On October 12, Canadian Heritage invited National, Provincial, and Territorial Museums Association (NPTMA) colleagues to an information session on the new National Museum Policy and its development. ED Marie Lalonde participated to represent the OMA.
The new international museum definition (ICOM) will serve as a reference, and the OMA is working with NPTMAs to ensure that the process includes consideration of museums' budget size, type, and governance models. Current priorities for the process include: advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, particularly regarding access to and repatriation of Indigenous cultural property and ancestral remains; furthering digital transformation; encouraging equity, diversity and inclusion to engage all Canadians; and seeking opportunities for improved financial stability.
To ensure our institutions are sustainable in broadest sense, this policy must address current and emerging issues of impact for the museum sector, including climate change and ongoing financial challenges. NPTMA and federal colleagues have also brought forward the current context of workforce sustainability. Other jurisdictions and best practices will inform how our sector can also work to be responsive and innovative in meeting the needs of our communities.
To help address all these sectoral areas of interest, Canada's museums associations can be supported and recognized for their high impact and effective use of resources.
Consultations are expected to begin Fall 2022, museums across Canada can expect a survey as part of this phase of consultations--look for updates in coming editions of ONmuseums as they become available! |
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Next Steps from Canadian Heritage:
Starting Fall 2022:
- Launch of a public website sharing information about the consultations and related resources
- Start of consultation process, including:
- Open public consultations
- Meaningful consultations with First Nations, Métis and Inuit
- FPTCH Table face à face discussion
- Direct online consultations with museums and other stakeholders, including academia and experts
- Virtual regional roundtable discussions with stakeholders on the following themes: 1) role in society, 2) resilience, 3) reconciliation, 4) equity, diversity and inclusion, and 5) preservation and access
- Discussions with the Canadian Museums Association and provincial/territorial museum and archival associations to validate what we have heard.
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Download the presentation slides from Canadian Heritage HERE.
Téléchargement: Politique muséale séance d'information FR est ici. |
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Municipal Elections and Your Museum
Ontario Museum Association (OMA)
The OMA has prepared a toolkit of tips for advocacy and steps to engage all candidates through social media in advance of Ontario’s municipal government elections on Monday October 24, 2022.
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Municipalities are a major funder for many museums in the province. For the 94% of museums in Ontario with annual revenue under $2 million, municipalities contribute 50% of total funding (Ontario’s Museums 2014 Profile). Municipalities matter to museums, and museums matter to their communities.
Steps to Museum Advocacy with Municipal Elections
Why advocate?
- Building relationships with candidates in the municipal election ensures that candidates are aware of the important role museums have in their community, and the role of their municipality in supporting those museums
- Municipalities can help museums retain and grow stable funding, build partnerships and provide better service and reach wider audiences
- With municipal support, museums can help revitalize downtown areas, improve local quality of life, attract and retain a skilled workforce, and enhance feelings of belonging in the community
1. Make a list of the ways you benefit your local community:
- what programs do you run?
- how do your exhibitions help tell local stories?
- what role do you play as a local tourism advocate?
- how do you serve as a place of education for children, youth, and adults?
- how do you engage with specific groups (seniors, newcomers, etc.)?
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2. Tell candidates what your museum does for your community
through social media!
The main ways of engaging with all candidates include in-person meetings and social media a) View our guidelines on how to engage in-person HERE. b) Engage through social media:
- Post content about the priorities/successes for your museum (Step 1)
- Tag all local candidates in posts
- Use #MuseumsConnectON and tag the OMA @MuseumsOntario on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
- Use pictures whenever possible
- OR share OMA's sample posts with fast facts and graphics HERE.
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| Sample Posts - “Museums, galleries, and heritage sites are found across every region of the province. That means there are more than 700 institutions in Ontario that are committed to their local community and economy. #MuseumsConnectON @MuseumsOntario” Read more HERE. |
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Registered charities must stay nonpartisan. Registered charities are not allowed to support or oppose a candidate for office and this includes municipal elections. However, registered charities can still engage in a wide variety of nonpartisan advocacy activities like:
- All-candidates debates
- Pledges that candidates can sign on to
- Petitions, flyers, and other issue-based awareness raising tools
To learn more about the rules, read this guide put out by the Canada Revenue Agency.
Who is eligible to vote: You can find more information about who is eligible to vote, how to vote and how you can support candidates in Ontario municipal council and school board election HERE. |
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Resources
OMA - Municipal Elections and Your Museum
Other
City of Toronto
- ArtsVote 2022 Report Card - Art Vote (All mayoral and councilor candidates were requested to complete a survey outlining key policy areas pertinent to the health of the arts and artists in Toronto)
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| The Ontario Museum Association is the province’s only professional association dedicated to museums and those who work and volunteer in them. The Ontario Museum Association is a registered non-profit and does not endorse a specific candidate or party. |
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24 days until OMA Annual Conference 2022!
Still time to register and apply for a bursary
Join us in Hamilton on Nov. 7! We are so thrilled to welcome members back to both an in-person and online conference this year. Learn more and register HERE. Consider applying to the Canadian Museums Association Conference Bursary. Read more HERE.
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Trillium Foundation announces recipients of Resilient Communities Fund
$28 million to 279 non-profit organizations
The Ontario Trillium Foundation announced the recent grant recipients of the Resilient Communities Fund. Over $28 million has been invested into 279 non-profit organizations as they adapt their programs and services and meet changing community need. Museum recipients include: - Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre - Museoparc Vanier Museopark - Canadian Language Museum - Fashion History Museum - The Art Gallery at Harbourfront (operating as The Power Plant) - Oakville Galleries - The Robert McLaughlin Gallery - Gallery Stratford Read more from the Ontario Trillium Foundation here. |
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FedNor investing nearly $9.7 million
in Northern Ontario’s tourism sector
Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
On September 27, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor, announded FedNor investments totalling $9,654,641 to protect, strengthen, and grow Northern Ontario’s tourism sector. Funding has been made available through both the Tourism Relief Fund and FedNor’s Northern Ontario Development Program. These investments will support 74 tourism projects in municipalities and Indigenous communities across the region, and support the creation and maintaining of over 280 jobs. Museum recipients of funding include: - Muskoka Steamships & Discovery Centre - Lake of Bays Marine Museum and Navigation Society - Ontario Bushplane Heritage and Forest Fire Education Centre - Ojibwe Cultural Foundation - Manitou Mounds Foundation (Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Historical Centre) - Seine River First Nation multi-use cultural centre Read more from the FedNor media release HERE. |
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Government of Canada/FedDev invests in Ontario
Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
FedDev Ontario invests over $2.4 million to revitalize tourism sector in Waterloo Region
On October 11, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced a total investment of over $2.4 million from the Government of Canada to support the full-scale return of K-W Oktoberfest and three projects in the tourism sector in Waterloo Region under the Tourism Relief Fund. THEMUSEUM in Kitchener will use funds to "Upgrade the public entrance, expand the Art and Technology at Play Project, and add additional safety and accessibility features." Read more from the FedDev Ontario media release HERE.
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Government of Canada invests over $8.2 million in community infrastructure and tourism projects in Niagara region
On October 12, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced over $8.2 million in support for 34 tourism and community infrastructure projects in the Niagara region. She was joined by Chris Bittle, Member of Parliament for St. Catharines, and Vance Badawey, Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre. These investments, through the Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF) and the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF), will create and revitalize community spaces and enhance tourism attractions to welcome more visitors and build stronger, more vibrant communities. The announcement was hosted by the City of St. Catharines, which received a non-repayable contribution of more than $175,000 to renovate the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre. With this investment, the City will install new museum exhibits and make the entrance more accessible. "The St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre is grateful for this funding which is providing the Museum the opportunity to bring the stories of the people of our community to life in a new way. This funding is helping us to make gallery improvements that will provide our visitors with new exhibits and make upgrades to our facility's accessibility, making it easier for people of all abilities to access the stories we have to tell."– Kathleen Powell, Supervisor of Historical Services/Curator, St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre Additional museum recipients include the Niagara Parks Commission and the Grimsby Public Library and Art Gallery. Read more from the FedDev Ontario media release HERE. |
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(pictured left to right) Fred MacKay, Billy Bishop Museum Board Director and Family Representative; Gloria Habart, Board Chair; MPP Rick Byers
Grant helps Billy Bishop Museum keep soaring
$34,600 from Community Building Fund makes collections more accessible
MPP Rick Byers met with the team at the Billy Bishop Museum to hear about the impact of the $34,600 Community Building Fund grant it received in 2021. The grant was awarded by the Government of Ontario and the Ontario Trillium Foundation and has helped the museum take the key step of making its collections more accessible. Through the web edition of PastPerfect, the museum’s extensive collection of artifacts will be viewable and searchable by anyone with internet access, on their phones, desktops, laptops and tablets. Funds from the grant were used to help with the costs of PastPerfect licenses, some staffing and critical operational costs. “I congratulate the Billy Bishop Museum for all their work in making their amazing exhibits more accessible and interactive through the grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. This is a great way to enhance the customer experience of the museum, which is such an important part of our local community.” MPP Rick Byers, Bruce-Grey Owen Sound Read more from MPP Rick Byers' media release HERE. |
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Minister Lumsden visits Science North
The Honourable Neil Lumsden, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, visited Science North on October 4th, stating on Twitter: "As one of Ontario's largest and most popular tourist attractions, we're happy to support their contributions to our economy and their dedicated engagement with Indigenous communities." Minister Lumsden is pictured with Science North CEO Ashley Rose.
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Canadian Fire Fighters Museum is offered lease by Cobourg Council
Northumberland News
Two potential uses for the vacant Memorial Arena property proved more than appealing to Cobourg municipal council, which has chosen the Canadian Fire Fighters Museum (CFFM) to lease the Memorial Arena for its operations. Cobourg council gave its approval for staff to negotiate a lease with the Canadian Fire Fighters Museum at its meeting on Monday, Oct. 3. The reactivating of the Memorial Arena facility has long been a goal of the Memorial Arena ad hoc committee and of town staff since the Furnace Street arena closed its doors in August of 2019. Read more from Northumberland News HERE. |
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Minister Rickford visits
Fort Frances Museum
The Honourable Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development and Minister of Indigenous Affairs and MPP for Kenora--Rainy River, visited the Fort Frances Museum and Cultural Centre to view their exhibit on the history of Fort Frances' Culturama festival. Minister Rickford is pictured with Museum Curator Kayleigh Speirs. Photograph by Tom Thomson.
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Creating cross-border Black history connections in Chatham-Kent region
Windsor Star
The wheels are in motion to create more connections with Black history sites in the Chatham-Kent region to those close by in the United States to focus on shared history. “We want to focus on a program that connects our shared history . . . specifically the region of the Underground Railroad,” Claudia Valladolid, public engagement co-ordinator with the U.S. Consulate, said. Read more from Windsor Star HERE. |
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Mural project with Museum London creates social connection for London, Ont., seniors living in community housing
CBC News
For residents living at London Middlesex Community Housing's (LMCH) Kent Street site, a wall mural project was more than a welcome passtime to develop a sense of community coming out pandemic restrictions. Seniors who are taking part in the six-week project say they hope to re-energize their building, making it a vibrant social setting that existed before the pandemic hit. LMCH curated the idea alongside Museum London and the Creative Age Network, a group of retired seniors working with local organizations to coordinate activities and events for older adults. Its goal is to allow residents to collaborate and build relationships with each other. Read more from CBC HERE. |
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OMA Online Annual General Meeting
The Ontario Museum Association will hold its 2022 Annual General Meeting virtually on Friday, October 28, 2022 at 10:00a.m. to 11:00a.m. Members can participate by registering HERE.Please find the following AGM documents HERE:- AGM Agenda
- 2021 AGM Minutes
- Audited Summary Financial Statements 2021-2022
- Council Nominations Slate
- Call for Members of the 2023 Nominations Committee
- AGM Motion Form
- AGM Proxy Form
Call for Members for the 2023 Nominations CommitteeThe OMA is calling for nominations for up to three individual OMA members in good standing who would be interested and willing to serve as members of the 2023 Nominations Committee to be elected by members at the AGM. Please fill out the Nominations form by October 14, 2022 and send it to nominations@museumsontario.ca. Contact UsFor questions or more information By email at membership@museumsontario.ca or By phone at 416-348-8672 or toll-free in Ontario 1-866-662-8672
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An Opportunity to Recognize our
Esteemed Colleagues
Deadline for submissions: October 17, 2022
Is there someone at your organization who has retired (or will retire) between October 2021 and November 2022?
In 2019 the OMA started a tradition of recognizing our colleagues who have retired in the past year at the annual OMA Awards reception. This year we look forward to continuing the tradition in person in Hamilton!
Share the following information with us so that we can honour the contributions that these individuals have made to our dynamic sector.
- Name
- Organization
- Title
- Retirement date
- Photo
- How long they worked in museums and/or at the organization from which they retired
- Some other interesting fact or anecdote about what they achieved in their career
Send submissions to pd@museumsontario.caWatch the retiree videos from 2020 and 2021 HERE. Notes: Submissions are welcome to recognize retirees in any role at an organization.
Retirees do not need to be present at the in-person event to be recognized. |
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| Let's get together! 2022 is the Ontario Museum Association’s 50th Anniversary, and we are so thrilled to welcome members back to both an in-person and online conference this year! Discover the fascinating speakers, sessions and exhibitors: |
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Leadership and Uncertainty: Supporting our Teams and Ourselves through Uncharted Territory
Speaker: Dorota Blumczyńska, CEO, Manitoba Museum Joining the Manitoba Museum offered Dorota the opportunity to fulfill her purpose of celebrating our shared humanity. In the midst of COVID and the resulting uncertainty, Dorota brought visionary leadership, great enthusiasm, and renewed hope for the future. Having personally experienced the Manitoba Museum as a child refugee, she believes it has the opportunity to meaningfully contribute to inclusivity and community cohesion, leaning into its purpose as a living institution and centre for intercultural dialogue. Prior to coming to the Manitoba Museum, Dorota was the Executive Director of the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba Inc. During her thirteen-year tenure, Dorota led the organization through a period of rapid growth, innovation, and increased impact and influence. Her deep sense of social justice and equity shaped her leadership of one of Manitoba’s largest and most dynamic settlement and community development organizations.
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| Session Highlight: November 7th In Person |
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Keeping Things in One Place: The Hamilton Civic Museum's Goal to Create Central Storage
Speakers: Franca Hicks, Curator of Collections, City of Hamilton Civic Museums and Shannon Coles, Conservator, City of Hamilton Civic Museums
With over 60,000 artifacts located across various locations across the city the Collections and Conservation teams of the Hamilton Civic Museums have been working on centralizing the collections. Their focus is on assessing each of the storage locations, redesigning key spaces to better utilize space, create better environments, track and care for the artifacts with limited resources. This presentation will focus on the site assessments and planning process of this centralization project and progress up to date.
Read more HERE.
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| Session Highlight: November 21st Online |
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Mould in the Collection: Artifact Move and Planning
Speakers: Andrea Carswell, Museum Collection Specialist, Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archive and Emily Ricketts, Head of Conservation and Collections Care, museumpros art services inc.
Since 2019, the Peel Art Gallery Museum + Archives (PAMA) has been conducting a storage renewal project after discovering mould in their collection of over 14,000 objects. Join Andrea Carswell (PAMA) and Emily Ricketts (museumspros art services inc.) as they walk through the decision-making process of this extensive conservation and collections management event.
Read more HERE.
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Conference Connections Mentorship Program
Deadline Extension - October 14!
Join us as a mentor or mentee on Monday November 7, 2022 at the OMA Annual Conference in Hamilton for your very own Conference Connection!
Conference Connections is a successful mentorship program co-coordinated by the Group of Ontario Emerging Museum Professionals Committee (GOEMP) and the Ontario Museum Association (OMA). It is designed to introduce Emerging Museum Professionals (EMPs) to more established museum professionals, facilitating professional networking and exchange.
Note: Mentors and mentees will be paired before Conference and can meet during the networking break (1:45 - 2:30pm).
Register as a Mentor or Mentee by October 14, 2022 HERE. |
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Post-Conference Study Tours
See you in Hamilton! We are thrilled to share the 2022 OMA Study Tours on Tuesday November 8, proceeding the Annual Conference. Explore the local area’s culture and heritage with two engaging tours: Dundas Museum and Archives and Hamilton Civic Museums.
The Dundas Experience
Dundas Museum and Archives (Dundas, ON)
9:30am - 5:00pm
It’s the Little Things: Small Steps Towards Continuous Improvement at the Hamilton Civic Museums
Hamilton, ON
9:30pm - 5:00pm
Learn about the itineraries and register HERE.
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Study Tours will depart from the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel (116 King Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8P 4V3) and return to the same location. All transportation, admission to each site and lunch is included in the registration fee.
Learn about the Registration Terms, Conditions & Cancellation Policy HERE.
If you have any particular accessibility requirements, and did not note these on your registration form, please reach out to our Professional Development Assistant, Megan Brohm, at conference@museumsontario.ca or the OMA office by phone at 416-348-8672 or 1-866-662-8672 by October 21, 2022. If you would like to be responded to by a particular method, such as email or telephone, please specify your preference.
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We look forward to gathering with you at OMA Annual Conference!
- Monday, November 7, 2022 In-person (Hamilton) – select sessions live-streamed
- Tuesday, November 8, 2022 (Hamilton) Study Tours
- Monday, November 21, 2022 Online – Full day of interactive online sessions
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Book Your Accommodation for the In-person Conference HERE.In case of unavailability on hotel rooms at the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel on November 7, a number of rooms have been set aside for OMA delegates at Staybridge Suites Hamilton - Downtown (5 minute walk from the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel). Book your accommodation HERE.Learn about the Health & Wellbeing Policies and Practices HERE.
Learn about the Registration Terms, Conditions & Refund Policy HERE.Contact Us:Email: conference@museumsontario.caTel: 416-348-8672 Toll-free in Ontario: 1-866-662-8672
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Time for Change; Time for Action -
CMA's federal budget submission
Canadian Museums Association (CMA)
October 8, 2022 - Museums can provide Canadians with solid ground on which to pause and reflect on a way forward out of the uncertainty of today...But if museums are to play their unique role in healing our society and in helping Canadians imagine a better future together, the issues and challenges they face must be acknowledged and acted on immediately. This submission spells out immediate actions the Government of Canada can take to this end.
A more immediate area of policy focus for the Government is the Report’s [Moved to Action: Activating UNDRIP in Canadian Museums] call for dedicated financial support for the repatriation of Indigenous belongings, as well as for Indigenous cultural centres and Indigenous-led national heritage organizations.
- Recommendation 1: That the Government of Canada establish a funding component within the Museum Assistance Program (MAP) to support repatriation of Indigenous Belongings
- Recommendation 2: That the Government of Canada establish a funding component within the MAP to support capacity-building for Indigenous cultural centres and Indigenous-led heritage organizations.
- Recommendation 3: That funding for the recommended dedicated MAP components be incremental to current 2022 MAP allocations.
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CMA Bursaries Program - Conference BursaryCanadian Museums Association (CMA)
Interested in attending a heritage sector conference this fall? Consider applying to the CMA Conference Bursary! Conference bursaries are given out to assist individuals with the costs of travel, accommodation, per diem and registration fees related to both national and regional museum conferences. In return, applicants will be expected to commit to share their learning knowledge and experience from the conference attended. Application deadline is one-week prior to the beginning of the event. Applications are assessed on a first-come, first-served basis.Learn about eligibility and how to apply HERE. |
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Artists welcome news on the
Artist’s Resale Right
Canadian Artists’ Representation/Le Front des artistes canadiens (CARFAC)
September 27, 2022 - the Artist’s Resale Right (ARR) is gaining momentum within the Federal Government. Recent news reports indicate that Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez and François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry are considering amending the Copyright Act to include the ARR.
According to an interview published in the Toronto Star, Laurie Bouchard, a spokeswoman for Champagne has said: “Our government is currently advancing work on potential amendments to the Copyright Act to further protect artists, creators, and copyright holders. Resale rights for artists are indeed an important step toward improving economic conditions for artists in Canada.”
The Artist’s Resale Right would allow visual artists to receive 5% when their work is resold – just as they do in at least 94 other countries. CARFAC has been advocating for an Artist’s Resale Right (ARR) for many years.
Read the proposal summary HERE.
Learn more about the ARR campaign HERE. |
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Upcoming webinar - A Revised ICOM Code of Ethics: A Discussion For Museums in Canada
International Council of Museums
Online
Tuesday October 18, 2022
7:00 pm ET
The ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums addresses diverse museum-related topics such as acquisition procedures, compliance with legislation, management of resources, security, returns and restitutions. The Code also advocates strong principles playing a key role in the fight against illicit traffic, for instance concerning due diligence and provenance.
Speakers:
Sally Yerkovich, President, ICOM Standing Committee on Ethics / ICOM-US
Michele Rivet, Vice President, ICOM Canada, Vice-Chair, Canadian Museum for Human Rights
Sarah Carr-Locke, Secretary, ICOM Canada, Director, Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre
Viviane Gosselin, Director of Collections and Exhibitions, Curator of Contemporary Culture, Museum of Vancouver
Read more and register HERE.
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2022 is the Ontario Museum Association’s 50th Anniversary! We are celebrating 50 years of advancing a strong museum sector for Ontario with staff and volunteers from the province’s 700 museums, galleries, and heritage sites. To commemorate this occasion, we are hosting a year-long series of online activities, culminating at the OMA Annual Conference 2022 in Hamilton in November.
We welcome everyone to join the celebration of our 50th anniversary
and to visit a museum near you!
Learn more about our 50th Anniversary HERE. |
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Support Ontario’s Museums by Giving Forward!
As museums across Ontario face the challenges of reopening safely and renewing relationships with your communities, the OMA is here for you. Your support, participation, and membership make our work possible.If you are already an OMA member, thank you! Please renew your membership when you receive an email reminder. If you are not yet a member, please consider an individual, institutional, or commercial membership for yourself, your colleagues, or your institution. You can find information about member categories and benefits on our website.You can make a donation to the OMA on our website or through Canada Helps. Every contribution adds to the collective strength of our sector. Thank you for your support! |
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