NATIONAL DIRECTOR’S MESSSAGE
Life at CFFM has been moving at a fast pace since au courant was last published in early March. We have held two Board meetings, March 22 and June 2, the AGM in Saint John on May 4, and a Retreat on April 5, with follow-up meetings, to work out the best route for CFFM to follow in the future to assist and support our museum communities throughout the country. We have also welcomed Rima Zubas as Assistant to the National Director. Rima is fluent in French, so we hope that we will be better able to serve our francophone members.
The AGM in Saint John, held during the course of the Canadian Museums Association Conference, as usual, elected the Board and Advisory Council, named elsewhere in this issue, for the upcoming year. The Carol Sprachman speaker was W. Richard West Jr. who is the Director of the recently opened National Museum of the American Indian in Washington. Richard is a citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapahoe tribes of Oklahoma and a Pace Chief of the Southern Cheyenne. He was truly inspirational as he outlined the museological reasoning behind the NAMI’s process for developing and presenting exhibitions within the framework of the institution’s philosophy. The building was designed by Douglas Cardinal, who was the architect of the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Ottawa, and is a “must-visit” if you are visiting Washington.
Jo Breyfogle
National Director
“HOW TO START A FRIENDS GROUP”
CFFM has republished this WFFM booklet, written originally in English by Carol Seventy of Australia and first published in English and Spanish, with the addition of a French translation. Copies of this booklet are now available free to members, and, on payment of $5.00, to non-members.
JOHN McAVITY CELEBRATES 25 YEARS AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CMA
During the CMA Conference this year a celebratory dinner was held for John McAvity, who has been 25 years with the CMA. Vice Presidents, Jean Read and Martha Wilder, Director, Margot Sackett and National Director, Jo Breyfogle all attended, and sent their best wishes to John, who is a very good friend to CFFM.CONGRATULATIONS, JOHN !
SEAN MURPHY AWARDED THE CMA’S DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
At the CMA Conference in Saint John, New Brunswick, Dr. Sean Murphy, our President for many years, was awarded a CMA Distinguished Service Award. A few of these are awarded each year to museum people who have made a difference. Dr. Murphy has worked tirelessly at, what he, an extremely distinguished ophthalmologist has always called “his second career” as a supporter, donor and Friend par excellence to museums. As well as supporting museums in Canada, he has always been very active with WFFM, and has just completed his term as Vice President for North America. CONGRATULATIONS, SEAN, AND VERY WELL DESERVED!
WFFM NEWS
The annual Council meeting was held in Santiago, Chile, April 20-24, 2006. Unfortunately there was no representation from Canada. The term of Sean Murphy as the Vice President for North America was completed and the new regional Vice President is John Barnum of the United States. Carla Bossi of Mexico remains as President.
The next open congress meeting is to be held in Israel in 2008, and when we have further details we will publish them.
AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING THE FOLLOWING SLATE WAS APPROVED FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR:
Article 7.02 of CFFM by-laws provides for management of the Federation by a Board of Directors consisting of a minimum of seven and a maximum of fourteen persons elected or appointed from its members. Article 7.08 further provides that voting members of CFFM elect annually a Board of Directors from its number and Article 13.01 allows for the designation of persons to assist in the management of the business and affairs of the Federation.
Therefore, the Nominations Committee recommends that the following people be elected to the Board of Directors, with portfolios as specifically indicated:
- Richard Alway – Toronto, ON
- Bette Anderson – St Johns, NF
- William Barkley – Victoria, BC
- Jo Breyfogle (National Director) – Toronto, ON
- Arti Chandaria (Membership) – Toronto, ON
- Morris Flewwelling – Red Deer, AB
- Joan Goldfarb – Toronto, ON
- Shabbir Jivanji (Treasurer) – Toronto, ON
- Danielle Lecours – Montreal, QC
- William Peters (Advocacy) – Ottawa, ON
- Jean Read (Vice President) – Toronto, ON
- Margot Sackett – St. Andrews, NB
- Martha Wilder (Vice President) – Toronto, ON
It is recommended that with the addition of Jocelyn Shaw, the Advisory Council be confirmed as follows:
- Louis Dussault – Montreal, QC
- Sean Murphy – Montreal, QC
- Louise Rickenbacker – Ottawa, ON
- Jocelyn Shaw – Toronto, ON
- Suzanne Stohn – Toronto, ON
- William Withrow – Toronto, ON
It is recommended that the following administrative appointments be confirmed:
- Jo Breyfogle – National Director (Toronto, ON)
- Sean Murphy – WFFM Representative (Montreal, QC)
- Louise Rickenbacker – Recording Secretary (Ottawa, ON)
- Carol Smith – Editor “Au Courant” (Toronto, ON)
Respectfully submitted:
Jean Read / Martha Wilder
Nominations Committee
May 4, 2006
UPCOMING CONFERENCES
Reynolds-Alberta Museum
Motorcycles and the People Who Love Them
August 19 and 20, 2006
www.machinemuseum.net or 780-361-1351
Alberta Museums Association
September 28-30, 2006
Calgary, Alberta
www.museumsalberta.ab.ca
OMA – Ontario Museum Association
October 19 –20, 2006
Owen Sound, Ontario
OVCAM – Ontario Volunteer Committee for Art Museums
September, 2006 (dates not determined )
Burlington, Ontario
905-632-7796
VCAM – Volunteer Committees of Art Museums of Canada and the United States
October 19-23, 2006
San Francisco, USA
pathanson@earthlink.net
ICCROM and the Canadian Conservation Institute
Reducing Risks to Collections
October 16-27, 2006
Ottawa, Ontario
www.iccrom.ort/eng/training/events/2006-2007/PCC
British Columbia Museums Associations
Conference 2006: Fit at 50 – Grow Stronger, Live Longer
50th Annual Conference
October 18-21, 2006
Prince George, British Columbia
www.museumsassn.bc.ca
Yukon Historical and Museums Association
Discovering Northern Gold
October, 2006 ( more details to follow )
Whitehorse, Yukon Territories
Yhma@northwestel.net or 867-667-4704
CMA Canadian Museum Association
60th Annual Conference ( CFFM 30th AGM )
March 28 -31, 2007
Ottawa, Ontario
www.museums.ca or 416-236-5557
THE CFFM RETREAT – NEW MANDATE
The CFFM Board, advisors and management decided that CFFM needed to be re-examined and our path in the future be redesigned. To accomplish this Nancy Hushion of N.L Hushion Associates of Toronto was retained to lead the exercise. The Retreat was held on April 5 in Toronto (which, as always, precluded many of the Board members from attending) but we did have representation from Montreal and Ottawa, including John McAvity, the CMA Executive Director. Several members had submitted their thoughts prior to the meeting in lieu of attending.
As a result the mandate of CFFM has been adapted, and the new version was accepted by the Board at the meeting on June 2. The Board is beginning to work towards this somewhat new direction, and we all hope that you, our supporters, will see a significant difference in how we function in the future.
AS PASSED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON JUNE 2, 2006 :
MANDATE:
The Canadian Federation of Friends of Museums (CFFM) is a national federation of museum friends who support the activities of museums and heritage sites.
MISSION:
The Canadian Federation of Friends of Museums (CFFM) is a national organization dedicated to increasing the number, participation and effectiveness of museum friends groups, volunteers, donors, trustees and others who offer their support, time, money and expertise to the museum community. It provides information and expertise to such groups and by linking them, also serves as a communications network, providing a national voice for the promotion of Canadian museums and heritage sites.
NEWS FOR FRIENDS
Two quotes from MUSE The Voice of Canada’s Museum Community :
MUSE 3-4/2006 National News page 9:
“Parliamentary artefacts, once hidden -except to those with high level security clearance – are now on display for everyone to admire via the Internet. On November 28, 2005 the House of Commons Heritage Collection launched a website to exhibit the artwork of the Parliament Buildings. There are over 5,000 artefacts in the collection; 900 are featured on the website, ranging from sculpture and furniture, to official portraits and historical paintings. David Monaghan, curator of the collection told The Hill-Times he would like to impart to Canadians that the House of Commons’ collection belongs to all of us. The website is also an educational tool which features background information on heritage objects and covers all aspects of artwork in the buildings: both decorative and functional. The House of Commons Curator’s office was created in 1989 with the intent to document and preserve the history of the Parliamentary Buildings through its various objects.”
MUSE 5-6/ 2006 National News page 8:
“Cape Dorset, a small Inuit community in Nunavut, has been named Canada’s most artistic municipality. The island hamlet with a population of about 1,100 has a higher concentration of working artists than major cities such as Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver. Almost one in four of Cape Dorset’s inhabitants are employed in the arts, mainly as Inuit printers and carvers. Visual artist Kenojuak Ashevak and carver Ohito Ashoona are two well-known residents of Cape Dorset, the self-titled
“capital of Inuit art.” The study, done by Hill Strategies Research, found that the arts contribute to the quality of life and the social and economic vitality of many small and rural Canadian communities.”
TRAVEL WITH FRIENDS
NATIONAL GALLERY OF CANADA
Family Ties and Kindred Spirits
September 22-25, 2006
Art and Architecture in Buffalo
October 10-13, 2006
Executive Worldwide Travel 1-800-267-5552
ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM
Arctic Adventures: Glaciers to Graves
August 17-28, 2006
The Last Imaginary Place
August 28-September 9,2006
James Houston, Celebrating a Life
September 9-14, 2006
Adventure Canada 1-800-363-7566
Argentina
October 19-November 4, 2006
Worldwide Quest 1-800-387-1483
Egypt and Its Oases
November 2-22, 2006
Canadian Travel Abroad Ltd. 1-800-387-1876
ART GALLERY OF GREATER VICTORIA
Montreal to New York Art Cruise
October 5-19, 2006
Thomas Cook Travel 250-370-1222
ART GALLERY OF NOVA SCOTIA
Autumn in the Berkshires
October 15-20, 2006
Aponios@matherstravel.com
