New Relevance for Historic Sites 2016 National Trust Conference

Larry Ostola Director, Museums and Heritage Services October 22, 2016 Museums and Heritage Services Who we are and what we do

 Part of the Economic Development and Culture Division (EDC) of the City of .  Economic Development & Culture (EDC) seeks to enhance the city’s prosperity and liveability by fostering employment and investment opportunities, and creating an environment that allows business to thrive while enhancing Toronto’s vibrancy through cultural and heritage expressions and experiences. Who we are and what we do Site operation and administration  Responsible for the administration and operation of ten historical museums on behalf of the City of Toronto.  Welcomed over 400,000 visitors in 2015 to the sites and offered a wide variety of programs and special events:

 Fort York National Historic Site: Magna Carta: Law, Liberty and Legacy Major cross-Canada exhibit during the 800th anniversary year in 2015.

 Spadina Museum: Gatsby Garden Party 1920’s themed event with costumes, music and dance.

 Historic Zion Schoolhouse “Build, build better” Art installations by the Gifts and Occupations Collective in collaboration with the Toronto Arts Council .

 Montgomery’s Inn: 40th Anniversary Celebrations The celebration of 40 years as a community historical museum.

 The Market Gallery “When the Beatles Rocked Toronto exhibit; 50th anniversary concert re-creation at the former Maple Leaf Gardens” walks and presentations.

Who we are and what we do Heritage Conservation

 Museums and Heritage Services is responsible for the restoration and maintenance of 100 City-owned heritage buildings located on a total of 40 properties. These range from the Montgomery’s Inn, and to cultural centres such as Berkeley Street Theatre and the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts.  Key recent restoration projects include Casa Loma and the Spadina barn/stables. Examples of major service improvement projects are the Fort York Visitor Centre and the Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts. Staff also lead the development of the adaptive reuse and restoration of major sites such as the Evergreen Brickworks and the John St. Roundhouse. Capital Projects: Casa Loma and Spadina stables Who we are and what we do Collections and curatorial

 Conservation and presentation of the City collection of 150,000 historic objects, 1.1 million archaeological specimens and 2,500 pieces of moveable fine art.  “Tunnel Vision: The story of Toronto’s Subway”, “Home Field Advantage: Toronto’s Summer sporting sites” at the Market Gallery. In reflecting on some of the challenges we face, some things to consider…

 Low public awareness generally related to historic places  Public perception “…what has changed?”  The ‘history deficit’  Intense competition for leisure time and money  How best to engage new audiences and communities  The role of technology and how best to accommodate it and take advantage of the opportunities it provides without it “...all being about the Twitter feed.” Some key opportunities

 Closer collaboration with other museums/historic sites in the city; play a role as a catalyst and increase the impact of the sector as a whole.  Enhancing awareness, visitation and revenue.  Effective engagement of diverse communities and communities of interest “Be about something but also be for someone”.  Capitalizing on the distinct strengths and characteristics of each of our places.  Innovative program development beyond the “velvet rope tour”.  Strengthening existing partnerships and develop innovative, non- traditional partnerships.  The effective use of technology to help meet defined objectives. Where would we like to be?

 Greater public awareness, profile and impact  Enhanced casual and group visitation  Continued high public satisfaction with the site experiences we offer  Finding the balance between awareness raising and core programming  Innovative programs, exhibits and events addressing a wide range of historical themes and other related subjects of interest  Increased revenue for increased programming/event opportunities  A strong network and constituency of support  Communities that feel that these are their places and that they serve as useful community resources So how do we get there?

 By developing a thorough assessment and understanding of our current reality: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and capitalizing on the distinct characteristics and strengths of each place  More of a strategic focus on clear objectives e.g. awareness, engagement, program development  Ongoing assessment of our activities to determine if we are meeting our objectives  Investing in marketing and promotion  Encouraging creative license  Developing a stronger network between sites  Effectively using technology and its various channels

Some success stories…. The Gatsby Garden Party and “Dressing for Downton” Spadina Museum

Canadian Multiculturalism Day Scarborough Historical Museum Magna Carta: Law, Liberty and Legacy, the Indigenous Arts Festival and The Art of Command, Fort York National Historic Site “Worn with Pride” Montgomery’s Inn and “When the Beatles Rocked Toronto” Market Gallery and The Arts at the Historic Sites Thank You! STAY CONNECTED WITH US Facebook -Twitter -YouTube

toronto.ca/museum-events [email protected]

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