Recognizing Excellence in Ontario Museums

The application period for the Francophone Community Grant has opened. This program, managed by the Ministry of Francophone Affairs, has two distinct funding streams:

Four changes have been made to the Program this year to make it easier for organizations and businesses to apply:

Find a one-page summary of the Program HERE. 

The organizations are encouraged to register for one of the information sessions that will be offered online on March 21 and 23 to learn more about the program.

Register for the information sessions HERE.

The detailed eligibility criteria can be found HERE.
 

May is Museum Month / Mai, Mois des Musées (MMM) is coming up quickly! Coinciding with International Museum Day, MMM is an opportunity to celebrate museums and their many community contributions. The OMA has prepared resources to help you advocate for May is Museum Month in your community.

You will find these three resources HERE:

Please cc the OMA (community@museumsontario.ca).

Over the next few weeks, the OMA will be adding materials to this Drive.

Free Webinar
Wednesday, March 23, 2022 
3:00 PM ET

Join in for a conversation on restructuring arts organizations, co-presented by WorkinCulture.

In this session moderated by Brian Loevner, President and Founder of BLVE Consults, arts leaders will share their experiences with mergers, closures, and strategic partnerships. Together, we will discuss capacity-sharing strategies, organizational model changes, and restructuring possibilities.

Speakers will include:

Read more and register HERE.

"Overview of the Resilient Communities Fund"
 

Free Webinar
Monday, March 21, 2022
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM ET

What’s covered in this session?

Learn more about additional webinar dates and register HERE. 

Ottawa Historical Association
 

Free panel discussion
Tuesday, March 22, 2022 
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM ET

The Ottawa Historical Association is pleased to present a panel on the process of seeking employment with the government of Canada for those with academic backgrounds in History. The panel will discuss topics such as what to expect when applying for jobs in the government, how to leverage an education in history when seeking employment, and what to expect after getting a job in the government. We will hear from two government employees with education in History: Daniel Pellerin and Caroline D’Amours, followed by a bilingual Q&A.

Speakers: 

Find out more and register HERE.

Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN)
 

Virtual workshop
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM EDT

ONN is committed to addressing anti-Black racism in a meaningful way and doing the part to dismantle the systems that enable violence towards and oppression of Black Canadians and communities. The organization is proud to partner with Dr. Massaquoi to offer this capacity-building workshop as part of our ongoing commitment to equity in the nonprofit sector.

Workshop topics will include but are not limited to:

All registered participants will receive a recording, slide deck, and curated list of resources within one week of the event.
 

Find out more and register HERE.

Free Webinar
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET

Leading the Nanaimo Museum through years of change, Museum Manager Sophia Maher shares the questions she has learned to ask when approaching work with Indigenous communities or with Indigenous themes. Through the work at the Nanaimo Museum, Sophia has been able to reflect on the relationship-building process, both on an institutional level and a personal level, to cultivate a curiosity that strengthens the work and connection of the community. 

Read more and register HERE.

Explore digital media and technology learning modules for small museums. These are nuts-and-bolts sessions and workshops featuring small museum professionals and skilled museum technologists. Each module includes a free, downloadable resource toolkit!

Modules include: 

Find out more HERE.

Inclusive Museum Research Network
 

Founded in 2008, The Inclusive Museum Research Network is brought together by a shared concern for the future role of the museum and how it can become more inclusive. The Network seeks to build an epistemic community where linkages across disciplinary, geographic, and cultural boundaries could be made. As a Research Network, they are defined by their scope and concerns and motivated to build strategies for action framed by our shared themes and tensions.

The Fifteenth International Conference on the Inclusive Museum calls for research addressing the following annual themes and special focus:

The proposal submission deadline is March 22, 2022. 
 

Read more HERE.

ICOM
 

The Call for Papers of all 32 International Committees for #ICOMPrague2022 ICOM is open! You have the opportunity to apply until 31 March 2022! Do not hesitate and become a part of the official scientific programme of the 26th General Conference ICOM Prague 2022. You can apply through the online form. 

Abstract submissions deadline is 31 March 2022.

Read the full News Release HERE. 

Canadian Museums Association
 

The CMA seeks written submissions on reconciliation and self-determination at work in museums and cultural centres.

The Canadian Museums Association’s Reconciliation Program is working to answer the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Call to Action #67, which asks for “the Canadian Museums Association to undertake, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, a national review of museum policies and best practices to determine the level of compliance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and to make recommendations.”

In our efforts to ensure it hears from everyone who can contribute to this work, the CMA is requesting written submissions on how museums and Indigenous cultural centres are responding to the 2015 TRC Calls to Action by fostering reconciliation or self-determination in these spaces.

The submission deadline is April 30, 2022.

Find out more HERE. 

Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums
 

Virtual Workshop 
April 5 - 6, 2022
1:00pm - 5:00pm ET

From 1966-1972, philanthropist Doris Duke sponsored an oral history project that resulted in the world's largest and most significant compilation of 20th century Native American first-person narratives. The 6,000 recordings, transcripts, and related materials are housed in the collections of seven University repositories throughout the United States. Over the past year, the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums has partnered with the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the seven repositories to revitalize the collections.

This virtual convening will introduce you to the collections, celebrate the launch of the Doris Duke Native Oral History Project web portal, and engage participants in collectively envisioning the future of oral history in Native Communities. Attendees will learn about the collections, review the role of Community Curators, receive an introduction to the Doris Duke Native American Oral History web portal, and a demonstration of the Mukurtu content management program.

Register HERE. Attendance is limited. 

Victoria & Albert Museum
 

Online Course 
Wednesday 27 April 2022 - Wednesday 11 May 2022

This course will explore ways in which you can develop a sustainability plan that is meaningful and resonates with your staff, partners and audiences. This course is designed to give you a deeper understanding and the tools you need to develop your own sustainability plan through conversations, discussions and real-life case studies, to help unpack challenges but also identify areas of opportunity that will help you find new ways to make your museum more sustainable.

The course will be led by Sara Kassam, who is the first Sustainability Lead at the V&A and works across the organisation to embed sustainability expertise and catalyse systemic change in operations and behaviours.

Read more and register HERE.

 

As museums across Ontario face the challenges of reopening safely and renewing relationships with your communities, the OMA is here for you. 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 adds to the collective strength of our sector. You can help us build a more resilient museum sector. Thank you for your support!

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