RE-ORG: Canada program description
RE-ORG: Canada (2014–2019) was a storage reorganization training initiative organized by the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) in collaboration with the Museums Assistance Program (MAP). The goals of the initiative were to help museums regain access to their collections in storage and to inspire the next generation of leaders in storage reorganization.
Background
Dealing with collection storage is an important challenge for most museums in Canada and around the world, as noted in the 2011 ICCROM-UNESCO International Storage Survey (PDF format). When storage is disorganized, collections cannot be accessed by staff or used to develop activities that reinvigorate communities and encourage their involvement. Smaller institutions with limited access to resources or to outside expertise are particularly vulnerable. The RE-ORG method for reorganizing storage, the main learning resource used in this program, was developed in 2011 by ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) and UNESCO. Over a period of five years, 27 RE-ORG projects were successfully implemented by participating museums across five regions in Canada: Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic, West, and Prairies and North. Over 60 professionals benefited from the training.
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© Government of Canada, Canadian Conservation Institute. CCI 129389-0006
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© Government of Canada, Canadian Conservation Institute. CCI 126415-0003
Training description
With RE-ORG: Canada, CCI sought to build professional and institutional capacity in storage reorganization. Storage reorganization focuses on improving existing storage areas, not on planning and building new facilities. This program was for directors, curators, conservators, collections managers, collection technicians, registrars, archivists or collection volunteers working in small to medium-sized museums, galleries or archives.
For each of the five regional editions of the program (one per year), a year-long course was organized. The course focused mainly on distance learning and individual work, using the RE-ORG method, but also included a face-to-face practical training workshop that incorporated the reorganization of a real storage area in a host museum as well as various online networking opportunities (videoconferences, webinars, etc.). For each edition, up to six museums (two participants per museum) prepared a storage condition report to identify the key issues that affected access to and the overall preservation of their collection. Then, they prepared a reorganization project and implemented it. Selected institutions received ongoing support from CCI and were in contact with the other participating museums throughout the program.
CCI partnered with ICCROM to provide the didactic tools for this training. RE-ORG: Canada was one of several national and regional programs taking place in various parts of the world (Belgium, Chile, Nigeria and Southeast Europe).
Objectives
After the training, participating museums were able to:
- Implement a storage reorganization project from start to finish
- Advise other museums on how to plan a storage reorganization project
- Organize a public outreach activity to showcase the benefits of well-organized storage areas to their community
- Organize a dissemination activity for other professionals in their network
Participating institutions
Ontario region
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© Government of Canada, Canadian Conservation Institute. CCI 126415-0001
- Lambton Heritage Museum, Grand Bend, Ontario
- Timmins Museum, Timmins, Ontario
- Collingwood Museum, Collingwood, Ontario
- West Parry Sound District Museum, Parry Sound, Ontario
- Norfolk Arts Centre at Lynnwood National Historic Site, Simcoe, Ontario
Atlantic region
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© Government of Canada, Canadian Conservation Institute. CCI 128843-0001
- Nova Scotia Museum, Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Galerie d'art Louise-et-Reuben-Cohen, Moncton University, Moncton, New Brunswick
- Musée acadien, Moncton University, Moncton, New Brunswick
- Baile nan Gàidheal | Highland Village, Iona, Nova Scotia
- PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
- Community Museums Association of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
- New Brunswick Museum, Saint John, New Brunswick
Quebec region
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© Government of Canada, Canadian Conservation Institute. CCI 129389-0022
- Maison de Mère d'Youville, Montréal, Quebec
- MUSO – Musée de société des Deux-Rives, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec
- Société d'histoire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec
West region
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© Government of Canada, Canadian Conservation Institute. CCI 130398-0017
- Yukon Arts Centre, Whitehorse, Yukon
- Yukon Permanent Art Collection, Whitehorse, Yukon
- Haida Gwaii Museum, Skidegate, British Columbia
- Greater Vernon Museum and Archives, Vernon, British Columbia
- Qualicum Beach Museum, Qualicum Beach, British Columbia
Prairies and North region
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© Government of Canada, Canadian Conservation Institute. CCI 131020-0020
- Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
- Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre, Fort Smith, Northwest Territories
- Prince Albert Historical Museum, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
- Winnipeg River Heritage Museum, St-Georges, Manitoba
- Mackenzie Art Gallery, Regina, Saskatchewan
Core program partners
- Museums Assistance Program (MAP), Department of Canadian Heritage, Government of Canada
- ICCROM, Rome, Italy
- Central Institute for Conservation, Belgrade (CIK), Serbia
- Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA), Brussels, Belgium
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Implementation partners
- Brant Historical Society, Brantford, Ontario
- Parksville Museum, Parksville, British Columbia
- National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Museums Association of Saskatchewan, Regina, Saskatchewan
- Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
- Musée acadien, Moncton University, Moncton, New Brunswick
- Association of Manitoba Museums, Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Société d'histoire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec
- Norfolk Arts Centre at Lynnwood National Historic Site, Simcoe, Ontario
- Musée de l'Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont Royal, Montréal, Quebec
- BC Museums Association, Victoria, British Columbia
- Department of Tourism and Culture, Government of Yukon
- Inuit Heritage Trust, Iqaluit, Nunavut
- Department of Culture and Heritage, Government of Nunavut
- Alberta Museums Association, Edmonton, Alberta
- Yukon Historical & Museums Association, Whitehorse, Yukon
- Association of Nova Scotia Museums, Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Yukon Arts Centre, Whitehorse, Yukon
- Colchester Historeum, Truro, Nova Scotia
- Société des musées du Québec, Montréal, Quebec
- Ontario Museum Association, Toronto, Ontario
- Centre public d'action sociale (CPAS), Bruxelles, Belgium
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