Recent News
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What's New on Our Website
Good News from SaskCulture on MGP Funds!
We know many of you have anxiously been awaiting word on MGP funding, so MAS requested an update from SaskCulture on the status of the funds.
On March 10, SaskCulture advised MAS that all MGP grants have been adjudicated and cheques are being printed now. They will be in the mail next week (week of March 15), with the juror comments/suggestions to follow in separate letter.
If you have any additional comments or questions, please contact Jon-Paul Suwala at SaskCulture, email jp.suwala@saskculture.sk.ca or call (306) 780-9436.
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New Horizons for Seniors Program - Grants Available – Deadline April 16
Thanks to the New Horizons for Seniors Program, seniors are keeping traditions strong. They are bridging generations by serving as role models, sharing their skills with peers and making a difference in our communities.
Community Participation and Leadership Funding
Grants of up to $25,000 for community-based projects that encourage seniors to play an important role in their communities are available. The following types of organizations can apply: non-profit organizations; community-based coalitions; networks; ad hoc committees; municipal governments; and Band/tribal councils or other Aboriginal organizations. The deadline is April 16.
Community Participation and Leadership Funding provides one-time, start-up grant funding for community-based projects that enable seniors to play an important role in their communities. It encourages seniors to contribute their skills, experience, and wisdom in support of social well-being in their communities, and helps to reduce their risk of social isolation.
More on Community Participation and Leadership Funding
Grants for capital assistance are anticipated in fall 2010.
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March MAS Professional Development Opportunities
Exhibit Design and Planning, a two-day course offered through the Certificate in Community Museum Studies, will be offered Friday, March 12 & Saturday, March 13 at Barr Colony Heritage Cultural Centre in Lloydminster.
**Please note:
MAS has cancelled the Museums and Community course scheduled for Friday, March 19th & Saturday, March 20th, 2010, at the Assiniboia & District Museum due to insufficient registration.
Space is still available for the April 16th and 17th Museums and Community course in Humboldt!.
The Art of Grant Writing, a one-day workshop, will be held Saturday, March 27 at Signal Hill Arts Centre, Weyburn. Space is still available for this session, and the April 10th session in Yorkton!
The Network Knowledge Exchange will be offered at the spring Network meetings. MAS staff will lead a two-hour session designed to help museum staff and volunteers learn about MAS' new resource - The Advocacy Guide: Tools and Tips - and how to apply it to their museums. For more information, contact your Network Representative or call/email Wendy Fitch, Director of Museum Development at 780-9280 or wendy.fitch@saskmuseums.org.
Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
Education and Public Programming SIG: A session with Brent Toles, Social Sciences Consultant with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education, will be held from 9:30 a.m. -12 noon on March 26th in Saskatoon. The workshop will provide an overview of Grades 6-9 in Social Studies and a preview of Grades K-5. A discussion regarding linkages to existing museum programming will follow. Participants are required to bring brief descriptions of museum programs and encouraged to review the Social Sciences curriculum in advance of the session.
You do not need to be a member of the SIG to attend. Free. Space is limited. RSVP required by March 17th. If you are interested in being a member of the Education and Public Programming Special Interest Group, it will be meeting from 12:45-4:30 p.m. on the same day.
To attend this SIG meeting, RSVP or register for courses, or for more information on any of these opportunities, please contact Jessica Leavens, Professional Development Coordinator at jessica.leavens@saskmuseums.org (306) 780-9241, toll-free in SK: 1-866-568-7386 or click here to read more http://www.saskmuseums.org/professional_development
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CMA Bursary Program
The Canadian Museums Association has funds to support professionals and volunteers in museums and other related heritage institutions to attend professional development activities. If you are attending workshops, courses, symposium before March 31, 2010, you may still apply for the CMA bursaries.
The application for a bursary must be submitted BEFORE the event you are planning to attend! Visit our website www.museums.ca (under Funds section, click CMA Bursary Program) for more details on the Program Guidelines and Regulations and to download the application form.
If you have any questions, contact Véronique Chikuru, bursary program co-ordinator, at 613-567-0099 x228 or by email vchikuru@museums.ca.
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Heritage Saskatchewan Announces Results of First AGM – Working Groups Available
Heritage Saskatchewan held its inaugural Annual General Meeting Feb. 19 and 20 in Saskatoon and has announced its new Board of Directors. They are: Kristin Enns-Kavanagh (President); Finn Andersen; Gary Seib; Terry Sinclair; Dave Norris; Wally Dyck; Tammy Vallee; Linda Young; Sandra Massey; Joe LeClair; Anne Reinhardt; Jo Custead; and Doug Chisholm.
Heritage Saskatchewan would also like to remind its members and stakeholders to let the office staff know if they are interested in participating in one of its four Working Groups (Conservation and Preservation; Public Policy and Planning; Heritage Data Bases, and Public Awareness and Education) by March 12, by calling (306) 780-9191 or via email at info@heritagesask.ca.
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MAS Board Member Nominations Now Open
Are you interested in joining MAS’ Board of Directors? Board
members will be elected at our AGM on May 27. Contact us at mas@saskmuseums.org for the nomination
package. We look forward to hearing from you!
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MAS also has many new event listings. To read, please click here and also many news items - please scroll down to read.
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Survey of HR Issues Faced by Cultural Sector in Canada
For professional artists, cultural workers and employers!
The Cultural Human Resources Council has engaged the Conference Board of Canada to undertake a survey to examine the HR issues faced by the cultural sector in Canada.
You are encouraged to complete the survey, and to forward it to other professional artists, cultural workers and employers in the cultural sector to get as many responses as possible.
All responses to the survey are important and greatly appreciated.
Survey respondents will have the option of being notified when the report is available for download from the Cultural Human Resources Council's website.
The survey can be accessed at: www.conferenceboard.ca/culturesurvey.aspx
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Sustainable Development Guide for Canada's Museums Now On-Line
Check out the Sustainable Development Guide for Canada's Museums, now available on the CMA's website at www.museums.ca.
Download chapter by chapter and start integrating sustainable practices into your museum's operations today. Chapters and quick reference checklists include useful information concerning human resources, management, exhibition materials, communications, special events, waste and hazardous materials management, funding, responsible procurement, property management, transportation, education and much more!
Coming soon: contribute your own examples, photos, comments and more when the CMA launches an interactive version of the guide!
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SaskCulture Website Changes - Change Your Bookmarks!
SaskCulture has renewed its website, still at www.saskculture.sk.ca. It features new areas, new functions and best of all, a new look that will enable them to better showcase cultural activity in Saskatchewan. They have completed updating their main program information, but still have work to do, updating several content areas, adding in new interactive elements and correcting links. They hope to have the next phase completed by May 2010.
Please note that as a result of the changes, all of their links, other than the Home Page, have changed. If you encounter difficulties with the new site, or are unable to access information that was available on the old web site, please contact saskculture.info@saskculture.sk.ca.
SaskCulture thanks you for your patience during their website transition.
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New Handbook on Municipal Cultural Planning
Rediscovering the Wealth of Places: A municipal cultural planning handbook, written by Dr. Greg Baeker, is a practical introduction to core planning concepts and tools. This includes a methodology for cultural mapping and the systematic identification of a wide range of local cultural assets. A strong focus is placed on the effective integration of culture in planning across municipal departments, and with a look at some leading practices from Canada and around the world. For more information, click here.
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Local Historian Creates On-line Video Catalogue of Saskatchewan Small Towns
Don Wilson, a local historian and videographer has been creating one-, two- and three-minute vignettes of communities across Saskatchewan. About 200 of the videos are available for public viewing on Wilson’s web site Small Town Saskatchewan: Videos from the Heartland locate at www.stsk.ca. For more on Don Wilson, click here.
http://www.leaderpost.com/story_print.html?id=2626019&sponsor=26260
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2010 Heritage National Awards Program - Call For Nominations
The Heritage Canada Foundation’s National Awards Program celebrates individuals, organizations, businesses and municipalities whose work gives new life to Canada’s communities.
You are invited to submit a nomination for juried awards no later than April 30, 2010 in one or more of the following categories:
Prince of Wales Prize for Municipal Heritage Leadership
Under the generous patronage of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, this prize is awarded to a municipal government, large or small, rural or urban, which has demonstrated a strong and sustained commitment to the conservation of its historic places.
Gabrielle Léger Award for Lifetime Achievement in Heritage Conservation
Named after the wife of former Canadian Governor General Jules Léger, this award recognizes individuals for their outstanding service to the country in the cause of heritage conservation.
Lieutenant-Governor’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Heritage Conservation at the Provincial/Territorial Level
This award recognizes outstanding achievement by an individual or group in the province in which the Heritage Canada Foundation’s annual conference is held. This year it will be held in Nfld. & Lab.
Recipients will be fêted at a gala ceremony as part of Heritage Canada Foundation’s annual conference in St. John’s this September. For information on nomination procedures and past award recipients, visit their website at www.heritagecanada.org.
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Call for Entries - Prairie Excellence Touring Exhibition
In 2010, "Prairie Excellence" is replacing "Dimensions" as the Saskatchewan Craft Council’s major touring exhibition. The council is currently calling for entries – for more information, please upload the follow .pdf document:
http://www.saskcraftcouncil.org/docs/PrairieExcellence.pdf
The deadline for entries is May 3.
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Cultural Groups React to Federal Budget
CMA Says Federal Budget Indicates Status Quo for Museums
The CMA reports that “The budget does not contain any significant new developments for the museum sector. The good news is there are no cuts to support programs for museums. However, we are clearly headed into an era of significant cuts in government spending. The CMA attended budget lockup and has digested the 450-page document.
"Virtually no one got what they wanted from this budget. It contains very little new spending for any sector, and is one of the leanest budgets on record," says John McAvity, executive director of the CMA. "The CMA will continue pushing for additional funding for our sector."
CCA Says “The Action Plan Winding Down, but Administrative Reform Ramping Up”
The CCA reports the 2010 Budget includes stable funding to arts and culture with no cuts, but also yields no new investments into the creative economy. The CCA sees no investment towards cultural infrastructure, or funds for promotion abroad and audience development. It is encouraging that charities are given more flexible means to conduct business, and research granting associations will have an increased ability to fund higher education within the knowledge economy.
Moving forward, some concerns include administrative reforms, freezes on departmental operating budgets, and changes to strategic reviews. These measures may not be viewed as cuts at the moment, but may lead to financial difficulties for the arts sector down the
road.
Heritage Canada Foundation Responds to Federal Budget
The Heritage Canada Foundation (HCF) expressed disappointment that the federal Budget tabled yesterday by the Minister of Finance did not include more substantial recognition of the role heritage buildings can play in creating green jobs and regenerating local economies.
“The Minister missed an opportunity to build on heritage-friendly stimulus measures introduced in last year’s Economic Action Plan,” said Natalie Bull, HCF Executive Director. “Municipalities across the country are calling for a more substantial and permanent tax incentive to attract private investment to existing buildings.”
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Action, Purpose and Values Survey for Archivists
In his essay “The Principles Speak for Themselves: Articulating a Language of Purpose,” Kent Haworth suggested that “understanding purpose involves thinking about the ‘why’ questions rather than the ‘what’ questions.” Your voluntary participation is requested in a short research survey to gauge the current state of how archivists view the purpose of their work. To participate in the survey, please click here https://survey.usask.ca/survey.php?sid=18809 The first page of the survey provides a full overview. For any additional questions, please feel free to call 306-966-7253.
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Exclusive Offer to Members of SaskCulture - Affiliate Membership in CHRC
SaskCulture is pleased to announce that it has recently become an Organizational-Enhanced Member of the Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC). All members of SaskCulture are offered one complimentary Affiliate membership with the Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC). This level of membership entitles you to 25% off all CHRC products, a reduced rate of 25% on any membership upgrade (Individual Enhanced, Organization or Organizational PLUS), voting privileges, and an E-newsletter, which will keep you up to date on HR issues in the cultural sector and on CHRC’s many related activities.
To register for your CHRC Affiliate membership, please go to www.culturalhrc.ca/membership/how-e.asp and fill out a registration form. Please make note that you are a member of SaskCulture. For more information, visit http://www.saskculture.sk.ca/index.php?p=Our%20Members or email info@culturalhrc.ca.
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Museum Worker Task Saturation Google Group
http://groups.google.com/group/museum_task_saturation?hl=en
Do you feel like an already fully loaded camel working in a continual rain of straws [read rising and new expectations]? Are you among those paid and volunteer museum workers who feel unreasonably overextended if not "hopelessly overburdened" as those identified by Robert R. Janes (2009: 64) in his challenging new book Museums in a Troubled World?
Ways and means of addressing the problem are found on the Museum Worker Task Saturation Google Group web site. Here on the shared working document page "Solutions!" is a set of preliminary ideas generated by museum workers during roundtable sessions at recent Ontario Museum Association and British Columbia Museums Association conferences. Also available are links to helpful resources and other background materials.
Any visitor to the Museum Worker Task Saturation Google Group can view all of the information on the site. However, you also are encouraged to register with the group and contribute your own workable solutions and coping mechanisms so that this wiki can become increasingly useful to all of our colleagues/fully loaded camels.
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Cultural Access Pass Launched in 12 Ottawa Region Museums and Galleries
The Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC), in partnership with the Canadian Museums Association (CMA), announced the expansion of the Cultural Access Pass program to 12 galleries and museums in the National Capital Region at a special event on Parliament Hill.
Effective at Ottawa's next citizenship ceremony on March 4, 2010, new citizens will be eligible for free admission to Bytown Museum, Canada Aviation Museum, Canada Science and Technology Museum, Canadian Museum of Agriculture, Canadian Museum of Nature, Galerie Montcalm, Galerie Saw Gallery, Canadian Museum of Civilization, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa Art Gallery, Rideau Canal Museum, Canadian War Museum for a full year from the date they are sworn in as Canadians.
The Cultural Access Pass was launched in April 2008 in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) with six galleries and museums. Twenty-three museums and galleries in the GTA are now participating in the program, along with nine museums and galleries in the Kitchener and Waterloo region and four in Montreal. The Institute for Canadian Citizenship is working in partnership with the Canadian Museums Association on the national expansion of the Cultural Access Pass. The website is located at: www.culturalaccesspass.ca
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Canada's 2010 Top Ten Endangered Places List - Deadline to Submit March 31
The Heritage Canada Foundation is accepting nominations to Canada’s Top Ten Endangered Places List. The list is released annually to bring national attention to sites at risk due to neglect, lack of funding, inappropriate development and weak legislation. It has become a powerful tool in the fight to make landmarks, not landfill.
HCF uses three primary criteria to determine the 10 final sites for inclusion on the list: significance of the site; urgency of the threat; and community support for its preservation. If you know a site that should be included on our list, please contact the foundation at 2010 Top Ten Endangered Places List Form by March 31, 2010. The 2010 list will be announced in May.
For more information, please contact: By email: heritagecanada@heritagecanada.org or phone: (613) 237-1066.
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Tourism Saskatchewan Wants Your Brochures!
Tourism Saskatchewan operates five Visitor Reception Centres during the summer season and they want your brochures! Their friendly, certified Travel Counsellors greet over 65,000 visitors a year and provide them with additional information to influence their travel in our province. Send Tourism Saskatchewan copies of your brochures for distribution to their five Visitor Reception Centres. As well, copies are helpful for the Travel Counsellors working in Tourism Saskatchewan’s Call Centre. Click here to learn more and get started.
To obtain shipping instructions for your brochures or to receive mailing labels for the Tourism Saskatchewan Visitor Reception Centres, please contact Patti Peesker, Literature Distribution Coordinator, at patti.peesker@sasktourism.com or 306-787-2420.
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The Charities File: On Board is on YouTube
The Charities File: On Board (CFOB) has uploaded a series of 10 short videos as part of its ongoing support to registered charities. The videos were developed to introduce a variety of topics that help maintain charitable status.
The Charities File: On Board is funded through the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) Charities Partnership and Outreach Program. Its goal is to enhance the awareness and capacity of small and rural charity boards to comply with obligations under the Income Tax Act through information, training, and support to volunteer board members. The project has developed information and learning tools and resources that are customized to appeal to specific board members. Visit them at www.thecharitiesfile.ca
The Charities File YouTube Channel is available at http://www.youtube.com/user/TheCharitiesFile
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New Non-Profit Grant Program Database
Grant-Pedia: The Community Cooperative Collaboration Database is an initiative of the West Coast Non-Profit Services Society and is intended to provide free information and a collaboration tool for nonprofit organizations around the world. Built on top of the same technology that powers Wikipedia, Grantpedia combines elements of a community-powered database of funding sources, organizations, issues, ideas, and much more. Browse sources of funding by keyword, issue or organization or submit other funding opportunities to help create a comprehensive database of information to help fund your future projects and programs. To check out this new tool, go to http://www.grantpedia.org/index.php?title=Main_Page.
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Call for Papers - Material Culture, Craft and Community Conference - May 2011
CONFERENCE CALL FOR PAPERS
Material Culture, Craft & Community:
Negotiating Objects Across Time & Place
20-21 May 2011
University of Alberta
Material Culture Institute
This interdisciplinary conference will explore the varied expressions of craft - material, cultural, social - in past and present societies. Keynote Speaker: Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, Harvard University
Call for Papers: Paper proposals and full panels are invited on topics ranging from the history to present practice of craft, issues of production, use, and trade of craft, and the construction and interpretation of the meanings of craft, in the context of personal interactions, local communities, national groups, modes of international circulation, and forms of cultural context. Graduate students are encouraged to apply with either single papers or panels. Three graduate proposals will be selected for a special graduate plenary session, in addition to those papers selected for concurrent sessions. Proposals are invited from all disciplines. The proposal package should
include a paper summary of 150-200 words and a two-page CV. Proposals should be received by 30 November 2010. The program will be announced 15 December 2010. Registration will open on 15 December 2010.
Conference Organizer: Beverly Lemire, Department of History & Classics and
Department of Human Ecology, University of Alberta
Proposals should be sent to: material.culture@ualberta.ca
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Museums and the Web 2010 (MW2010) - April 13-17, 2010
Museums and the Web 2010 (MW2010), the international conference for culture and heritage on-line, April 13-17, 2010, Denver, Colorado, USA http://www.archimuse.com/mw2010/
Full MW2010 Program Now Online - Descriptions of more than 40 Demonstrations have been just added to the MW2010 web site. The full program is now online at http://www.archimuse.com/mw2010/sescal/
Best of the Web Nominations Open January 31, 2010 The Best of the Web will be run entirely on the conference community site this year. See http://conference.archimuse.com/page/best_web_2010_nomination_process for details, and check out the new category definitions at
http://www.archimuse.com/mw2010/best/categories.html
Nominate your favourite site, review the sites nominated, and watch for the announcement about voting for 'MW2010 People's Choice'.
MW on the Social Networks- Connect with the Museums and the Web community on various social network platforms. See http://www.archimuse.com/mw2010/online/ for links. For more information, please click http://www.archimuse.com/mw2010/ or email: mw2010@archimuse.com
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Citizenship and Immigration Canada's Community Historical Recognition Program
Organizations representing Chinese, Italian, Jewish and Indian communities in Canada are encouraged to submit proposals under the Community Historical Recognition Program (CHRP) administered by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, which commemorates wartime measures and immigration restrictions in Canada’s past. CHRP is a grants and contributions program that makes $25 million available for community-based commemorative and educational projects including monuments, commemorative plaques, exhibits, documentary films and educational materials and activities. For more information, visit www.cic.gc.ca. Deadline for submission is April 1, 2010.
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On-line Journal Available
University of Leicester School of Museum Studies: On-line Journal - Museums and Society: http://www.le.ac.uk/ms/museumsociety.html
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Call for Papers
Migrations : Scientific Perspectives and Museum Mediations
Musée de la civilization, Quebec City, November 4 to 6, 2010
Call for papers deadline: Friday, March 26, 2010
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Saskatchewan Municipal Awards Nominations Deadline - March 19
The 2010 Saskatchewan Municipal Awards Program has been launched and now is the time to start your submission. All practices started in 2000 or later are eligible for an award, including those involving multiple municipalities. You can nominate your practice or a neighbouring municipality’s practice and also be nominated in more than one category. Categories for 2010 are:
• Municipal Service Excellence
• Economic Development Leadership
• Regional Leadership and Partnerships
• Community Development Leadership
• Environmental Stewardship, and
• Heritage Conservation Leadership – new category this year
For more information or to download nomination forms and guidelines, please visit http://www.municipalawards.ca or call 306-787-8885.
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Photos of "Museums in Action" Sought by the Canadian Museums Association
The Canadian Museums Association wishes to collect photos of Canadian museums in action for the ICOM booth at the 2010 World's Fair in Shanghai. The images will be printed on panels or used in some slides, but all takes place in the ICOM booth.
They are looking for photos that would address 5 sub-themes: society, culture, innovation, environment and economy - and format should be TIFF in CMYK, from 300 dpi and up.
For more information, or to submit a photo, please contact: Vera Kiriloff, Communications Manager, Canadian Museums Association, Tel (613) 567-0099 x223, Fax (613) 233-5438, Email vkiriloff@museums.ca
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Registration for the CMA National Conference 2010 Open Now
Preliminary conference program, activities and registration will be available at www.museums.ca
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Museum Education Monitor Offers Opportunity to Share
Doing some interesting research or evaluation on the
practices of museum education and interpretation? Want to share your work with
the museum education community worldwide? The Museum Education Monitor
(MEM) can help you do that.
The MEM also offers help to those museum educators who are currently unwaged. A complimentary one year MEM subscription is available upon request to chris@mccastle.com
To share your ongoing research and evaluation, just send an e-mail to mem@mccastle.com that includes:
- name of project
- research or evaluation question(s) [no more than 50 words,
please]
- how the data will be presented
- principal researcher(s)/ evaluator(s)
- site(s) where research is being conducted
- time span
- contact information
- key words/labels to describe the project [no more than 4
or 5, please].
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Applications Invited for Canadian Conservation Institute Workshops
The Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) offers workshops for heritage organizations and associations both within Canada and internationally. The Institute’s goal is to help institutions build capacity in preserving and conserving the objects in their collections. These workshops (at a cost of $500) are allocated on a regional basis each fiscal year (April 1 – March 31). They are also offering two additional regional workshops per year for Aboriginal communities and organizations.
For more information, please visit http://www.cci-icc.gc.ca/lo-od/workshops-ateliers/list-eng.aspx
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Call for expressions of interest - Greening the Museum Working Group
The Museum Association of Saskatchewan’s 'Greening the Museum' Initiative is seeking expressions of interest from individuals who are interested in participating in an on-line Working Group to discuss, plan, and initiate projects around environmental sustainability within arts, culture, and heritage organizations. For more information, contact Wendy or Jessica at via email jessica.leavens@saskmuseums.org or wendy.fitch@saskmuseums.org or call toll-free 1-866-568-7386.
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Museum Courses at the U of Victoria
The Cultural Resource Management Program at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, is pleased to offer distance education courses for professionals, volunteers and board members in museums, art galleries, cultural institutions, heritage sites and related organizations. Courses are designed to address core competencies and emerging needs of the sector and are taught by recognized leading professionals.
For information on courses or programs, please visit: http://www.continuingstudies.uvic.ca/crmp/
