 10am EST
Member Check-ins will be held in Zoom Meetings.

• Register in advance: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAodeGhqzgtGtXpNnLHdIhv63SYW8G9S26X
• After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
• Note: if you do not have a reliable internet connection, you can join by phone (cellular or landline) to hear and participate in the conversation.

In the midst of a pandemic that has brought an incredible amount of pain and suffering to so many of us, I know there’s a lot on your plate as a leader, and you are being pulled in multiple directions. Here are some steps you can take, as a museum leader:

• Check in with your staff members of color
• Ask your staff members of color what they need
• Consider making an internal statement

Read the full article HERE.

"Our collective hearts are saddened by the inhumane disregard for Black life as evidenced by the senseless killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Perry Floyd at the hands of disreputable police. We are all in mourning and we grieve as individuals, as parents, as grandparents, as brothers and as sisters.

History reveals that right here in what we now call Canada, state legislation, policies, and practices have long sanctioned the systemic exclusion and degradation of Black life since African people have been here, going back to the 1600s."

Read the full statement HERE.

Join Myseum for this panel discussion featuring a dramatic reading which looks at the lives of pioneers who paved a new path for a more inclusive Canada.

The panel discussion and dramatic reading is inspired by the book, "They Call Me George: The Untold Story of the Black Train Porters" by Cecil Foster. Cecil Foster will also be reading an excerpt from his book.

The dramatic reading is from a play written by Playwright Meghan Swaby for a Myseum Intersections project scheduled for this April. The dramatic reading will be performed by Peter Bailey.

This event is in Partnership with the City of Toronto and the Ontario Black History Society who will be showcasing historical artifacts from former Railway Porter, Stanley Grizzle.

Read more and Register HERE.

Here’s what you can expect from this webinar:

• Discover how you can design online programming to be engaging and effective
• Learn how to determine what types of virtual programming makes sense for your organization’s goals and audiences
• Hear innovative examples from diverse sector leaders in an honest conversation about transitioning programming online (Hint: it’s not just about using Zoom)
• Join the discussion and submit questions during the live Q & A discussion

Read more and Register HERE.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, many museums struggled to think and plan strategically. Since the crisis we have seen a disruption of pre-existing plans and increased attention paid to previously under-prioritized areas, most notably in the realm of digital engagement. This workshop will help museum professionals contemplate and create their own plausible, possible, and probable ‘museum of the future’ narratives and potential actions.

Read more and Register HERE.

Join Dan Sullivan (Head of Growth and Partnerships @ Cuseum), John Perell (Director of Strategy & Member Experience @ Smithsonian Institution), Melissa Dietrich (Associate Director, Membership @ Longwood Gardens) & Zach Winfield (Vice President @ Zoo Advisors) as they discuss what the onsite member experience may look like after coronavirus closures and going into the future.

Read more and Register 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