<div dir="ltr">Dear BCMA members,<div><br></div><div>If you have not already done so, please take 5-10 minutes to complete our advocacy survey, available here: <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JJH5PCZ">https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JJH5PCZ</a></div><div><br></div><div>This is a way for you to provide feedback on advocacy priorities that are important to you. We've had 58 people complete the survey so far. Below are a few highlights from responses collected so far - please complete the survey by February 17 (this Friday) and add your voice!</div><div><ul><li>88% feel that increasing awareness about the value and impact of the museums, gallery, heritage and cultural sector among elected officials and lobbying governments for increased funding should be BCMA's two top priorities for advocacy</li><li>Funding for core operations and programming is ranked as the top challenge facing museums, galleries and heritage institutions</li><li>86% of respondents have a relationship with their municipal officials. About 50% have a relationship with their provincial MLA.</li></ul><div>"By exposing us to different ways and different cultures museums allow us to practice empathy by imagining ourselves in other places and other times. They provide a safe, calm place to look at new ideas (and old ideas) and allow us to contemplate and to learn. Museums inspire. Museums provide real content for our info hungry digital age. Museums contribute to the quality of life in a community."<br></div></div><div><br></div><div>"Cultural tourism is a growing sector, highly dependent on heritage programs, interpretive facilities and installations and buildings/ landscape features." <br></div><div><br></div><div>"It is important for governments and tax payers to invest in the sector because museums and the larger GLAM sector provides opportunities for community-based learning, an increase in world awareness, and a better understand of cultures both near and far."<br></div><div><br clear="all"><div><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Thank you!</font></div><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><b><br></b></font></div><div dir="ltr"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Erica Mattson</b></font><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Executive Director</font></div><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><p style="margin:0in 0in 1pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:11pt"><span style="color:rgb(237,125,49);font-family:arial,sans-serif">BC Museums Association || 675 Belleville Street || Victoria, BC || V8W 9W2</span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 1pt;font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:11pt"><span style="color:rgb(237,125,49);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:14.66px">Direct: 250-356-5694</span><span style="color:rgb(237,125,49);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:14.66px"> || </span><span style="color:rgb(237,125,49);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:14.66px">Office: 250-356-5700</span><span style="color:rgb(237,125,49);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:14.66px"> || <a href="http://www.museumsassn.bc.ca/" target="_blank">www.museumsassn.bc.ca</a></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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