The 2019 BC Museums Association Awards for Outstanding Achievement were handed out on Wednesday, October 2 at the BCMA Conference Gala at Courtyard by Marriott in Prince George.  A staple event of our annual conference, the presentation of the Awards for Outstanding Achievement saw museums and galleries from across the province recognized in front of a crowd of more than 150 delegates and some special guests.

The BCMA annual awards recognize institutions and individuals who have exemplified excellence in exhibitions, community engagement and innovation within the province’s museums, galleries and cultural heritage community.

Awards for Outstanding Achievement 2019

A big congratulations to our BCMA Awards for Outstanding Achievement winners and nominees!

The 2019 winners (below in bold) and nominees are:

Award of Merit for Excellence in Exhibitions

Wild Things – Museum of Vancouver and Nature Vancouver

BOOM! – Britannia Mine Museum

Chinatown Through a Wide Lens: The Hidden Photographs of Yucho Chow – Catherine Clement, Curator, Chinese Canadian Military Museum

Culture at the Centre – Museum of Anthropology and all participating co-curators

Fred Hollingsworth: Art of Architecture – West Vancouver Art Museum

In Focus: The Holocaust Through the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre Collection – Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre

Luminocity – Kamloops Art Gallery

Many Families in One House: Communities in the Cowichan Valley – Kathryn Gagnon, Curator, Cowichan Valley Museum & Archives

Okanagan Heritage Museum Permanent Gallery Overhaul – Curatorial & Exhibitions Team at the Kelowna Museums Society

Lifting the Veil – Freemasonry Now – Alyssa Leier, Curator & Chad Hellenius, Curatorial Assistant from the Exploration Place Museum & Science Centre, in partnership with local Freemasons

Nanaimo Mysteries – Nanaimo Museum

The Cannery Cat’s Collection exhibit – Gulf of Georgia National Historic Site

“Team Effort” video – Todd & Kim Davidson, volunteers, Princeton & District Museum & Archives

New permanent galleries – Trail Museum & Archives at the Riverfront Centre

Award of Merit for Excellence in Community Engagement

Cross Cultural Strathcona Walking Tour and the 17 partner organizations that made up the working group

Bulkley Valley Museum – a community partner with the Shared Histories Project – book, Walk to Witset feast – Dr. Tyler McCreary, Eric Holdijk and Kira Westby

Burnaby Village Museum Curatorial and Programming departments for its work with the Chinese Canadian community

Cumberland Museum and Archives: 100^th anniversary of the Death of Albert “Ginger” Goodwin

“Húy̓at: Our Voices our Land” interactive website (www.hauyat.ca) is the result of eight years of collaboration between Heiltsuk First Nation and researchers from several institutions.

Kelowna Art Gallery and Kelowna Museums Society “Our Lives Through Our Eyes: Nk’Mip Children’s Art” exhibition

Museum of Surrey

Nicole Krizmanich, Program Manager, Huble Homestead Historic Site

Port Moody Heritage Society

Cortes Island Museum’s “Wild Cortes” exhibit and its creators Lynne Jordan, Laurel Bohart, and Sabina Leader-Mense

Award of Merit for Excellence in Collections

Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre’s new collections management database

Deborah Chapman, Curator / Archivist at the Salmon Arm Museum at R.J. Haney Heritage Village

Nanaimo Art Gallery in collaboration with Snuneymuxw artists, Joel and William Good, for the new public art installation

2019 Sinixt-Doukhobor Reconciliation Project Exhibit Team (lead by Curator Joan Heart) at the Boundary Museum & Interpretive Centre

Theresa McFarland, Provincial Heritage Registrar at the BC Heritage Branch

Honourable Mention – Impact and Engagement

“Húy̓at: Our Voices our Land” interactive website (www.hauyat.ca) is the result of eight years of collaboration between Heiltsuk First Nation and researchers from several institutions.

Honourable Mention – Sustainability

The Cannery Cat’s Collection exhibit celebrating 125^th anniversary of the Gulf of Georgia National Historic Site

Honourable Mention – Excellence

Luminocity – Kamloops Art Gallery (tie)

BOOM! – Britannia Mine Museum (tie)

Innovation Award (sponsored by NGX Interactive)

Perspectives on Biodiversity – Sturgeon Harpoon Knowledge Web – collaborative project between the Beaty Biodiversity Museum and Musqueam First Nation

Katherine Flett – Director of Communications, Britannia Mine Museum

Museum Service & Stewardship

Dr. Todd Whitcombe – The Exploration Place

Joanne Georgeson – Greater Vernon Museum & Archives

Judy Turner – Mackie Lake House Foundation

Teck Trail Operations – strong supporter of the Rossland Museum and other area museums

Distinguished Service

Ian Thom – For over 30 years of service in senior curatorial positions at the Vancouver Art Gallery and Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.

Orville D. Lim – Director,  Lim Sai Hor Kow Mock Benevolent Association (Vancouver)