Conference 2007: Schedule

Speakers: Monique Horth, Deputy Director, Canadian Museums Association; Micheline McKay, Cultural Consultant, The Advocacy Group; Marie G. Lalonde, Executive Director, Ontario Museum Association

How can museums work with government towards mutually beneficial ends? What is in store for Ontario's museums after the October 10th election? Can we expect a new National Museum Policy? How can museums attract support for their core functions? What will happen with the CMOG program in 2008? What about capital needs? What actions are the Ontario Museum Association and Canadian Museums Association taking to improve museums' status in communities across the country? What are the most pressing issues facing museums today in Ontario and on the national scene? Come hear the update and discuss your role.

Speakers: Madeleine Callaghan, Curator, Scarborough Historical Museum; Meredyth Miller, Program Officer, Scarborough Historical Museum; Devon Muhic, Historical Interpreter and Youth Theatre Mentoring Lead, Scarborough HIstorical Museum

Ever wonder how to better connect with that elusive "youth" demographic, ages 13 to 22? How can a Youth Mentorship Program benefit your museum? Learn how to navigate your way toward successful results for youth participants, and get ready to try out some mentoring techniques with our Youth Theatre Mentoring Lead. Workshop leaders will leave you with a "Step by Step Toolkit" to help you design your own mentorship program.

Speakers: Kelly McKinley, Richard & Elizabeth Currie Director, Education and Public Programming, Art Gallery of Ontario; Jan Allen, Curator of Contemporary Art, Agnes Etherington Art Centre; Niamh O'Laoghaire, Director, University of Toronto Art Centre; Vera Frenkel, Artist; Shelley Falconer, Director of Exhibitions and Senior Curator, McMichael Canadian Art Collection
Moderator: Anna Hudson, Associate Professor, Department of Visual Arts, York University

This debate stages multiple perspectives on the changing landscape of the art gallery. The curator and the educator are joined by the equally invested voices of the director, the artist, and the director of exhibitions and programs in a reconsideration of the collecting and exhibiting functions of Ontario art galleries today: in whose interests are they operating as "relevant"?

Speakers: Pam Hawley, Curator, Fort Frances Museum; Douglas Worts, Consultant.
Moderator: Jennifer Reiger, Historic Site Coordinator, The Grange, Art Gallery of Ontario

The 2.5 million dollar Fort Frances Heritage Tourism project is a major investment in downtown and riverfront revitalization, which aims to link natural heritage with built heritage. This session will consider the role of museums in community development, and development of both community partnerships and visitor experience beyond the museum facility.

Speakers: Rachelle Clayton, Curator, Museum on the Boyne; Anne Marie Guchardi, Textile Conservator

Museum on the Boyne became a site with an open time frame collection and a multicultural focus in 2005. To herald this change the museum hosted its first cross cultural exhibit to emulate multicultural exhibit excellence, which will be used as a case study in this session. Get ideas on how to immerse your community in culture through special events and programming.

Speakers: Laura Berazadi, On-line Content Assistant, Collection X, Art Gallery of Ontario; Colin Wiginton, Manager, Community Programs, Art Gallery of Ontario
Moderator: John Dalrymple, Director of Development, Textile Museum of Canada

Through an introduction to the Art Gallery of Ontario's ArtsAccess initiative and Collection X, a new site of online exhibitions, this session will explore Web 2.0 and the networking effects created by an architecture of participation. Presenters will discuss strategies for community engagement through the use of various web applications.

Speakers: Helen Booth, Director, Town of Lincoln's Jordan Historical Museum; Mac Swackhammer, Curator, Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology; Ian Kerr-Wilson, Curator, Dundurn National Historic Site
Moderator: Dr. Lynne Teather, Associate Professor, Museum Studies Masters Program, University of Toronto

Museums can act as a focal identity point in communities/countries in crisis. Using personal experiences working at sites in Africa, India, and other places, this panel will discuss how we can bring our expertise to these places and how Ontario's museums can contribute to affect the global museum community.

Speakers: Diane Gallinger, Museum Disability Access Specialist; Gabriele Thomas, Manager, Domestic Interpretation, Upper Canada Village; Margot Dixon, Interpreter/Dressmaker, Upper Canada Village
Moderator: Cheryl Blackman

Starting to develop a new audience amongst visitors with disabilites can feel like navigating into unknown territory. Nevertheless, new provincial disability legislation (the AODA) and changing demographics are permanently chaging the community landscape in which museums must work. This panel will discuss the dynamics and outcomes of how a museum consultant and Upper Canada Village launched a successful access pilot project on a shoestring budget from three perspectives - that of an independent museum access advocate, a manager, and a front-line interpreter.

Speakers: John Dalrymple, Director of Development, Textile Museum of Canada; Thierry Arsenault, Online Marketing Specialist, Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN); Brian Porter, Senior Director, New Media Resources, Royal Ontario Museum

A comprehensive session that will present concrete examples of how quality digital assets relating to a museum's collection can significantly advance that institution on many levels beyond just improved collections management. The session will highlight how to build support for the effort, both financially and with regards to the will of the institution to do it.

Speakers: Carrie Brooks-Joiner, President, Carrie Brooks-Joiner and Associates; Susan Cohen, Program Manager, Cultural Careers Council Ontario; Dr. M. Christine Castle, Ph.D., Consultant and Educator

The need and desire for ongoing learning faces many challenges. As part of the changing learning landscape, new models are attempting to address the professional development gap in many sectors. This participatory session will explore peer learning and highlight the Cultural Career Council Ontario's Peer Learning Project.