Burke takes gallery helm

Gregory Burke never set foot in Saskatoon until he flew in to be interviewed for the top job at the Mendel Art Gallery last December.

The native New Zealander is now thrust front and centre into one of the most anticipated and controversial projects in this city's history: The opening of the new Remai Art Gallery of Saskatchewan.

The StarPhoenix sat down with Burke as he started his first week as executive director and CEO of the Mendel Art Gallery to talk about his past, his challenges and his vision for the Remai Art Gallery of Saskatchewan.

View the StarPhoenix article in which they interview Burke.

Follow the Culture Days Saskatchewan Blog

Culture Days Saskatchewan is excited to announce a new blog! It will be updated frequently with posts, videos and stories from the Culture Days Animateurs. Follow along as the Animateurs travel across the province engaging people of all ages in hands-on cultural activities and helping communities become involved in Culture Days 2013.

For more information visit: http://bit.ly/11zOf1s

Royal Saskatchewan Museum ships rare coprolite to Smithsonian

A rare coprolite found in southwest Saskatchewan is coveted by one of the world’s most prominent museums.

Housed at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum for years, fossilized feces from what is believed to be a Tyrannosaurus rex will be sent to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., to become a part of a display there in 2014.

This T-rex coprolite is being used to gain a better understanding of the biology of the animal, including it’s diet.

Visit the Leader-Post website for more information.

New Award Supports Young Curators

The Canadian Museums Association (CMA) and the Museums Foundation of Canada are proud to launch the new Dr. Shirley L. Thomson Young Curators Award.
 
This important award was conceived in honour of Dr. Thomson's efforts as a tireless supporter of young graduates' preparation for curatorial careers in the visual arts. Each year, a jury of professionals will award the legacy fund to a museum, art gallery or artist-run centre in Canada where curatorial interns will benefit from practical skills development in a professional and supervised setting. The interns will also have the opportunity to participate in career exchanges and network at the CMA's National Conference.
 
Throughout her long career, Dr. Thomson played a significant role in the promotion of the visual arts in Canada. She believed in research and education and embraced young people who aimed for excellence in their creative and scholarly pursuits. For a number of years, she proudly held the role of Chair of the Canadian Museums Association's Awards Committee, believing in its recognition of exceptional achievement in museum and gallery practice across Canada.
 
This curatorial internship opportunity has been made possible thanks to the generous support of artists, collectors and other donors, some of whom benefitted from Dr. Thomson's support. Funds are being raised on an ongoing basis by the Museums Foundation of Canada.
 
In this inaugural year, the deadline for applications for the Dr. Shirley L. Thomson Young Curators Award is July 10, 2013. Details regarding the award and the nomination process are available on the CMA website.
 

AMA Conference 2013 Registration Open

Alberta Museums Association Conference
From Landscapes to Languages: What Shapes Us?
Edmonton, Alberta
September 19 - 21, 2013

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

The Alberta Museums Association (AMA) and the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCU) is pleased to present the AMA's 2013 Conference dedicated to the exploration of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH).

For Conference information and to register, visit the AMA website at www.museums.ab.ca.

Join us as we seek to raise awareness about ICH and to provide the Alberta museum community with the opportunity to learn and celebrate the important role they play in fostering and preserving ICH.


The application forms for the Alberta Museums Association's 2013 Conference Grant are also now available at www.museums.ab.ca. Please use the forms revised in 2013 only. Funding will be distributed on a first-come / first-served basis.

Make your museum a Destination!

Submit your heritage site or museum for inclusion in CanadasHistory.ca/Destinations. Complete the fields that are possible for your organization and we will update your pages. Your information will be available to thousands of Canadians as they plan their summer vacations in 2013 and beyond.

artsVest Saskatchewan Info Sessions and Workshops

June 18th Tuesday – Maple Creek Workshop - Jasper Cultural and Historical Centre, 311 Jasper Street  - 10am - 4pm - rsvp by June 14

June 19th, Wednesday  – Humboldt Workshop - Charleston Room, in the Bella Vista Inn, 1815 8th Avenue  - 10am - 4pm - rsvp by June 17

June 20th, Thursday - Saskatoon Workshop - PAVED Media Arts, 424 20th St. W., Saskatoon,  9am to 4pm  rsvp by June 18

June 21st, Friday - Prince Albert Workshop - Prince Albert Arts Centre, 1010 Central Avenue, 10am to 4pm-RSVP by June 19

June 22nd  Saturday – North Battleford Workshop - Chapel Gallery, 891 99 Street,  - 10am to 4pm -  rsvp by June 19

June 24th Monday - Yorkton Workshop- Godfrey Dean Gallery, 49 Smith St E  - 10am to 4pm - rsvp by June 21

June 27th  Thursday - Weyburn Workshop, Signal Hill, 424 10 Ave SE - 10am to 4pm - rsvp by June 25

June 28th  Friday - Regina Workshop, Neil Balkwil Civic Arts Centre, 2420 Elphinstone St., access off of 15th and McTavish St., Regina, 9 am 4pm - rsvp by June 26

Workshops are free of charge and lunch will be provided.

Please RSVP, noting the date and location of choice, by email  to Linda Payeur, Program Manager, artsVest Saskatchewan l_payeur@businessforthearts.org

Jennifer Hoesgen named to the Executive of the National Creative Cities Network of Canada

On May 31, 2013, Jennifer Hoesgen, curator, Humboldt and District Museum and Art Gallery, was elected to the executive of the National Creative Cities Network of Canada at the group's annual convention in Ottawa. Visit Discover Humboldt for more information.

Congratulations Jennifer!

June is National Aboriginal History Month

June is National Aboriginal History Month – a celebration of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people – and a look at the roles they play in Canada’s past, present, and future. This year, the Regina Aboriginal Professionals Association has included weekly themes into the month’s celebrations, which include: Celebrating Past Stories and Triumphs of Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples (week one), Celebrating Present Stories and Triumphs of Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples (week two), Embracing Our Culture and Traditions (week three), and Celebrating Future Stories and Triumphs of Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples (week four). For more information, visit Regina Aboriginal Professional Association .

SCAA 2013 AGM

Friday, June 21, 2013
 
Moose Jaw Public Library
461 Langdon Crescent
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
2:15 Registration
2:30 Annual General Meeting
 
Workshop:  Digitizing Saskatchewan – Strategies and Best Practices for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Content
9:30 am to 2:00 pm
Lunch will be on your own, however tables will be reserved at the Yvette Moore Gallery Café.
 
For more information on the workshop and the registration form, visit http://scaa.usask.ca/

New Horizons for Seniors Program

From May 22 to July 5, 2013, applications will be accepted for the New Horizons for Seniors Program.

The program covers community-based projects that enable seniors to share their knowledge, skills and experiences with others and  help community increase their capacity to address local issues. Organizations could receive up to $25,000 per year.

Projects must address one or more of the program's five objectives:

1. promoting volunteerism among seniors and other generations;
2. engaging seniors in the community through the mentoring of others;
3. expanding awareness of elder abuse, including financial abuse;
4. supporting the social participation and inclusion of seniors; and
5. providing capital assistance for new and existing community projects and/or programs for seniors.

For more information, please check out the following website:
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/seniors/funding/community/index.shtml

Vintage Stove Available

Are you missing a 1940's vintage stove from your collection? An individual wishes to donate the stove to a museum.

For further information please contact Pat Hearn at (306) 794-4869.

Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo Celebrates 100th Anniversary

MAS would like to congratulate the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo as it recently celebrated its 100 year anniversary at a centennial fair Sunday, May 26th. 

To mark the occasion, The StarPhoenix took a look back through its history - from wolf escapes to budget cuts. The article can be viewed on the Leader-Post website.

Upcoming Saskatchewan Archaeological Society ArchaeoCaravan Program

The Saskatchewan Archaeological Society is pleased to announce that their annual ArchaeoCaravan program will be in the Seneca Root, Qu’Appelle Valley, Parkland and Southeast Museum Networks this summer. Dates and specific locations can be found in the following pdf: ArchaeoCaravan.

Their goal is to assist museums with the interpretation and identification of archaeological collections as well as to promote awareness and education of archaeology and Saskatchewan’s history to local schools. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Karin Steuber, Public Outreach Coordinator, (306) 664-4124, saskarchsoc@sasktel.net.

artsVest Extended for Two More Years

On May 27th, Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Kevin Doherty, accompanied by Business for the Arts, artsVest national program manager Laura Adlers, announced an agreement has been reached on a two-year extension of artsVest™ program in Saskatchewan.

For more information, view the official press release.

Prairies North Events Calendar - Reminder

As some of you might remember MAS has purchased an ad package with Prairies North Magazine. Just a reminder that there is an events calendar located on the Prairies North website. Anyone can submit an event to this calendar, so we advise our members to take advantage of this promotional opportunity.

Take the MacKenzie Art Gallery public survey

Regina’s MacKenzie Art Gallery is seeking input from the public. The gallery is interested in how the public views it, and what they would like to see at the gallery for their next 60 years.

Please visit the MacKenzie Art Gallery website to take the survey.

Honouring History in Canada's Museums

The Canadian Museums Association (CMA) is pleased to partner with Canada's History Society to present the 3rd annual Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Museums: History Alive! The CMA is now accepting nominations for this year's award which will be presented in November 2013 by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston during a special ceremony at Rideau Hall.
 
The Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Museums: History Alive! recognizes excellence and innovation in the public programming of museums and related heritage institutions. Generously supported by Ecclesiastical Insurance Ltd., the award honours significant achievements in the historical field and encourages standards of excellence specifically in the presentation, preservation and interpretation of national, regional and local history.

Museums, art galleries or individuals wishing to submit nominations for the 2013 History Alive!award are invited to complete and forward the application form and all required documentation supporting their nomination to the Canadian Museums Association by Friday, August 16, 2013. The nomination form and evaluation criteria are available on the CMA website and Canada's History Society website.

MAS Digitization Workshop

Join us on 28 June for a digitization workshop with Saskatchewan History Online (SHO). This workshop will lead you through the digitization process to help you create processes that are efficient and sustainable for your museum. You’ll learn about setting up or sustaining a digitization program, best practices and guidelines for digital collections, building a support network, and fostering a community approach to digitizing Saskatchewan collections.

This workshop is part of SHO’s mandate to train and support galleries, libraries, archives, and museums) interested in digitization to develop an engaging research experience and useable data and digital files. Learn more about SHO at saskhistoryonline.ca .

Digitization Workshop
9:30 AM, 28 June 2013
Craik Eco-Centre, Craik, Saskatchewan
Cost $20 (includes lunch)

Cuts to Motherwell Homestead

Due to federal cutbacks, visitors to the Motherwell Homestead will see changes this season. Some of the changes to the site include reduced public hours, and the loss of guided tours and costumed interpreters.

To read the full article visit the Leader-Post website.

New Sask First Nations Biography

• who grew to manhood before the settlers arrived in the Battleford area
• who attained the position of Head Warrior in the Rattler Society
• who successfully defended Cut Knife Hill against Canadian soldiers in 1885
• who adapted to life on the Sweetgrass Reserve without surrendering his Cree identity
• who defied the Dept. of Indian Affairs and held 8 Thirst Dances
• who protected his Cree culture
• who earned the praise of anthropologist Dr. D.G. Mandelbaum
  

• Saskatchewan History
• Western Canadian History
• Pre-settlement Prairies
• Cree culture
• the Battleford area
• Sweetgrass and Poundmaker Reserves
• Native Studies
  

SaskCulture Requesting Contest Prize Items

SaskCulture is putting together a provincial contest that will run all summer long, culminating in a series of electronic displays around the province during Culture Days at the end of September 2013. People will be invited to submit a photo, poem, story, recipe, video, that represents what they love about Saskatchewan and our culture. Every submission will get one entry to the draw that will take place during Culture Days.

They are trying to pull together a great prize package, called the “ultimate Saskatchewan cultural experience”. STC has already contributed two bus passes for 2014 to get people where they need to go, and it would be great to include two passes from various museums and galleries in the province. Even if you don’t charge admission, you can still participate by sending a brochure about your cultural experience to include in the prize package, to encourage people to get to your event or attraction.

If you would like to contribute please email Marian Donnelly, Culture Days Coordinator, MDonnelly@saskculture.sk.ca.

MAS Environmental Monitoring Loan Program

MAS is pleased to offer environmental monitoring equipment for all institutional members! Want to know about the conditions in which your artifacts are living? Borrow equipment to determine temperature, relative humidity, UV, and visible light levels! Call May-Lin for details or to borrow one! (306) 780-9266

Culture Days team ready to engage and inspire creativity across Saskatchewan

SaskCulture has assembled an outstanding team to lead the Culture Days preparations and celebrations in Saskatchewan.  Four “Animateurs” will travel to communities across the province in the months leading up to this year’s national Culture Days celebration taking place September 27-29, 2013.  The Culture Days Animateurs bring a wide range of artistic and community activation experience and are eager to help activity planners brainstorm ideas, hold workshops and come up with innovative ways to engage the public in the cultural life of their communities. Check out this year’s Culture Days Team here , and contact them directly to set up a workshop or presentation in your community this summer!  For more information, contact Marian Donnelly, Culture Days Coordinator at SaskCulture, at 306-780-9295 or mdonnelly@saskculture.sk.ca.

Happy Museum Project Report

A recent report by the "Happiness Economist," Daniel Fujiwara, of the London School of Economics, measures and values people's happiness as a result of visiting or participating in museum activities. The analysis concludes, among other things, that museums improve people's happiness and perception of good health. Also, people who don't visit museums as adults say it's due to the fact that they were not introduced to museums during their childhood.

To access the full report, visit the Happy Museum Project website.

Parks Canada heritage buildings in poor shape

Parks Canada is warning that deteriorating heritage buildings, visitor centres and other assets in Canada's national parks and historic sites are at "significant risk" and in desperate need of repair.

The federal government is boosting some user fees in 2013 to cover increasing operating costs and to help address the infrastructure backlog, at the same time it cuts millions of dollars and hundreds of jobs from the agency.

The eroding infrastructure also means Canadians can expect temporary closures of facilities and highways, and reduced levels of service in national parks across the country, according to a new Parks Canada report.

Parks Canada - which administers 44 national parks, 167 historic sites and four national marine conservation areas - will also establish two new national parks by 2015 (in Nunavut and Labrador).

But it must do so with significantly fewer resources. The 2012 federal budget cut Parks Canada's funding by $29.2 million over three years, resulting in potentially 600 job losses across the parks system.

This article is from The Province.

Regina Plains Museum is Now the Civic Museum of Regina

After half a century of being known as the Regina Plains Museum it has officially changed its name to the Civic Museum of Regina and has moved into the warehouse district.

The museum has moved from its Scarth Street location to its new location for a couple reasons. One was to find a permanent location that was big enough to showcase all of its displays and that was easily accessible. In its Scarth Street location, the items that were not displayed were held in a storage facility on Winnipeg Street.

The new 5,000-square-foot location will be home to three permanent exhibits such as the Jackie Berting glass wheat field. The 2nd permanent space being installed is the Capitol Theatre space to show film initiatives. The third will be dedicated for temporary exhibit space for local artists, travelling exhibits or seasonal exhibits. The museum will house a resource centre, library and reflection area.

The new museum is undergoing construction and is set to open in August.

MAG - Artist Resource Listing

The Mann Art Gallery is creating an Artist Resource Person Listing!

If you are a VISUAL ARTIST and are interested in teaching workshops and being involved in arts activities
and celebrations, please submit your information to our Resource Person Listing.
 
The MAG receives a number of requests from schools, community groups, parks and individuals looking for artists to lead workshops, ArtSmarts programs, special initiatives and events. Once you are added to the Resource Person Listing, your information will be shared with these groups and you may be contacted by them directly.
 
If you are interested in joining the list please fill out the MAG Resource List Form and forward to:
Email: educator@mannartgallery.ca
Mailing Address:  142 – 12th Street West | Prince Albert, SK | S6V 3B5
 
Questions?  Contact Twyla at 763-7080 or educator@mannartgallery.ca