Investing in Central Alberta's Heritage Sector

News Release

Member of Parliament Earl Dreeshen announces funding for the Red Deer and District Museum Society

July 6, 2015 – Red Deer, Alberta – Department of Canadian Heritage

Earl Dreeshen, Member of Parliament (Red Deer), today announced funding of $64,974 through the Museums Assistance Program for the Red Deer and District Museum Society, which manages the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery. Mr. Dreeshen made this announcement on behalf of the Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages.

This investment will enable the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery to host Kids Celebrate!, a youth-focused exhibition organized and circulated by the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau. This exhibition explores the history and diversity of significant community celebrations in Canada including Diwali, Hanukkah, Eid al-Fitr, Christmas, Easter and Hina-Matsuri. To enhance the exhibition, the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery will also include a number of artifacts from its own collections.

Funding will also support upgrades to the Museum’s collections management system. The project consists of planning comprehensive storage solutions (including a new system to inventory the Museum’s entire collection), packing the collection, and updating artifact records. These activities are in preparation for the Museum’s temporary relocation to an off-site facility while its permanent storage location undergoes major renovations.

Quick Facts

The Red Deer and District Museum Society will receive $15,000 to host Kids Celebrate! through the Exhibition Circulation Fund component of the Museums Assistance Program (MAP). The exhibition will be presented from July 11 to September 27, 2015.
The Society will also receive $49,974 through MAP’s Collections Management component for its collections management system upgrade. These upgrades will result in increased safety and security of the Museum’s collections and improved museum standard practices.
The Red Deer and District Museum Society was founded in 1971 with a mission to represent the history, culture and art of Central Alberta.
MAP supports heritage institutions and workers in the preservation and presentation of heritage collections. The Exhibition Circulation Fund facilitates Canadians’ access to our heritage by supporting heritage organizations in hosting travelling exhibitions from other Canadian museums. The Collections Management component aims to improve professional knowledge, skills and practices, and to strengthen professional standards related to key museum functions for collections management.

Quotes

“Our Government recognizes the important role that museums play in strengthening our communities and enriching the quality of life of Canadians. Because of museums like the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery, Canadians are provided with countless opportunities to explore, learn and share stories about our history.”

—The Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages

“The Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery is a leader in telling the stories of Central Alberta’s unique local history, while introducing new and exciting exhibitions to residents and visitors. Our support for the Kids Celebrate! exhibition is part of a wider contribution to telling Canada’s story by connecting people and communities across the country. We are also ensuring that future generations will be able to access the collections of the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery by investing in its ongoing collections management system enhancements.”

—Earl Dreeshen, Member of Parliament (Red Deer)

“We are very grateful to the Department of Canadian Heritage for their support. Thanks to the funding from the Exhibition Circulation Fund, the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery is able to present one of the Canadian Museum of History’s excellent exhibitions to the residents of Central Alberta. The Kids Celebrate! exhibition will become the centre of a range of child and family-oriented activities that celebrate the cultural diversity of our community.

“The grant for our Collections Storage project will launch a major project to make the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery’s entire collection more accessible to the members of our community. All of our digital records will be updated, and our storage areas will be refurbished and re-organized so that we can take better care of our collections and make them available to researchers and members of the public who want to learn more about Central Alberta’s history. The support from the Museums Assistance Program has provided the necessary funding to launch the first step of this important project.”

—Lorna Johnson, Executive Director, Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery