We (Karin & I) went to the national meetings in Ottawa hosted by CHIN & CCI. Great to meet staff from the other provincial museum associations and hear whats going on around the country. The staff at CHIN and CCI are genuinely interested in helping museums in Canada and I think there's lots of potential for partnerships in the future. Visit Karin's blog (accessible from our website) to read her Ottawa report.
We also attended the CMA national conference in Saint John's, Newfoundland in May. Excellently organised with great sessions and with the backdrop of Saint John's to add colour and a dash of snow. Intangible Culture was the theme this year. Newfoundland has been particularly active in the preservation and interpretation of its intangible culture and so a very apt venue for the conference. Nova Scotia was well represented with career accolades going to Robert Frame and Susan Gibson Garvey for their contributions to the museum field. Creamery Square of Tatamagouche received an award of excellence for their community project. Bill Greenlaw, Stephanie Smith, Rodney Chaisson, Maggie MacIntyre and Dorothy Outhouse were Nova Scotian presenters for a variety of sessions.
We have also been busy attending the regional meetings taking place over the past several weeks. During April & May, we attended the South West Curator's Group meeting in Liverpool, the Central Region
meeting in Dartmouth, Heritage Cape Breton (formerly Iona Connection) in Saint Peter's and Cumberland County Heritage Network in Amherst. Its good to get out and see whats going on around the province and there's always lots going on....
I've participated in a number of singular events as well. The variety is completely illustrative of the range of theme and activity represented by museums in the province. Some examples include a workshop with the Black Loyalist Heritage Society to explore interpretation for their Birchtown site, an evening reception complete with dress uniforms to launch the Army Museum's summer season, a stem to stern tour of Maritime Command Museum with Industrial Heritage of Nova Scotia, a reopening celebration at Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History accompanied (far too closely) by really large insects, site visit to Shubenacadie Tinsmith Museum to tell them about ANSM and tour their site. Plus more....
I have also visited the Tatamagouche area with President, Pauline Thomson and NE representative, Enid Copper. Its the North East region's turn to host next year's spring conference and Tatamagouche area is stepping up to form the local arrangements committee and plan a grand event. They have lots of good ideas and a wonderful area brimming with sites and dedicated individuals from which to draw. Conference 2011 stands to be a grand event.
Its a busy time and always will be. Now starts the summer season and travels about the province to visit museums and learn about their tribulations and trials. I resolve to check in and blog more often. I also resolve to remember to use the camera I travel with....
Onwards & upwards
