ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015
MISSION The Ontario Museum Association builds capacity among individuals and institutions active in Ontario’s museum sector. VISION The Ontario Museum Association is the leading cultural organization ensuring a relevant and sustainable museum sector in the province for the benefit of Ontario residents and our global community. VALUES
Sector Relevance
Service Focus
Partnership Orientation 2
HORIZONTALYEAR END TITLE MESSAGE HERE
2015 was quite the year! The Association had a chance to work with our members and the broader museum community on a number of initiatives and legacy projects, with the goal of reinforcing the relevance of museums for greater public value. As 2015 was also the year marking 400 years of French presence in Ontario, the OMA was invited by the Office of Francophone Affairs to commemorate this important anniversary with a special web project and participation in community events. With our network of museums in regions everywhere, the focus is to highlight how museums present our rich heritage through collections and artefacts related to the story of thriving francophone communities of the past and present.
The Looking Ahead initiative was launched to develop a sector-led strategic vision and action plan for the future of Ontario’s museums, to identify opportunities and inform strategies to help museums meet challenges ahead by positioning them as dynamic cultural agents that shape and support community identity and our quality of life.
With the continuation of the three-year project museumsuccession, museum governance workshops were hosted in French and English and offered in several regions ; the group of Emerging Museum Professionals (EMPs) planned special conference programs and events in response to their professional and networking needs, and the Building Community Toolkit was reviewed to enhance the process of engaging community in the strategic planning of museums.
Another successful year of programming featured the SUMAC hosted OMA Annual Conference, Healthy Museums, Vibrant Communities concentrating on three program keys: Collections, Interpretation and Visitors. Welcoming Maurice Davies, museum adviser, researcher and contributor to the UK’s Museums 2020, conference delegates had a chance to address the important role that museums play in the well-being of individuals and communities while being challenged to evaluate their own impact. The OMA also recognized 7 Awards of Excellence recipients for their excellence in museum work, and 7 graduates of the Certificate in Museum Studies program.
A timely professional development offer was the Travelling Exhibit Forum —showcasing successful travelling exhibits and their planning with helpful strategies. The Pre-Forum and Post-Forum webinars explored traveling exhibits and new MAP grant opportunities available to members to assist with their projects and application process.
The Ontario Museum Association delivered a comprehensive and robust professional development program, offering nine Certificate in Museum Studies courses including three online, workshops on Mannequins, and Re-organization of Storage space in partnership with the Canadian Conservation Institute.
We look forward to continuing our work together to ensure that museums continue to be vibrant and vital to Ontario communities. Our grateful thanks to all of our members, colleagues, and partners who help us look ahead with confidence.
Yves Théoret Marie Lalonde President Executive Director
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COUNCIL 2014– 2015
Yves Théoret, President Petal Furness, Councillor Director, Exhibitions and Outreach Manager of Museum and Archives National Gallery of Canada Grey Roots Museum & Archives
Gilles Séguin, Past President Cathy Masterson, Councillor National Manager, Cultural Resource Manager of Cultural Affairs Conservation, Heritage Conservation City of Windsor and Commemoration Directorate Parks Canada Agency Clark Bernat, Vice President Cathy McGirr, Councillor Manager of Museums, Director, Museums Cultural Services City of Niagara Falls Museums Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre
John Dalrymple, Secretary Braden Murray, Councillor Director, Strategic Initiatives Museum Educator Canada’s National Ballet School Lake of the Woods Museum
Emanuele Lepri, Treasurer Chantal J. Schryer, Councillor Director Vice President, Corporate Affairs Bata Shoe Museum Canadian Museum of History
Cheryl Fraser, Councillor Kelley Swift Jones, Councillor Web Manager Museum Curator Royal Ontario Museum Simcoe County Museum
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HORIZONTALMEMBER ENGAGEMENT TITLE HERE
The OMA is pleased to report that membership is After much anticipation, the new Membership stable and growing, exceeding 1000 total members in Management System (MMS) was completed to respond the 2014-2015 fiscal year — for the fourth year in a row! to member needs for convenient online payment for both Maintaining a strong and active membership is key to membership renewals and event registrations. The new our success as an organization and as a sector. system provides members- through a single portal - the ability to manage their own profile, membership records, income history, upcoming events and course registrations and assignment marks, as well managing the museum listings appearing on the Discover Ontario Museums public website. A social media feed and Forum feature were added to the home page of the professional site to enhance member networking and discussion opportunities. The development phase of this project over the fiscal year U of T Museum Studies Students receiving their 2014-2015 resulted in the completion of the website and its OMA Membership packages successful launch in 2015.
To keep members informed of Association, sector To reach a wider audience, the OMA used Social and Ontario museum news, the OMA reached out Media, like Twitter and Facebook, to share to our membership through a variety of methods, Ontario museum news as well as Association news. including weekly ONmuseums, and eNews alerts.
Discover Ontario Museums website has been launched for over 2 years and has proven to be a The OMA shares content from workshops and useful guide for visitors to find more information conferences for those members who are unable to about the museums in Ontario. attend in person on the official YouTube channel.
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PROFESSIONALHORIZONTAL DEVELOP TITLEMENT HERE
In 2014-2015, the OMA professional This year the OMA was fortunate to present a development program engaged 746 people in subsidized workshop from the Canadian learning opportunities that strengthened their Conservation Institute (CCI) on Construction of knowledge and skills and encouraged networking. Mannequins for Historic Costume. This two-day Nine Certificate in Museum Studies courses were workshop provided participants with hands-on delivered to 217 participants at six museums experience building gummed tape mannequins across the province and online. The flexibility of and creating period appropriate hairstyles. online delivery allowed a second section of Organization & Management of Museums to be offered to meet demand. Seven individuals In 2014 the OMA partnered with the Canadian graduated with their certificates in 2014. Conservation Institute to host the first regional pilot of RE-ORG: Canada. Six Ontario museums were selected to participate in a year-long learning The Travelling Exhibit Forum was a two-day opportunity that allowed them to re-organize their symposium that brought together professionals collections storage areas with the expertise of from museums large and small to learn about CCI, funding from the Museums Assistance creating and touring travelling exhibits, to Program, and the support of their colleagues network with other travelling exhibit producers across the province and their sister group, RE- and borrowers, to discover how to maximize their ORG Southeast Europe. The RE-ORG training potential as borrowers, and to get a behind the program is an international initiative of the scenes look at how the Ontario Science Centre International Centre for the Study of the creates and manages travelling exhibits. This Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property unique event provided not only learning but an (ICCROM). opportunity for exhibit producers and borrowers to explore how they can improve their working 746 participants in programs & events relationships. In partnership with the Department of Canadian Heritage Museums Assistance 92 - Governance Workshops 377 - Workshops Program, pre- and post-event webinars were & Conferences presented to provide information on how 5 Workshops
museums can access funding to create and tour 48 Museums 58 Speakers travelling exhibits in Ontario and beyond. 217 - CMS 60 - Webinars
73 Museums 7 Graduates 6
In 2014-2015, the Ontario Museum Association delivered on Year Two of its three-year museumsuccession project. This project, funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, has allowed us to provide governance workshops across the province at no charge to participants; to enhance relationships between museums and their communities by adapting Building Responsive Museums into a comprehensive and user-friendly toolkit; and to support Ontario’s
emerging museum professionals by fostering an active network of peers within the sector.
Emerging Museum Professionals Advisory Emily Beliveau, EMPAC presenting at Committee (EMPAC) members at 2014 Conference
2014 Conference Ben MacIntosh, Braden Murray, Emily Beliveau,
and Pailagi Pandya. ION
Governance Workshop with North Shores Cultural Governance Workshop with Elgin-Oxford-Norfolk Attractions Network (NSCAN) at Massey Museum Association of Curators, Archivists, and Director (EON) Facilitator: Carrie Brooks-Joiner Facilitator: Carrie Brooks-Joiner
November 14, 2014 November 28, 2014 SUCCESS Governance Workshop Partners:
Sioux Lookout Community Museum, Sunset Country Museum Network
Arnprior & District Museum, Renfrew County Museum Network
Massey Museum, North Shores Cultural Attractions Network (NSCAN)
Delhi Tobacco Museum & Heritage Centre, Elgin-Oxford-Norfolk Association of MUSEUM INSERT SIDE TITLE HERE TITLE SIDE INSERT Curators, Archivists, and Directors (E.O.N.).
7 CMS Course Directors: Dr. Amy Barron Amber Lloydlangston University of Toronto, University of Curator Regional History Guelph-Humber, Fleming College Museum London Cindy Colford Bill Nesbitt Conservator, Supervisor Peterborough Museum & Archives
Oakville Museum and Faculty of Fleming College Bev Dietrich John Summers Curator Manager, Heritage Services Guelph Museums and Curator Regional Municipality of Halton Joan Kanigan Melissa Wakeling Executive Director Education & Marketing Coordinator, Museum of Ontario Archaeology Glanmore National Historic Site
Courses 2014 - 2015
M STUDIES STUDIES M Museums & the Community (Online) Museums in Historic Buildings (Facilities Management) Huron County Museum and Historic Gaol, Goderich 2014 Graduates: Artifacts Fanshawe Pioneer Village, London Bethany Aitchison, Canadian Forces Museum of Aerospace Defence Collections Management Guelph Civic Museum, Guelph Len De Graaf Education Programs Jenna Leifso, Huron County Museum Muskoka Boat & Heritage Center, Gravenhurst and Historic Gaol Organization & Management of Museums (Online) John Organ Exhibit Planning & Design Elizabeth Peloza Niagara Falls History Museum, Niagara Falls Caroline Petznick Museums Context (Online) Heather Tichenor, Black Creek Care of Collections Pioneer Village
Canadian Canoe Museum, Peterborough CERTIFICATE IN MUSEU IN CERTIFICATE
INSERT SIDE TITLE HERE TITLE SIDE INSERT CMS Course: Education Programs CMS Course: Exhibit Planning & Design Gravenhurst Niagara Falls September 29-October 1, 2014 December 1-3, 2014 8
TRAVELLING EXHIBIT FORUM (TEF)
Ontario Science Centre, Toronto, June 9-10, 2014
Dan Boivin, Canadian Museum of Nature presents on Roundtable Discussions at the Travelling Exhibit Forum
RS Interpretive Planning and Design June 10, 2014 June 9, 2014 Put Your Exhibit on the MAP:
The Museums Assistance Program and Travelling Exhibitions Online, May 9, 2014
Presenter: Beverley O’Connell, Department of Canadian Heritage Managing a Travelling Exhibit Project
Online, September 25, 2014
Presenters: Beverley O’Connell and Andrew Elgee, Department of Canadian Heritage, Jon Oldham, Peterborough Museum and Archives CCI CONSTRUCTION OF MANNEQUINS FOR HISTORIC COSTUMES Lennox & Addington Museum & Achives, February 25-26, 2014
Creating gummed tape and plaster mannequins Participants pose with their mannequins
February 25, 2015 February 26, 2015
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HEALTHY MUSEUMS, VIBRANT COMMUNITIES Nottawasaga Inn, Alliston, Ontario October 15-17, 2014
The Annual Conference 2014 theme and program explored two primary directions for museums. Healthy Museums looked at museums and their individual functions, (collections, conservation, programming, gift shop, fundraising etc.), and how to provide a balanced approach in supporting, managing, and integrating all of these functions in a time efficient and cost effective way, always in pursuit of the museum's mission. Vibrant Communities examined how museums can serve people and communities in many aspects of life, as places of wellness,
even healing, social, community and economic development, and that museum programs facilitate learning and social equity, improving the long term well-being of a community.
Plenary Speakers
Maurice Davies Museum Consultant Formerly of Museums Association (UK) Marlene Hilton Moore Opening Reception Artist/ Sculptor Museum on the Boyne October 15, 2015
Looking Ahead Talking Circles Workshop with Maurice Davies
Conference 2014 Conference 2014
ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2014 CONFERENCE ANNUAL INSERT SIDE TITLE HERE TITLE SIDE INSERT October 16, 2014 October 16, 2014 10
2014 Award Recipients: Solange Claude, Canada Science and Technology Museum, Meredith Leonard, St. Catharines Museum & Welland Canals Centre, Adrien Petry, St. Catharines Museum & Welland Canals Centre, Shanna Dunlop, Fanshawe Pioneer Village, Janet Cobban, John R. Park Homestead Conservation Area, Jillian Metcalfe, Algonquin Award Recipient, Laurel MacMillan, TIFF, Clark Bernat, Niagara Falls History Museum, and Yves Théoret, OMA President. Not Pictured: Stu Finn, Sioux Lookout Community Museum Award Recipients: Promising Leadership Dr. Shanna Dunlop, Curator, Fanshawe Pioneer Village Distinguished Career Janet Cobban, Curator, John R. Park Homestead Conservation Area
Award of Excellence in Community Engagement St. Catharines Museum & Welland Canals Centre, the "aMuse" event series
Award of Excellence in Programs Canada Science and Technology Museum, "The Summer Institute for Elementary Teachers" Award of Excellence in Exhibitions Niagara Falls History Museum “[No] Vacancy: Honeymoon Suites or By-the-Week, Motel Culture in Niagara" Award of Excellence in Special Projects TIFF "David Cronenberg: Evolution", "David Cronenberg Virtual Exhibition", and "Body/ Mind/Change" Award of Excellence in Publications Sioux Lookout Community Museum "Sioux Lookout Community Museum’s Mobile App"
Fleming College Emerging Museum Algonquin College Applied Museums
Professional Award Studies Program OMA Award of Merit AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE OF AWARDS INSERT SIDE TITLE HERE TITLE SIDE INSERT 2014 Recipient: Ruth O’Connell 2014 Recipient: Jillian Metcalfe
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LOOKINGHORIZONTAL AHEAD TITLE INITIA HERTIVEE
The Looking Ahead Initiative seeks to build a strong, united and relevant museum community for Ontarians. To undertake this work, the OMA convened the Looking Ahead Task Force in Summer 2014. Comprised of 12 members, this group represents the depth and breadth of Ontario’s museum sector. Over the past year, this Task Force has worked to realize the full potential of a more collaborative, forward-looking and responsive museum sector for communities across the province, and to achieve the three long-term outcomes established for the project:
Informed relevant museum strategies for Ontarians that foster accessibility and participation Improved sector capacity and communication Improved sector accountability and transparency
In 2014-2015, initial work focused on research to: Discussions during Looking Ahead Talking Circles, October 16, 2014 Identify sector successes and challenges. Determine the current profile of the museum sector in Ontario. Study innovative approaches from the broader museum sector and cultural sector.
This research supported the discussion of future directions, which was also informed by a broad consultation process, including:
Input and feedback from museum professionals, volunteers and stakeholders through 140 online survey responses, 31 in-depth interviews, and four facilitated discussions (attended by approximately 250 people). An institutional survey completed by 177 museums. Ongoing discussions and engagement with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, as well as other public and private sector funders. To date, important results of the Looking Ahead Initiative include the release of the preliminary report Ontario’s Museums 2025: Looking Ahead – Towards a Strategic Vision and Action Plan in November 2015. A first for museums in Ontario, the Task Force has submitted this preliminary report with the intention that Ontario’s Museums 2025 be broadly shared and discussed. Task Force will consider all feedback received by February 29, 2016. A final report will be recommended to OMA Council for formal approval in late Winter 2016. We expect to release this final report in Spring 2016.
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HORIZONTALTHANK TITLE YOU!!HERE
DONORS PROVINCIAL FUNDING
Burns Anderson Emanuele Lepri Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sport Chris Bagley Nancy Marr Provincial Heritage Organization Grant Clark Bernat Cathy Masterson Culture Development Fund Pierre Bois Cathy McGirr Janet Carding Catherine Richards Summer Experience Program Maureen Couse Jane Rumble FEDERAL FUNDING Bev Dietrich Gilles Seguin Department of Canadian Heritage Mary Gladwin Stephen Shurgold Museums Assistance Program Patricia Hamilton John Summers Young Canada Works Sharilyn Ingram Kelley Swift Jones Sheila Johnson Yves Theoret OTHER FUNDING Ian Kerr-Wilson Karen VandenBrink Ontario Trillium Foundation Marie Lalonde SECRETARIAT
Marie Lalonde, Executive Director Mary Collier, Professional Development Program Manager Sonia Briglio, Membership and Administration Coordinator Lucy Di Pietro, Project Manager, Looking Ahead Kathy Downs, Project Coordinator Barbara Gilbert, museumsuccession Project Manager With the support from Young Canada Works and Summer Experience employment programs, we thank the following Graham Fraser, Commissioner of Official Languages, Louise Gauvreau, Senior individuals for their contribution: Manager, Official Languages at Pan/Parapan American Games, Melissa Wall, Communications Assistant, Josh Lichty, Marie Lalonde, Executive Director, Ontario Museum Association, Francois Boileau, French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario, Project Assistant, Melanie Mundle, Project Assistant, and Saad Rafi, CEO, Pan/Parapan American Games Leila Syed-Fatemi, Conference Assistant, and Margot Hadaya, Intern 13 Conference 2014 Program Committee Co-Chair: Petal Furness (Grey Roots Museum & Archives), Co-Chair: Kelley Swift-Jones (Simcoe County Museum), Meg Beckel (Canadian Museum of Nature), Donna Goodwin (Simcoe County's Cultural Network), Maya Hirschman (Secrets of Radar Museum), Jenn Nelson (Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons) Local Arrangements Committee Chair: Donna Goodwin (Sumac: Simcoe County's Cultural Network), Katie Huddleston (Museum on the Boyne), Nicole Jackson (Penetanguishene Centennial Museum & Archives), Chris Johnstone (Ontario Provincial Police Museum), Susan Warner (Collingwood Museum) Awards of Excellence Committee Chair: Cathy Masterson (Recreation and Culture, City of Windsor), Cheryl Blackman, (Royal Ontario Museum), Laura Gibbs, (Gibson House Museum), Cathy McGirr, (Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre), and Sean Stoughton, (Waterloo Region Museum). Nominations Committee Chair: Gilles Séguin (Heritage Conservation and Commemoration Directorate Parks Canada Agency), Petal Furness (Grey Roots Museum & Archives), Devon Muhic (Scarborough Museum) and Pailagi Pandya (Scarborough Museum)
Museum Succession Project Advisory Committee
Chair: Madeleine Callaghan (Scarborough Museum), Henriette Riegel (Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum), Amy Barron, Lori Nelson (Lake of the Woods Museum), Cheryl Fraser (Royal Ontario Museum), Karen Bachmann (Timmins Museum: National Exhibition Centre), Amy Dunlop (Wellington County Museum and Archives), Liz Driver (Campbell House Museum) Emerging Museum Professionals Advisory Committee (EMPAC) Emily Beliveau (Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol), Laura Gibbs (Gibson House Museum), Ben MacIntosh (TIFF), Braden Murray (Lake of the Woods Museum), Pailagi Pandya (Scarborough Museum)
HR Committee Chair: Gilles Séguin (Heritage Conservation and Commemoration Directorate Parks Canada Agency), John Dalrymple (Canada’s National Ballet School), Yves Théoret (National Gallery of Canada), Clark Bernat (City of Niagara Falls Museums), and Emanuele Lepri (Bata Shoe Museum)
Bylaw Committee Chair: Clark Bernat (City of Niagara Falls Museums), Cathy Molloy (Markham Museum), and Catherine Richards (City of Oshawa) Looking Ahead Task Force Chair: Yves Théoret, National Gallery of Canada (to Aug. 2015), Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (present), Karen Bachmann, Timmins Museum: National Exhibition Centre, Carolyn Bell Farrell, MacLaren Art Centre, Marty Brent, Peel Art Gallery, Museum, and Archives, Diane Imrie, Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, Ian Kerr-Wilson, City of Hamilton, Guy Labine, Science North, Janet
Carding, Royal Ontario Museum, Xerxes Mazda, Royal Ontario Museum (to September 2015), National COMMITTEES COMMITTEES INSERT SIDE TITLE HERE TITLE SIDE INSERT Museum of Scotland (present), Cathy Molloy, Markham Museum, Bill Poole, Canadian Clay and Glass
Gallery, Michael Rikley-Lancaster, Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, Paul Robertson, City of Kingston. 14
Conference 2014 Partners
Simcoe County Museum, County of Simcoe, Sumac: Simcoe County's Cultural Network, Museum on the Boyne, Canadian Museum of History, Canadian War Museum, Total Transportation Solu- tions Inc., Beyond Digital, PACART, Cultural Asset Management, Gaylord, Royal Ontario Muse- um, Blue Rhino Design, Canadian Museum of Nature, Zone Display Cases, National Gallery of Canada, and Brain Trust Marketing and Communications.
Conference 2014 Tradeshow Exhibitors Armstrong Art Services, Bank of Canada Museum, Beyond Digital, Blue Rhino Design, Carr McLean, Canadian Museum of Nature, Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation, Canadian Museum of History, Canadian War Museum, Cultural Asset Management Group, Dun- durn, Friesens, Gaylord, Lord Cultural Resources, Little Ray’s Reptile Zoo, Marsh, Sherbrooke Na- ture and Science Museum, Object Art Imaging, Pacart, Public Services Health & Safety Associa- tion, Royal Ontario Museum, RGA Technologies, Simbioz, Spacesaver Solutions Inc., Total Trans-
portation Solutions Inc., and Zone Display Cases.
Professional Development Program Hosts
Ontario Science Centre, and Lennox & Addington Museum & Archives
CMS Course Hosts
Fanshawe Pioneer Village, Canadian Canoe Museum, Guelph Civic Museum, Muskoka Boat &
Heritage Centre, Niagara Falls Museum, and Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol.
Looking Ahead Task Force Meeting CCI Re-Org
Toronto, Ontario
PARTNERSHIPS INSERT SIDE TITLE HERE TITLE SIDE INSERT
Summary Financial Statements 15
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