More than 300 members of province’s museum, gallery and heritage sector are expected in Penticton for the B.C. Museums Association 58th annual general meeting and conference Oct. 22-25.
The theme for this year’s event is The Third Space: Re-imagining our cultural landscape. It will explore the importance in contemporary Canadian society of the third space, a gathering place where cultural institutions such as museums, galleries, heritage sites, and cultural centres live, separate from, but are reflective of, the spaces of work and home.
“Museums, galleries and historic sites are connecting with their communities and with audiences in new and innovative ways”, said B.C. Museums Association President, Peter Ord. “Visitors want to engage socially, emotionally and intellectually. We’ve developed a program of fantastic keynote speakers and thought-provoking workshops to help us re-imagine concepts of creativity and connection, learning and community involvement in engaging social spaces.”
One of the keynote speakers is Penticton-born Kelvin Browne, executive director and CEO of the Gardiner Museum in Toronto. The Gardiner is an important centre for ceramics in North America and one of the most respected specialty museums in the world.
Prior to joining the museum, Browne was a vice-president at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM).
“I think my past life at the ROM as a (vice-president) really got me thinking about the museum as the third space, a place where diverse communities could feel comfortable, and where controversial topics could find a neutral place of discussion,” he said.
The conference will be held at the Penticton Lakeside Resort and the Shatford Centre.
Most of the schedule is dedicated to professional-level discussion of the industry’s trends and challenges, but time has also been reserved to explore the South Okanagan, and to celebrate those institutions and individuals who have exemplified excellence in creativity, community engagement, and innovation.
Non-members of the association are also welcomed.
For more information, and to register, visit www.museumsassn.bc.ca.
