News

Session kicks off development of new strategic plan. FARMINGTON — Members of the public who attended a Dec. 11 meeting at the Farmington Museum at Gateway Park to help develop the facility's new strategic plan voiced a lot of appreciation for the museum. But they also expressed a desire to see the facility take a more diversified and daring approach to its programming. The meeting was one of the first steps in the creation of a new strategic plan designed to guide the museum for the next several years. The city has contracted with Lord Cultural Resources — a global consulting practice that offers specialized planning services in the museum, cultural and heritage sector — to facilitate the development of the plan. Two representatives of the firm's Toronto office — vice president Brad King and senior consultant Sarah Hill — were at the museum to lead the meeting, which was designed to solicit public input, and help King and Hill develop a better understanding of how residents view the facility.

One man is making it his mission to photograph the buildings and landmarks seen on currency from around the world, which brought him to Winnipeg to see the Canadian Museum for Human Rights on our $10 bill. 

Emaad Paracha has been through four countries photographing sites on currency.

Lord Cultural Resources has been involved with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights since the early stages, developing the Concept Plan, Master Plan, Architectural Competition Management and completing a cross-country Public Engagement. Most recently, Lord Cultural Resources was engaged by the CMHR to provide tour management services for the Mandela: A Struggle for Freedom traveling exhibition.

What can Canada learn from the museum building boom in China? It’s a question examined in the book Museum Development in China: Understanding the Building Boom, edited by Gail Dexter Lord, Guan Qiang, An Laishun, and Javier Jimenez. The anthology aims to discover how much East and West can learn from each other about museum roles, our publics, how we preserve, what we conserve and our future sustainability—even as we marvel at the accomplishments of China's museum building boom.

On November 27, the University of Toronto’s School of Cities, in partnership with the Asian Institute at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy,  the Faculty of Information, and Lord Cultural Resources, hosted a book launch event and panel discussion at the George Ignatieff Theatre. 

ANN ARBOR • After an acclaimed first-phase opening in April, the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History has now completed its redevelopment, opening three major new galleries and two investigative labs to the public.

SANTA FE • Arts and culture can be the driver in addressing New Mexico’s most critical social and economic issues, said an agenda-setting group of culture-sector leaders at a public event this past October at the NM History Museum auditorium on the Historic Plaza of Santa Fe.

Over the past two years, Sidewalk Toronto has brought some important questions about cities – and our collective futures – into sharp focus. Some of those questions are new; others we’ve been asking for a long time. This is a collection of ideas to help build on and continue these discussions.

Gail Lord is one of more than 90 urban thought leaders invited to contribute an entry to this collection. The entries are presented in tables, to represent conversations that might happen over a meal. Read Gail's entry "Building Livable Communities" as part of the discussion at Table 14.

The National Ballet of Canada announced the launch of Digital Reach, an exciting, multi-organization project to examine how the arts and culture sector can use screen technologies to reach new and existing audiences. 

Lord Cultural Resources partnered with Nordicity and OCAD University on the project.

This fall, Turkey opened the country’s first-ever permanent home for contemporary art, Istanbul’s Arter in September. About half of the 1,300 pieces in the collection are works from Turkish artists, with the rest coming from Europe, Asia, and elsewhere. The newly opened museum is free to the public.

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND • The new Parks Canada visitor centre at the Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish, P. E. I., opens up a world of stories about the woman who created one of Canada’s most famous literary characters.

 The Visitor Centre focuses on the life of author L. M. Montgomery, whose most famous novel, Anne of Green Gables, introduced the character of Anne Shirley to the world in 1908. Anne’s bravery and charm, and her passion for friendship, imagination, community, and natural beauty endeared her to readers all over the world.

The Soft Power Destinations Awards recognize soft power best practice in cultural destinations.

Does your city, cultural organization, or cultural collaboration have a strong and positive influence in your community? We want to hear from you, you can nominate your own, or other exemplary organizations for consideration. Nominations close on September 15, 2019.