GOVERNOR GENERAL BECOMES CFFM’S PATRON
It is with great happiness that we announce that Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D., Governor General of Canada, has graciously consented to become the patron of CFFM.
We are greatly honoured that she is following the tradition of previous Governors General in supporting our family of members who voluntarily endeavour to augment museums and heritage sites throughout the nation for the betterment of all Canadians.
To find out more about Her Excellency, please visit the official web site www.gg.ca, or use the link on our web site www.cffm-fcam.ca
NATIONAL DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
We at CFFM wish you all everything of the best for 2007. This year, we celebrate our 30th anniversary and offer thanks to those foresighted people who saw the need and created CFFM.
In this issue, we announce the glad news of the continued patronage of the Governor General, have a fascinating article about the power of volunteers, and provide news of an exciting Egyptology initiative in Canada. We enclose the Conference Programme for the Canadian Museums Association’s conference in Ottawa this March – their 60th anniversary – and provide advice of our own Annual General Meeting, which is, as always, held during this conference.
We are also sending a copy of the re-issued “How to Start a Friend’s Group”, first published by the World Federation of Friends of Museums in English and Spanish, with a French translation, to all CFFM members.
We do hope that as many of you as possible will attend the Annual General meeting in Ottawa (so many museums to visit) and join us for dinner afterwards (which, unfortunately, will be, as always, “Dutch treat”).
Looking forward to meeting you,
Jo Breyfogle
National Director
IN SEARCH OF ANCIENT EGYPT IN CANADA
Have you stumbled across a bit of ancient Egypt in Canada? If so, the team working on the Ancient Egypt in Canada project wants to know!
Sponsored by the Society of the Study of Egyptian Antiquities (SSEA), the project is attempting to locate and describe Egyptian artifacts in museums across Canada, as well as examples of art and architecture inspired and influenced by Egyptian motifs and iconography. The goal is to make the collections more accessible to both researchers and the general public, and to broaden interest and awareness in this most ancient of cultures and the impact it continues to have. Artifacts have been located in over 30 locations, and a similar number of examples of art and architecture have already been identified.
For more details, visit our web-page at: http://www.thessea.org, or contact:
Mark Trumpour: trumpoma@msn.com, 416.261.6598
Brigitte Ouellet: ssea_Montreal@hotmail.com, 514.353.4674
THE TALE OF TWO (ALMOST) CLOSURES AND THE POWER OF VOLUNTEERS
At the Ontario Museum Association’s Annual Conference in Owen Sound last October, I attended a panel given by two museum managers who had faced closure (and indeed, one did suffer temporary closure before re-opening). One was the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ontario, with a collection and story of national historic importance, and the other Fanshawe Pioneer Village, which showcases the early history of London, Ontario, and is a very important resource for the area, and also has far-reaching influence in the total historical fabric of Canada. The incidents were documented in the Globe and Mail, April 1, 2006 by Val Ross in an article which begins: “Ironically, in the midst of a cultural building boom, the vast majority of the country’s museums are critically neglected and underfunded.”
In their presentations, in each case, the museum managers stated categorically that if it had not been for the volunteers, each of the museums would have closed permanently.
Shanna Dunlop is the Curator and Head of Operations of the Fanshawe Pioneer Village, located in London, Ontario. This museum outlines the history of settlement in the area, and as its name suggests, takes the form of a village with relocated original buildings and artifacts and archives from the local area. Its major source of operational funding was the Municipality of London.
As frequently seems to happen, when the city council was reconsidering its budget and needed to make cuts, what softer target than a museum? How wrong they were! In the face of closure, the volunteers rallied for five long months and refused to let it happen. Staff continued to operate the site, and a volunteer advocacy team went into the community and rallied strong support for the museum. To make a long story short, they succeeded, and Fanshawe Pioneer Village won back its funding and had a very successful 2005 season to celebrate London’s sesquicentennial anniversary.
Janice Griffith, the director of The Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough tells a somewhat different story. The museum, which through its collection of over 600 canoes, kayaks and 1,000 related artifacts tells the story of Canada from aboriginal trade and travel through European contact and exploration and the present day’s mainly recreational use. The museum’s collection also includes international watercraft such as outriggers from the Pacific rim.
There were plans to expand the museum in 2002, but the museum ran out of money and closure became necessary in October 2003. The volunteers would not accept this. Over the next six months, the volunteer board and operational volunteers worked to raise money, restructure and reopen the museum. It re-opened in May 2004 with a new Manager (Janice). She said the volunteers were there to show her how things ran and pitched in to help in every way possible. They made the re-opening happen and have remained the backbone of the institution. Two short vignettes, but each serves to illustrate how important museums are to a community, and how, without volunteers, most museums would not be able to survive and give the broad range of services they do to the community. It also demonstrates the power of group advocacy and tenacity.
The Canadian museum world is filled with similar stories.
Jo Breyfogle
National Director, CFFM
To find out more about these museums, visit their web sites:
Fanshawe Pioneer Village: www.fanshawepioneervillage.ca
The Canadian Canoe Museum: www.canoemuseum.net
A gallery in the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ontario
Note: The Globe and Mail (Jan. 7, 2007) announced that James Raffan has joined the Canadian Canoe Museum as its first curator.
CONFERENCES/SYMPOSIA
Care of Archival Collections, a conference of the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI)
February 15-16, 2007, Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Yellowknife, NT.
Contact Rosalie Scott at 867.873.7664 for more information.
Preserving Aboriginal Heritage: Technical and Traditional Approaches, CCI
September 24-28, 2007. Call for proposals deadline: January 15, 2007.
Contact carole.dignard@pch.gc.ca for more information.
The CCI offers many opportunities for learning. For complete information, visit
www.cci-icc.gc.ca or call toll-free at 1.866.998.3721
Museums: The Real Thing! A conference of the Alberta Museums Association
September 20-22, 2007, Red Deer, Alberta. Call for proposals deadline: January 26, 2007.
For more information, visit www.museumsalberta.ab.ca
What Does A Curator Do Anyway? A presentation of the Art Gallery of Sudbury
February 1, 2007, Sudbury, Ontario. For details, contact gallery@artsudbury.org
The Canadian Museums Association (CMA)’s 60th Annual Conference
March 28-31, 2007, Ottawa, Ontario.
A Conference programme is enclosed with this mailing. Info at: www.museums.ca
The Canadian Federation of Friends of Museums (CFFM)’s 30th Anniversary
Our anniversary will be celebrated at the CMA conference, where we will also hold our Annual
General Meeting. Advice of our Meeting is enclosed with this mailing.
Museums and the Web 2007
April 11-14, 2007, San Francisco, CA. Info at: www.archimuse.com/mw2007
World Federation of Friends of Museums (WFFM)’s Congress and Annual Meeting
April 26-29, 2007, Singapore, Malaysia. Contact: spore2007@gmail.com for details.
Anthem: Perspectives on Home and Native Land
May, 2007. Contact www.aboriginalcuratorialcollective.org for details.
Library and Archives Canada (LAC) promotes and facilitates access to Aboriginal
resources across the country: www.collectionscanada.ca
The Ontario Volunteer Committee of Art Museums (OVCAM)’s Annual Conference
September, 2007, Burlington, Ontario. Go to: info@BurlingtonArtCentre.on.ca
TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES
Tanzania: A Family Safari, organized by the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto. March 10-22, 2007.
Contact Worldwide Quest Intl. Inc., 416.633.5666 / 1.800.387.1483
Treasures of Libya II, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto. March 15-29, 2007, with Rome extension:
March 29-April 1, 2007. Contact Canadian Travel Abroad Ltd., 416.364.2738 / 1.800.387.1876
Classic China, organized by the Winnipeg Art Gallery. April 1-13, 2007. Contact Bill Owen,
Continental Travel, 204.989.8597
A Passage to Shangri-La: Yunnan, China, organized by the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto.
May 8-24, 2007. Contact Tour East Holidays, 416.492.9989 / 1.877.578.8888
Virginia – Williamsburg, Jamestown (celebrating 400 years) and other historic sites,
Art Gallery of Windsor, Ontario. April, 2007. Contact Jackie King at www.agw.ca
Vienna – Enchanting City of Arts and Music, organized by the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa,
Volunteers’ Circle Travel Committee. May 1-11, 2007. Contact jsheikh@executive-trvl.com
Eternal Russia, organized by the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto. May 11-24, 2007.
Contact Canadian Travel Abroad Ltd., 416.364.2738 / 1.800.387.1876
Nova Scotia and Cape Breton – A Feast of Culture and Nature, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa.
June 19-24, 2007. Contact jsheikh@executive-trvl.com
DID YOU KNOW?
Michael Koerner has won the Edmund C. Bovey award for leadership support of the arts. As chief of “Transformation A.G.O.” (Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto), and leadership donor, Mr. Koerner was honoured for his support by the Council for Business and the Arts in Canada (CBAC). He received the award at a gala event at the Art Gallery of Ontario on October 16, 2006.
In Ottawa, the Canadian Museum of Nature’s 150th anniversary was marked by the re-opening of new galleries in the West Wing. Consult www.nature.ca for more information.
The Canadian Association of Science Centres (CASC) has moved its offices from Sudbury, Ontario, to Ottawa. See www.canadiansciencecentres.ca The Mendel Art Gallery of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, founded in 1964, has announced an $18 million capital project to expand its facilities by 60%.
The Sep/Oct 2006 issue of Muse, the magazine of the Canadian Museums Association, is devoted to Risk Assessment for Museums. Contact info@museums.ca for back issues or information.
From the Alberta Museums Association’s Fall 2006 newsletter INFOrm: “… whereas museums welcome 59 million visitors each year, are supported by over 400,000 members and friends, and have over 55,000 volunteers.”
