The Council of the BC Museums Association is very pleased to confirm host institutions and locations for the BCMA's annual provincial Conference for the years 2009 through 2012.

On behalf of the membership, the BCMA wishes to express our sincere gratitude to the following host Institutional Members that have stepped up to host the provincial museum, art gallery and heritage community:

October 15-17, 2009 (Provincial Workshop) - Osoyoos Museum (& South Okanagan region) in Osoyoos, BC;

Fall 2010 - Competing bids from the Nanaimo Museum and Whistler Museum and Archives (t.b.a. this Spring);

Fall 2011 - Canadian Museum of Rail Travel, Cranbrook, BC (joint Conference with the Alberta Museums Association);

Fall 2012 - Kamloops Museum, Kamloops, BC (200th Anniversary of the founding of the fur trade fort; part of a year-long celebration).

Actual Conference weeks will be confirmed with hosts and announced shortly. The 2009 Provincial Workshop format will be evaluated throughout final preparations and the workshop registrants themselves in Osoyoos, BC this Fall for shaping the BCMA's future provincial meetings.

By commiting to hosts further in advance, the BCMA has enabled longer organizational timelines for greater stakeholder engagement, more diverse and effective program development, more ways to participate and increased sources of support.

This long term planning also enables the BCMA to include smaller BC communities as hosts--which have always proven to add their own particular flavour to the BCMA's longstanding provincial conference.

At the same time, Council is also pleased to confirm that Individual Member, Caroline Posynick has agreed to Chair the 2010 Program Committee (for Whistler or Nanaimo), and invites stakeholders interested in being considered for participating on the 2010 Program Committee to contact the BCMA, preferably with their expressions of interest by email to:

Council wishes to thank Caroline and future Conference hosts for their commitment and support of the BCMA and looks forward to engaging a diverse committee of members in producing an inspiring program for 2010.

Please watch for the further updates to follow shortly on BCMA-L and MBEN listservs, and the BCMA website (currently being updated).

Council is extremely pleased to announce the BCMA Provincial Workshop, October 15-17, 2009 in Osoyoos, BC.

The BCMA's Provincial Workshop this Fall will be a departure from the usual annual Conference format, offering 12 in-depth, half-day workshops in three concurrent streams that will each produce more practical "toolkits" on timely issues, standards and best practices that registrants will take-away and can apply at their own institution. A concurrent 1 or 2-day specialized workship will also be offered.

The BCMA expects a Conference "feel" to this year's Provincial Workshop, with the all important networking opportunities, Special Guest Luncheon, BC Reports, annual Awards Banquet and AGM Breakfast.

The workshop format will make participation more flexible and affordable in these tough economic times, while enabling more institutional staff to attend and benefit from workshops in their specific field or practice.

Led by Gayle Cornish and the Board of Directors of the Osoyoos Museum, a regional Host Committee has already been established with the support of the:

The BCMA Council wishes to extend its sincere appreciation to Gayle and her colleagues in the region who came forward with an offer to host, immediately following Conference 2008 last November. Bravo & Thanks!

Council is hard at work filling the traditional Program Committee role with the finalized workshop program to be confirmed early this Spring.

Individual "workshop blogs" are now being created and stakeholders will soon be invited to contribute ideas and essential content they want addressed in workshop sessions and the resulting toolkits.

Please watch for additional announcements and updates on the BCMA-L & MBEN listservs and the BCMA website (currently being updated).