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COVID-19 and Ontario Museums: 2nd Survey
Ontario Museum Association 2nd Survey on the Impacts of COVID-19 for Ontario Museums
We know that COVID-19 has created a challenging and unprecedented environment for Ontario's museum operations. Since the pandemic began, the OMA has been working to respond to and voice the concerns and diverse needs of our sector, including presentations and submissions at the provincial and federal levels.
We ask that you complete this second Survey to capture impacts of COVID-19 on museums to the end of July 2020. Survey responses provide evidence that forms the foundation of our advocacy work with government, funders, and other organizations.
This second Survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete, and the results will be widely shared with the sector as a reference.
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Supplemental funding for Young Canada Works (YCW) program
Canadian Museums Association (CMA) Announcement
The CMA is happy to confirm and grateful that, thanks to supplemental funding from the Government of Canada for the YCW program, we are now in a position to fund a greater number of jobs and internships, and to maximize funds available for museums and future museum professionals.
An additional $2.4 million will go toward Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations (short-term job experiences) and an additional $2.6 million will be devoted to Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage (internships for graduates). This is in addition to funding for the program previously announced in December.
Updates for the YCW-HO (short-term work experience) program
Employers with applications on our YCW-HO waitlist will be individually contacted regarding funding offers in the upcoming days and weeks.
Program requirements are now more flexible: museums may now be eligible to add additional positions, employ students into the fall and winter and revise a previously declined or cancelled position. Be sure to contact a YCW program officer for more details.
Updates for the YCW-BCH (internships for graduates) program
Employers with applications on our YCW-BCH waitlist will be individually contacted regarding funding offers in the upcoming days and weeks. Program requirements are now more flexible, and employers may expect to receive a greater YCW contribution per position than allowed by the previous program caps.
The YCW-BCH program stream will also be launching an additional call for program applications, beginning mid-August. To prepare, we recommend that any interested employers review the application guidelines. Internships funded under this intake supplement will need to be carried out between mid-November 2020 and March 31st, 2021. More information to come soon.
YCW is part of the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment and Skills Strategy. The CMA works with the Department of Canadian Heritage to deliver the YCW program, which funds work experiences in museums and cultural heritage organizations. YCW is an important investment in the future of Canada’s museums and cultural sector, creating professional development opportunities for young Canadians who will become our future colleagues.
Young Canada Works is generously supported by the Department of Canadian Heritage. |
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CMA Bursaries Available
Applications Open NOW!
The CMA offers three types of bursaries to assist museum professionals in their professional development:
- Conference professional development bursary
- Emerging professional development bursary
- Mid-career professional development bursary
Read more and apply HERE.
If you have any questions, contact:
bursaries@museums.ca
613-567-0077 x 222
Or fax 613-233-5438
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Windsor-Essex to Join the Rest of Province in Stage 3
TORONTO, ON
On the advice of the Chief Medical Officer Health and the local medical officer of health, Windsor-Essex will be allowed to move into Stage 3 on Wednesday, August 12, 2020, at 12:01 a.m.
For regions in Stage 3, gathering limits increased to a maximum of 50 people indoors and a maximum of 100 people outdoors, with physical distancing in place. Gathering limits apply to all social gatherings and events, as well as some higher-risk activities and venues.
For questions on restrictions that will remain in place during Stage 3, review the Stage 3 Emergency Order on the emergency information portal or call the Stop the Spread Business Information Line at 1-888-444-3659.
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Ontario Supporting Non-Profits as Province Recovers from COVID-19
Resilient Communities Fund
The Resilient Communities Fund is a one-time fund to support the non-profit sector recover and rebuild from the impacts emerging from COVID-19 so they can effectively meet the needs of communities across Ontario.
OTF is investing in projects of eligible non-profit organizations to aid their medium to longer-term recovery efforts, help with their stabilization and build their capacity and resiliency in the aftermath of COVID-19.
This fund is providing a flexible range of activities over two deadlines to address the diverse needs of organizations and to support them where they are at in their recovery and rebuilding. Read more and apply HERE.
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Minister MacLeod Visits More Museums!
On July 9th, the OMA reported that Minister MacLeod was travelling around Ontario visiting communities and some of the places important to them, including museums. Since then she has continued to visit museums and cultural institutions across Ontario - Minister MacLeod's Ontario includes museums!
In the last month Minister MacLeod has visited:
- Watson's Mill Manotick (HERE)
- Art Gallery of Hamilton (Hamilton, Flamborough & Ancaster, HERE)
- McMichael Canadian Art Collection (King-Vaughan, HERE)
- Niagara Parks (HERE)
- Brockville Museum (HERE)
- Glanmore N.H.S (HERE)
- Upper Canada Village (HERE)
- Westfield Heritage Village (Hamilton, Flamborough & Ancaster, HERE)
- Glenhyrst Art Gallery of Brant (HERE)
- Fort Henry N.H.S.C. (HERE)
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Doors Open Ontario Goes Digital Featuring Chatham-Kent Black Historic Sites
Ontario Heritage Trust
Doors Open Ontario has been a popular attraction for several years, but organizers have had to shift gears to cope with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ontario Heritage Trust is in the process of launching Digital Doors Open Ontario, which is being kicked off by highlighting virtual tours of the province’s rich Black heritage, including three sites in Chatham-Kent – Uncle Tom’s Cabin Historic Site in Dresden, the Buxton National Historic Site and the Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society.
The nearby Amherstburg Freedom Museum is also being featured.
“Black heritage in Ontario has been a major organizational priority for the past several years, and particularly at the moment,” said David Leonard, community programs officer with Ontario Heritage Trust.
Read the article HERE.
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Archaeologists call Morden-Hare find 'significant' to local history
Dundas Historic Artifacts Await a Future Public Home
More than 5,580 18th and 19th century archeological artifacts excavated from a Dundas property have been stored in a Mississauga warehouse for at least seven months, awaiting completion of a proposed development.
The significant collection of historic items dating back to the 1700s, from a York Road site associated with the residence of Anne Morden — one of the valley’s earliest residents — could eventually be moved to a public institution, such as the Dundas Museum & Archives or McMaster University’s Sustainable Archaeology at the McMaster Innovation Park, after the proposed development of 56 York Rd. is completed.
The stage three consultant archeologist’s report states: “Given that there is a possibility the site represents the occupation of Ann Morden …. this site should be considered of significant value to the local history of the Town of Dundas. Furthermore, this site may represent a unique opportunity to investigate the cultural heritage of the post-Revolutionary War refugee diaspora.”
Read the article HERE.
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Federal Budget Submission
On August 7th the OMA submitted five recommendations to the federal government to be taken into consideration in advance of the upcoming federal budget. The OMA fully supports and reiterates the recommendations of the Canadian Museums Association.
The OMA recommends:
- That the 2021 Federal Budget extends and increases emergency support to museums;
- That through the 2021 Federal Budget the government continues to prioritize an investment of resources toward the review of the national museum policy;
- That the Federal Budget increases funding to Canada's museums to at least $60 million annually;
- That the government fund initiatives for digital transformation in museums; and
- That the government expands the Endowment Incentives and Limited Support components of the Canada Cultural Investment Fund to include heritage organizations including museums.
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What Is a Museum? A Dispute Erupts Over a New Definition
An international effort to update the definition of what museums are has been met with resignations and political intrigue.
“It is easy to characterize this as a huge furor over the notion of museum definitions,” Rick West, the president of the Autry National Center of the American West, said in a telephone interview. “But that is erroneous. What it really reflects are fundamental, transformational earth-moving changes that are taking place in museums.”
Alberto Garlandini, new president of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), said in a telephone interview that he was trying to make the body more transparent. Disagreements arise in any international group, he said, adding that he remained “fully convinced that in the coming years we will positively highlight what unites us in a new definition.”
Albero Garlandini presented at the OMA 2019 Annual Conference on "Museums Have No Borders, They Have a Network."
Read the full article HERE.
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Upcoming OMA Dates
NOW AVAILABLE: CMS: Exhibit Planning and Design, register HERE!NOW AVAILABLE: CMS: Education Programs HERE!September 14, 2020: CMS: Museums In Context, information available HERE.
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