New Public Health Restrictions

Due to the high COVID-19 case counts, several public health units across Ontario are reintroducing restrictions:

• Algoma Public Health Unit
• Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Health Unit
• Southwestern Public Health
• Sudbury and District Health Unit

Find your Public Health Unit (PHU) HERE.

Course: Exhibit Planning & Design
Format: Online
Dates: February 14 – April 24, 2022
Course Director: Meredith Leonard, City of Hamilton
Registration opens: Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Registration for Certificate in Museum Studies courses is open to OMA Individual Members and Commercial Consultant Members.

Read more about the Exhibit Planning & Design course HERE.
Find out more about the Certificate in Museum Studies Program HERE. 

Questions about the Certificate in Museum Studies Program? Email pd@museumsontario.ca.

• View the Awards of Excellence videos on the OMA website and read more about them HERE. 
• View the Awards of Excellence on YouTube HERE. 

Youth in Heritage brings the next generation of heritage practitioners together with organizations that are looking for an enthusiastic and diverse pool of candidates. They are currently seeking employers that can provide opportunities for youth (ages 15-30) to be exposed to meaningful work in the cultural heritage sector, and are encouraging interested partners to hire youth who face barriers to employment.

This program will provide a 50% wage subsidy up to $2,870. The subsidy may be used for positions that are currently filled by a youth that fits the criteria. 

The Youth in Heritage team is reviewing applications on an ongoing basis and generally responds within a week of receiving applications.

Read more HERE. 

On November 24, 2021, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, introduced Bill C-2. This bill would:

• Extend the Canada Recovery Hiring Program until May 7, 2022, for eligible employers with current revenue losses above 10% and increase the subsidy rate to 50%.
• Deliver targeted support to businesses still facing significant pandemic-related challenges. Support would be available through three streams:
  • Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program
  • Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program
  • Local Lockdown Program
• Extend the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit and the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit until May 7, 2022, and increase the maximum duration of benefits by 2 weeks.
• Establish the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit which would provide $300 a week in income support to eligible workers who are directly impacted by a COVID-19-related public health lockdown in their region up until May 7, 2022.

Read the full backgrounder HERE. 

Friday, December 3 - Sunday, December 5, 2021

aabaakwad (it clears after a storm) is an annual Indigenous-led conversation on Indigenous art by those who create, curate and write about it. aabaakwad also showcases musicians, performance artists, poets, filmmakers and more through screenings, music nights and dedicated performances. 

This is an opportunity for curators and directors to learn about and meet Indigenous artists. The environment and culture at aabaakwad is fertile for expanding new thought and dialogue around art, sovereignty, Indigenization and decolonization, alternative economies, languages, restitution/repatriation, survivance/resistance/resurgence and expanding notions of community. Indigenous led, aabaakwad contributes to developing new methods and histories through collective thinking that is guided by Indigenous philosophies and environmental knowledge systems, creativity and education.

aabaakwad is also a living archive of Indigenous thought on art.

Read more and register HERE. 

Webinar
Tuesday, December 7, 2021
1:00pm - 3:30pm ET

Nonprofits that are serious about their own sustainability also need to be serious about planning for smooth and thoughtful transitions of leadership, unexpected departures and general succession planning for all roles. Whether a transition occurs due to an unexpected vacancy, or the anticipated transition of a long-tenured role, being deliberative and thoughtful, and having a plan in place, can help a nonprofit weather the inevitable challenges of transitions with staff. 

In this session, they will use sample case studies and share the leadership transition journey including the processes developed by boards and organizational experiences. Included in the discussion will be general good best practices for successful succession planning for all staff, including processes and tools that can help strengthen your organization. 

Speaker:
Paul Hubert, Chief Executive Officer at Pathways Employment Help Centre

Read more and register HERE. 

Free Webinar
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
1:00pm - 2:30pm ET

In this webinar, panelists will share their experiences and advice around capital projects in pandemic times, focusing on successes and challenges with project planning, timeline/adjustments, contingencies and risk management, funding, and overall recommendations for creative space project development.

Panelists include:

• Janis Monture, Executive Director of Woodland Cultural Centre
• Paul Fujimoto-Pihl, Project Manager at the Grand Theatre

Read more and register HERE. 

Free Webinar
Thursday, December 9, 2021
2:00pm ET

Social media is essential to remain connected with your audiences. But the endless possibilities can quickly become overwhelming. Where do you even begin? A simple strategy will help establish your goals, online audiences, and the specific social media platforms that are right for your organization. These steps include identifying your low-hanging-fruit content and creating a plan of action for when things go wrong online. This session will help you streamline your social media plan so you can go from surviving to thriving in your social media channels.

Speaker:
Lori Byrd-McDevitt, Co-Founder of 1909 Digital

Register HERE. 
This webinar is part of a series throughout December on social media for museums. See the rest of the webinars HERE. 

As museums across Ontario face the challenges of reopening safely and renewing relationships with your communities, the OMA is here for you now and as we move forward. The OMA successfully advocated for federal emergency support funding through the Museums Assistance Program, the early and streamlined release of Community Museum Operating Grant (CMOG) funds in 2020 and 2021, and for an additional $2 million to support digital activities during pandemic closures. Your support, participation, and membership make our work possible.

Representing the interests of over 700 museums, galleries, and heritage sites across the province, the OMA offers regular webinars and professional development opportunities and resources for pandemic recovery. An OMA membership connects you with our network of over 1000 members, provides you with the tools and resources that support your professional practice, and keeps you informed of breaking news about funding opportunities and policy changes via the ONmuseums weekly newsletter and timely eNews alerts.

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 is giving forward, not giving back, by adding to the collective strength of our sector and investing in a vibrant future for the next generation of museum professionals. You can help us build a more resilient museum sector. 

Thank you for your support!