Annual Report 2018 CONTENTS Messages . 1 About the AMA . 3 Knowledge Building Conference 2017 . 5 Museum Visitor Experience Program . 8 Certificate in Museum Studies . 8 Recognized Museum Program . 9 Museum Flood Funding Program . 9 Grants . 10 Leadership Awards . 12 Behind the Scenes . 13 Engagment and Advocacy . 15 Communications . 16 Community Engagement . 17 ©Copyright 2018 All right reserved by the Alberta Museums Association The Alberta Museums Association gratefully acknowledges the ongoing 100% financial support of Alberta Culture and Tourism through the lottery-funded Alberta Historical Resources Foundation . C000000 MESSAGE FROM MESSAGE FROM THE LIEUTENANT THE MINISTER OF GOVERNOR OF CULTURE AND ALBERTA TOURISM As Minister of Culture and Tourism, I am pleased to congratulate the Alberta Museums Association for It’s my sincere pleasure to serve as Honourary Patron of the its continued work in supporting our museums and Alberta Museums Association and to congratulate everyone museum professionals to protect, preserve, and promote who contributed to the Association’s success over the past year . Alberta’s history . One of the great joys of my role as Lieutenant Governor is the Museums are integral to our quality of life in providing a sense opportunity it affords me to travel our province and indulge my of community, understanding, and shared heritage . The value love of history . I’ve been fortunate to visit a good many of the that Albertans place on preserving and sharing our history is wonderful museums in communities across Alberta and I know immeasurable . Our heritage facilities are as much about our that I have only begun to scratch the surface . Each museum shares present and our future as they are about our past . In sharing an important piece of the Alberta story and they all play a valuable the stories of our rich history, Alberta museums are helping role in informing, inspiring and entertaining visitors from across to illuminate and give greater context to the realities of today . our province and around the world . The Alberta Museums Association is at the forefront of As Her Majesty the Queen’s representative, I’d like to recognize this work by creating a community of support for provincial all members of our province’s remarkable community of museum museums and fostering connections within Alberta professionals, volunteers and supporters . Thank you for your communities . For the past four decades, the committed ongoing commitment to preserving and sharing our history . and dedicated members of the AMA have continued to not I wish you continued success in the year to come! only guard our cultural heritage but forge new partnerships, develop engaging and innovative programming, and position museums as relevant and vital institutions in Alberta . Each day the AMA is presented with the challenge of shaping history . I am confident that in the upcoming year, Her Honour, the Honourable Lois E . Mitchell, CM, AOE, LLD the association will continue to work closely with its museum Lieutenant Governor of Alberta colleagues in building relationships and best practices that take them forward into the future . Thank you to the AMA for your dedication, commitment, and passion in sharing Alberta’s history . You are the collective memory of this great province and I am proud of the contribution that heritage makes to both the quality of life and the economy of Alberta . RICARDO MIRANDA Minister 1 MESSAGE FROM MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Since their beginnings, museums have been in a state of constant The past year was one of adaptation: adapting to the changing change . From the collections of temple statues and war booty of world around us, adapting to the ever evolving needs of our the Greeks and Romans, through the relics of the Middle Ages membership, and adapting the programs and services of the and the ‘cabinets of curiosities’ of the Enlightenment, museums AMA to reflect our new Strategic Priorities . The thirteen priorities adopted and adapted to new social functions . With the twentieth adopted in July 2017 outlined a new direction for the AMA – one century emergence of interpretation and education, museums that intentionally places the focus on increasing our advocacy began embracing larger and more diverse audiences . In addition efforts on behalf of the museum community and ensures that all to collections care and exhibition, many museums now seek to aspects of our work champion the value of museums . become what their communities need them to be — performance The AMA membership, our funders, and other stakeholders will and event venues, environmental stewards, and immigration see this advocacy manifested in a variety of ways . The most visible resource centres are just a few examples . Bold institutions have of these to date has been the shift in our communications, where become activists, working directly for change regarding race we have focussed our efforts on expanding our networks, engaging relations, poverty, climate change, and other social issues . with new communities, and amplifying the important work of As museums have been changing, so has your Alberta Museums our membership . Our tactics have proven successful: the Board Association (AMA) . In July 2017, the AMA Board of Directors has thoughtfully considered how to amplify their impact across adopted a new Strategic Plan, which is based upon a review of the the province; the Secretariat has undergone extensive training to 2010-2015 Plan, and an assessment of how the Association has increase the impact of our initiatives across sectors; and our Giving progressed in meeting its Ends . This review considered changes Tuesday campaign secured an additional two years of funding in the larger context in which the museum sector operates, for the Robert R . Janes Award for Social Responsibility, which will including significant changes in both provincial and federal further support the work of museums that are solving community governments, economic fluctuations, shifting patterns of global issues and promoting health and well-being . migrations, the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission We know that the museum community in Alberta is constantly (and the corresponding increased public awareness of the need changing and adapting . This is why we continue to review and for reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous renew our existing programs as well as create partnerships communities), and increasing concerns regarding the impact of and opportunities to expand our ability to provide new and climate change . Also considered were changes in how museums engaging experiences . Our partnership with the Western operate, such as the increased use of social media, evolving Museum Association brought over 450 delegates to Edmonton expectations of the social responsibilities of public institutions, and the sessions, tours, workshops, and events associated with and the challenges of including and engaging with increasingly Conference 2017, highlighted some of the best work being done culturally diverse populations . All of this was discussed with you, in our province . The work completed under the four-year Museum our members, through focus groups, interviews, conversations, Flood Funding Program culminated in the publication of HELP! An and an online survey . Emergency Preparedness Manual for Museums, 2nd Edition, which has The new Strategic Plan reaffirms the validity of the existing enabled many museums to adapt and plan for natural disasters, Strategic Framework, and confirms that the AMA’s Vision, Mission, which are increasing in both frequency and severity . Values and Ends Statements continue to be highly relevant Ultimately, the AMA strives to ensure that museums across to our membership . The Strategic Priorities for 2017 – 2022 Alberta are vibrant, sustainable, and valued by their communities . include championing museums by demonstrating their value to Our new Strategic Priorities will ensure that we do this by staying communities, and championing the values that those museums current, relevant, and abreast of trends and issues both inside represent . The AMA will also promote the museum profession, and outside our sector that will affect our sustainability . Your facilitate access to professional development opportunities for participation in the creation of our direction was crucial, and I museum professionals at all stages of their careers, and continue am hopeful that you will continue to be engaged and inspired as to model actions that generate public benefits and social impacts we build on the AMA’s long-standing, solid foundation and look by promoting sustainable operations and practices . forward to the future of our sector . Your AMA: championing museums . TIMOTHY MCSHANE MEAGHAN PATTERSON President, AMA Board of Directors Executive Director / CEO 2 ABOUT THE AMA “ A museum is a non-profit making, The Alberta Museums Association (AMA), a member driven-organization serving permanent institution in the service the needs of its membership, was founded in 1971 as a non-profit society . Today, of society and of its development, AMA initiatives continue to encourage the development of sustainable museums in Alberta, and to enforce and support the work of Alberta museums in creating and open to the public which collaborative and inclusive communities . As a champion of museums as agents of acquires, conserves, researches, social change, the AMA strives to create new opportunities for museums to foster