A message from our Executive Director, Kirstin Clausen:
It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants.
The question is: What are we busy about?
David Thoreau
After seven months as Executive Director, I thought it would be fitting to write a short statement of what has been keeping us busy at Heritage BC. While being focused on our operations, programs and services, I have also been connecting the dots on understanding how heritage is becoming more broadly defined, how it is evolving and what this may mean to heritage advocates and members of Heritage BC. There is a lot to think about in terms of meeting expectations, organizational capacity and collaborations that make us better.
Please make plans to attend HBC’s AGM on Thursday May 19th to learn more about what we are ‘busy about’ and to engage with your heritage sector organization.
We are also busy planning our Joint Conference with the BC Museums Association. It is an exciting two-part collaboration with Act 1 a virtual conference and Act 2, in October, intended to be in-person. As heritage practitioners we should be acknowledging that we can do better with our understandings about diversity, collaboration and redress. A joint conference with the BCMA presents the opportunity to bring these thematic discussions forward in a broad contextual way. What we learn from the discussions, illustrated by examples of work being done across BC, will shape our best practices in heritage conservation and engagement.
I have truly enjoyed my first few months with Heritage BC. I am looking forward to the conference when I hope to meet more members virtually and learn along side each of you. I am excited about how I am seeing my own vision for the organization taking shape, and sharing this with you in the coming months.
We are constantly adding to our program, so check frequently for updates.
Join our first panel of the day to learn about municipal government and society partnerships on heritage management and conservation. Plus, join us in the afternoon to look at how mutual aid and community partnership could be a solution for heritage and cultural emergency preparedness.
May 4th Social Event: Failure to Communicate Join conference delegates from across the province and beyond for an informal meetup to kick off the first Joint Conference. We invite all delegates to come and share their stories of failures in communication. Get to know other delegates, the Heritage BC and BCMA team, and chat in a casual setting. This event will not be recorded.
Community is where heritage places and intangible cultural heritage meet. Join our morning panel on 'Activist' Museums to see an example of how interpretation at heritage sites can use the significance of place to disrupt dominant narratives.
May 11th Social Event: Culture and Heritage Slam Present at our Culture and Heritage Slam and receive a free ticket to attend our Joint Conference. Come share your successes in heritage conservation, reconciliation, sustainability, or more during this session of rapid-fire presentations! Learn more and submit your presentation before Friday, April 29 at 11:59 pm.
Geographic naming policies are the focus of our final session. This conversation impacts communities across the province.
The roundtable brings together a wealth of perspectives to understand the impact of naming policies and how heritage and culture professionals can support them in our communities.
Thursday, May 19th from 12:00 - 1:00 PM PST is our Annual General Meeting, and we're looking forward to seeing our members in attendance.
If you are not an active Heritage BC member, make sure to purchase or renew your membership so you can attend and vote during the meeting. Topics the meeting will cover include our annual report and our strategic priorities for the upcoming year.
Are you or is anyone you know a student looking to gain experience in the heritage sector this summer?
Heritage BC is hiring a student for a 10-week position starting June 13th. The Heritage Resources Research & Support team member will help us with the research, evaluation, and digital marketing of key resources on our website. This will include the development of a resource specifically made for private heritage property owners.
Not the role for you? Check out the student opportunities section of our job board, where we have compiled a list of job postings for students this summer! Internships are a great way to learn about the many different kinds of roles heritage work encompasses.
Are you facing re-entry with questions about what returning to work should look like?
The Arts Re-Entry Clinic is a resource created by the Pacific Legal Education and Outreach Society and the Artists' Legal Outreach, Arts BC, and the BC Museums Association. It provides advice to help galleries, theatre companies, museums, and other arts based organizations navigate the uncertainties of the Public Health Orders and how they impact relationships between employers, culture workers and audiences.
Heritage BC is your provincial service organization supporting heritage conservation across British Columbia through education, training and skills development, capacity building in heritage planning and funding through the Heritage Legacy Fund.
Support your provincial heritage organization by becoming a member today. Membership fees start as low of $35.
As an organization of provincial scope, Heritage BC recognizes that its members, and the local history and heritage they seek to preserve, occupy the lands and territories of B.C.’s Indigenous peoples. Heritage BC asks its members and all people to reflect on the places where they reside and work, and to respect the diversity of cultures and experiences that form the richness of our provincial heritage.