Province Invests in Community Museums

Rodney MacDonald, Minster of Tourism and Culture, marked the 7th annual Museum Weekend by announcing close to one million dollars in funding. The funding, announced in Sydney today, June 7, will assist museums in preserving and interpreting local cultural heritage and natural history.

"Museums play a significant role in this province," said Mr. MacDonald. "Not only do they help to preserve our heritage and culture, but they also attract visitors to communities all over Nova Scotia."

More than 28 per cent of all visitors go to museums. In 2000-01, provincially owned and funded museums welcomed about 984,000 visitors.

While in Sydney, Mr. MacDonald visited the Jost Heritage House and reinforced the province's commitment to museums and the heritage community.

"We're investing close to a million dollars in community museums under two programs alone, the Community Museum Assistance Program and Strategic Development Initiative," said Mr. MacDonald. "These investments benefit museums and other organizations throughout the province and contribute to community economic development."

This year, $795,433 in funding is being distributed to 68 museums throughout the province under the Community Museum Assistance Program (CMAP). Seventeen museums in Cape Breton are receiving support, along with 26 in the southern region, 19 in the northern region and six in Halifax Regional Municipality.

Community museums can receive advisory services and up to 50 per cent of their operating costs through CMAP. The program was established in the mid-1960s to fund non-profit, permanent museums that acquire, conserve, research, communicate and exhibit human or natural history of Nova Scotia for the purpose of study, education and enjoyment. CMAP provides support to museums that benefit their communities through collections, information, facilities and public programs.

In the southern region, the Desbrisay Museum in Bridgewater received $49,216 under CMAP.

"This support is integral to the ongoing work of our museum," said Ken Wootten, chairman of Bridgewater's Museum Commission. "This year the Desbrisay Museum is celebrating 100 years as a municipal museum and home to one of Canada's oldest history museum collections."

Mr. MacDonald announced that the Strategic Development Initiative (SDI) funds will total $200,000 in 2002, doubling last year's investment. The program has also been strengthened to make more museums and heritage partners in more communities across the province eligible for project support. Funds will support strategic development initiatives undertaken by groups working in the heritage sector. Over the past two years, the program has encouraged heritage organizations to develop new, creative and innovative ways to make themselves sustainable and active contributors to community life.

"We're broadening our approach and recognizing that a variety of community organizations can be partners-in-heritage," said Mr. MacDonald. In 2002, he expects SDI to reach an increased number of qualified partners-in-heritage in rural and urban areas of Nova Scotia. Until this year, only rural museums receiving funding under CMAP were eligible to apply for SDI assistance.

"The Community Museum Assistance Program and Strategic Development Initiative are just two examples of the many ways this province supports community museums," said Mr. MacDonald. "I encourage everyone to get out and visit their local museum this Museum Weekend."

The application deadline for the SDI program is August 1, and projects must be completed by March 31, 2003. Most heritage partners in Nova Scotia will receive information on SDI eligibility requirements and the application form by mail. The application package is also available from regional development authorities, municipal government representatives, at provincial libraries and community museums.

The Heritage Division of the Department of Tourism and Culture is responsible for delivering programs dedicated to Nova Scotia's rich natural and cultural heritage, as well as operating the Nova Scotia Museum family of museums across the province.

For a list of Museum Weekend events, visit the Nova Scotia Museum Web site at http://museum.gov.ns.ca/museumweekend/ .