ANSM Beacon eNewsletter - November 21, 2011

In this edition of the Beacon...

• Community Museum Assistance Program Workshops
• Museum Management & Governance Workshop
• Holiday Letter Campaign
• Call For Your Events

• Congratulations to Sinclair Inn / Farmer's Hotel National Historic Site!
• Congratulations also to Ross Farm!
• AASLH is offering free webinars
• A new documentary called Nova Scotia Schooners 
• The 35th anniversary of International Museum Day will be around May 18, 2012.
• It is once again the season to begin thinking about NADP applications.
• Community Memories Program by CHIN 
• Preservation Grants for Small Museums Now Available
• The 2011 Tourism Summit

Community Museum Assistance Program Workshops

The CMAP review process is underway and workshops are planned for all four regions in the province. This review is important to all museums currently participating in the program, as well as those interested in joining the program. A series of questions are provided to help shape discussions during the workshops. 

Plan to attend and provide your insights on the program and its future. Staff and board members are strongly encouraged to actively participate in this important review.

If you would like to contribute but not able to attend in person – please send your response to Paul Collins, CMAP Manager at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Workshop Schedule & Locations:

Northeastern Region - November 23, 2011, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm 
Marigold Cultural Centre, 605 Prince Street, Truro (902) 897-4004 

Central Region - November 30, 2011 (1- 4 pm) 
Fairbanks Interpretative Centre, 54 Locks Road, Dartmouth (902) 462-1826 

Cape Breton Region - December 1, 2011 (1-4 pm) / storm date December 2 at the same time 
Highland Village Museum, Iona (902) 725-2272 

Southwest Region - December 6, 2011 (1-4 pm) 
Greenwood Military Aviation Museum, Greenwood (902) 765-1494 (ext. 5955) 

Question 1 
Do the current CMAP criteria (located in the CMAP Policy http://museum.gov.ns.ca/cmap/CMAP_policy.pdf) adequately reflect who should be a CMAP site? Do they reflect the evolving museum definition and role of community museums and the environment in which you work?

Question 2 
Is the CMAP evaluation score the right tool to help determining funding allocations and eligibility? 
- if yes, how would you use the score to determine the sites that can enter CMAP?  
- if no, what is the right tool, or combination of tools, to determine how a site enters CMAP? 

Question 3 
What do you think the role of the ANSM should be as we move forward with a potentially new CMAP in the future?

The Museum Studies Program Museum Management & Governance workshop is taking place November 24 & 25 at the Museum of Industry in Stellarton, NS. Registration is now full. 

Nova Scotian museums are brimming with creative events. We know that you are planning something exciting, and we want to help you get the word out. Email us with info on your plans, and we’ll post it on ourFacebook page. ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) 

Congratulations to Sinclair Inn / Farmer's Hotel National Historic Site for receiving funding from Parks Canada to help with conservation work on the Inn's roof, exterior walls, windows and support structure! For more information, see here.

And congratulations also to Ross Farm for receiving funding from the provincial government to build a newlearning centre! 

AASLH is offering free webinars! "Creating Historic House Interpretive Plans that Connect" is on Dec 8th, and "Redefining Audiences" is on Jan 27th. Pre registration is necessary. See their website for more information. 

A new documentary called Nova Scotia Schooners will be broadcast on CBC Television’s Land & Sea on Sunday, December 4, 2011 at 12 PM (check local listings). It takes an in-depth look at these traditional vessels and explores what’s involved with owning and maintaining a piece of living history. 

The 35th anniversary of International Museum Day will be around May 18, 2012. The theme will beMuseums in a Changing World: New Challenges, New Inspirations. The International Council of Museums (ICOM) established International Museum Day in 1977 to encourage public awareness of the role of museums in the development of society. Visit the International Museum Day 2012 website for more information.

It is once again the season to begin thinking about NADP applications. The National Archival Development Program (NADP) provides contribution funding for archival projects to archival institutions, organizations, and provincial and territorial archival councils. The deadline for submissions  to the CNSA will be January 6th, 2012. For more information see their website. 

Community Memories Program by CHIN - CHIN is seeking african-canadian stories that can be used by teachers during black history month.  Applicants must be CHIN members with fewer than 5 staff members at their museum.  First-time contributors receive $5000, and subsequent exhibits will receive $2500. See their website for more information. 

Preservation Grants for Small Museums Now Available - CMA is pleased to announce that funding for Preserving Canadian Treasures is available again this year. Preserving Canadian Treasures is a funding program to assist small museums  with the conservation and preservation of their collections.  Deadline: November 30, 2011. For more information, contact Véronique Chikuru at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The 2011 Tourism Summit - The Tourism Connection is being held November 27th - 29th at the World Trade and Convention Centre in Halifax. Register before October 31st and save 15%.  See their website for more information.