BCMA’s advocacy, research and communications build awareness about the value and impacts of our members and the BC cultural sector among policymakers and the general public.
The Province of British Columbia proclaimed May 14-21, 2017 “BC Museums Week,” recognizing, among other things, “the importance of museums, art galleries, historic sites, cultural centres and other memory institutions as keepers of legacy, places of learning, and drivers for the economic and social well-being of our communities.”
The BCMA was joined by 55 museums and related organizations from around BC as we celebrated and highlighted the work of our members, discussed important themes for the sector, and advocated for reconciliation and innovation within the sector.
BC Museums Week was perfectly situated in the international museum calendar as it included International Museum Day (IMD), an ICOM-sanctioned celebration now in its 40th year that takes place annually on May 18.
To learn more about BC Museums Week and IMD, click here.
In 2017 the Canadian Museums Association and the BC Museums Association partnered on an initiative to encourage museums to invite their MPs to visit their museum.
In a letter to BCMA members, the CMA and BCMA provided resources, tips, and talking points for inviting MPs to visit. To read the full letter, click here.
The Spring 2017 special issue of Roundup was devoted to advocacy, including articles on the upcoming BC election and a call to action for BC museums.